Mestizo

This text covers over 2,000 years, tracing the roots of the contemporary Mexican-American. It utilizes the fields of history, political science, cultural anthropology, folklore, literature, sociolinguistics, Latin American studies and ethnic studies. Thus, it is unique for its multidisciplinary approach which probes into the past of the underclass—the exploited Native-American, Campesino and Mexican-American. It presents, therefore, an insider's view of the history, culture and politics of the Mestizo/Mestiza as an underclass. Most important, it presents a new perspective that invalidates the current Spanish/European and Western interpretation of Native-American reality.

This text covers over 2,000 years, tracing the roots of the contemporary Mexican-American. It utilizes the fields of history, political science, cultural anthropology, folklore, literature, sociolinguistics, Latin American studies and ethnic studies.

Booknews

Presents a critical insider's view of the problems affecting the fastest growing ethnic group in the US. Topics include the differences between Western/European culture and Pre-Columbian civilization; the effect of European/Spanish culture and religion on existing native cultures; the Mexican/Chicano adaptation and resistance to racism in the 20s, 30s, and 40s; Chicano mobilization in the 60s and 70s; the positive effects of the Chicano Movement as seen in the Chicano academic, cultural, and literary achievements; and cultural inheritance, the question of identity, and gender awareness. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Arnoldo Carlos Vento is Associate Professor of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Texas at Austin.