Mexican Americans and Ethnic and Political Identities
Edward E. Telles and Vilma Ortiz
 
Latino Policy and Issues Brief, Number 17
May 2008

This brief offers evidence that Mexican Americans continue to identify with their ethnic culture and that ethnic identification remains strong across generations. In addition, they are part of a community with a distinct political sensibility. Their incorporation into mainstream U.S. culture has been slow in regard to ethnic and political identies.

Latino Policy & Issues Briefs numbers 17-21 were generated by the Mexican American Study Project (MASP), a research project based at UCLA. In 1965–66, MASP project teams interviewed Mexican Americans living in Los Angeles and San Antonio; in 1997–2000, Professors Edward E. Telles and Vilma Ortiz re-interviewed the original participants, plus two of their adult children. The two surveys provide data for a systematic analysis of how well Mexican Americans are being absorbed into the predominant culture.

ISSN: 
1543-2238