Ties that Bind? Measuring Assimilation through Latino Elite Social Networks

• In Event: 593 - Section on Latino/a Sociology Paper Session. The Latino/a Middle Class

Abstract

A recent Washingtonian article profiled ten of the most successful Latinos in the Washington D.C. area, highlighting their recent (and seemingly rapid) ascent to the cosmopolitan elite. These individuals hold prestigious positions in a variety of fields, are well-connected and in high demand, having ties to some of the most influential people in the country. Narrating their climb to the top, the author writes of their immigrant parents, the struggles to fit in among their peers, and their eventual success in their respective fields. The messaging is clear – despite the odds stacked against them, these Latinos have not only succeeded, they’ve thrived. This elicits a number of important questions for social scientists. What does it mean for an ethnic group, especially one with an extensive history of immigration, to “make it” in the United States? What is the importance of social networks to upward mobility? Can network patterns reveal the extent to which individuals or groups have reached a marked level of success? This paper examines the relationship between social networks, upward mobility and assimilation and argues that to better understand the extent to which assimilation into mainstream social and economic institutions is possible, social scientists must pay greater attention to the most prominent and affluent members of an ethnic group. The paper concludes by situating this theoretical conversation within a larger empirical research trajectory.

Author

• Samantha L. Perez, Vanderbilt University