Latinx Politics

Overview

The Latinx population in the United States has attracted significant attention from politicians and pundits alike in recent years. It is estimated that 32 million Latinxs will be eligible to vote by the 2020 presidential election — making Latinxs the largest share of non-white voters in the United States. But what do we know about the politics of Latinxs? In this course, we will examine the history and contemporary role of Latinxs in the American political system with an emphasis on voting and generational change. In tracing the historical and political processes of Latinxs in the U.S., we will grapple with questions of immigration, ethnicity and identity, assimilation and incorporation, and examine the impact of Latinx voters on campaigns and elections. Although Latinxs are the primary focus of this course, we will situate Latinxs within the larger context of racial and ethnic politics in the U.S. and draw comparisons with their white, Black, and Asian American counterparts throughout the semester.