Description: While many commentators -- from politicians to the authors of the best-selling Habits of the Heart -- lament the loss of community in America, their discussion has focused almost entirely on the white middle class. Perhaps the most important untold story is that of real, thriving, growing (if embattled), communities in Latino urban centers all over America, and the way they are reshaping themselves and the U.S. as a whole.

Responding directly to the debate about community, this book paints a vivid portrait of Latino community life and analyzes its mechanisms and meanings. Based on ethnographic work in Latino centers in San Antonio, Los Angeles, New York San Jose, and Watsonville, California, the book looks at the process of Latino "cultural citizenship" -- the use of cultural expression to claim political rights in the larger culture while maintaining a vibrant local identity. Chapters detail acts of cultural affirmation in Christmas festival celebrations, cannery strikes, educational programs, and much more.

A pathbreaking work of Latino scholarship, this book will help redefine the conversation about the future of community in the U.S.

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