| Book Review | The Western Historical Quarterly, 37.2

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| Book Review | The Western Historical Quarterly, 37.2 | The History Cooperative

Book Review

The Columbia History of Latinos in the United States since 1960. Edited by David G. Gutiérrez. (New York: Columbia University Press, 2004. xxiv + 494 pp. Illustrations, tables, notes, bibliographies, index. $75.00; £50.00.)
This essay collection is informative, thought-provoking, and well-timed. Eleven scholars examine the Latinization of the United States. By 2050 Latinos will be one-quarter of the U. S. population, with significantly higher concentrations in the U. S. West. We scholars of the U. S. West have an edge on interpreting this phenomena to the degree that we have integrated the central role of U. S.-Mexico relations as a part of U. S. imperialism and capitalism, the region's dependence upon ethnic Mexican labor, and the cultural continuity of New Spain in North America. David Gutiérrez's excellent introductory essay provides a road map through the volume, which addresses a vast array of topics, including Caribbean Latinos, employment patterns, segmented assimilation, feminism, minority status, remittances, and expressive culture.	1
A collection such as this raises as many questions as it answers: To what degree does Latino immigration follow or alter existing paradigms that have structured U. S. society and the roles of various groups therein? Should theories of assimilation and/or minority status be applied in scholarly interpretations? Are Latinos a "group" and if so, what are its defining boundaries and characteristics? Must one speak Spanish to be Latino? Are indigenous peoples of Mexico, Central America, and Latin America part of the group? To what extent are notions of Latinos as a socio-cultural group a product of immigration and the U. S. context? Do Latinos consider themselves a group within and among their countries of origin?	. . .

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