Description
Trade ReviewCristina Beltran's powerful book, The Trouble with Unity is timely for our age of Obama in which an ugly anti-immigrant spirit looms large. Don't miss it! * Cornel West, Princeton University *
In her lucid account of the complexities of identity politics, Cristina Beltran analyzes U.S. Latino efforts to forge a unified political community, persuasively arguing that unity-based politics can provide spaces for meaningful political action but too often minimizes major differences. The Trouble with Unity is an informative, balanced, and unusually thoughtful contribution. * Rogers M. Smith, Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Political Science, University of Pennsylvania *
Many have looked at the growth of Latino political identity from a purely empirical perspective. This work, however, tries to understand how Latino-ness is performed and understood in the public sphere, the growth and nature of pan-ethnic identity, and how disparate individuals come together to see themselves as a political interest. Cristina Beltran's book is a work of theory built off of a careful historical examination of practice and is a major contribution. * Gary Segura, Professor of Political Science and Chair of Chicana/o Studies, Stanford University *
This book makes an original and centrally important contribution by using categories of political theory to analyze the ways in which 'Latinos' have thought about their political identities. It will become essential reading for those interested in how political theorists can contribute to the rethinking of race and ethnicity. * Joan Tronto, Professor of Political Theory, University of Minnesota *
A sophisticated analysis of social justice in the Latino community.... useful for general readership and all undergraduate work on Latino studies in the US.... Recommended. * CHOICE *
Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION; SLEEPING GIANTS AND DEMOGRAPHIC FLOODS: LATINOS AND THE POLITICS OF EMERGENCE; CONCLUSION; LATINO IS A VERB: DEMOCRACY, LATINIDAD, AND THE CREATION OF THE POLITICAL; NOTES; BIBLIOGRAPHY; INDEX
