by John A. García

about John A. García

John A. García is Research Professor Emeritus at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. The third edition of his Latino Politics in America: Community, Culture, and Interests appeared in 2017.

Politics

“La política” or politics can envelop one’s life, encompass a significant set of experiences, and color one’s worldview. Yet while one can portray politics as all-pervasive and omnipresent, how does one relate that notion for Latinas/os in a way that can convey power, influence, and community for such a dynamic and growing population? Harold Lasswell (2011) defined politics as “who gets what, when and how.” Within that broad definition, there are the notions of expressions, needs, will, impact, outcomes, affect, and change. How are these relevant to the over 55 million Latinas/os residing in the United States (Stepler and Brown 2016)? While democratic principles place emphasis on an individual who expresses and seeks responsiveness from our “democratic institutions,” group interests and collective voices resonate more loudly and effectively. For this reason, establishing a community of interests is vital to connecting politics to Latinas/os. Much has been written about the distinctiveness and commonalities among persons whose ancestry and culture come geographically from Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and the Iberian Peninsula. Historical experiences and traditions, colonialism, language, and cultural beliefs and practices can be antecedents to the lived experiences, interactions, and objects of American public policies for those Latinas/os...