The Latino Elite and Ethnic Capitalism

• In Event: 259 - Section on Latino/a Sociology Paper Session. Latino/a Intra and Inter-Group Relations

Abstract

Some Latinos have ascended into the top of the income and wealth distribution, yet no research has examined Latino elites. This research investigates whether Latino elites cut ties to coethnics once they integrate into the upper echelons of society or whether they retain a sense of ethnic solidarity. If so, does ethnic solidarity manifest through “ethnic philanthropy” or other practices? I define “ethnic philanthropy” as the practice of giving to ethnic-centric organizations that focus on alleviating social and economic inequalities. This project connects two disparate bodies of literature. The first is research on elite philanthropy, a well-developed body of literature that focuses exclusively on upper-class whites. The second is immigrant assimilation theory, a long-established body of literature that also overlooks minority elites. I first analyze the American Community Survey to present some basic descriptive statistics of Latinos in the top one percent of income earners in Los Angeles. I then draw on 50 in-depth interviews with Latino elites, and over four years of ethnographic field work in the Latino community, to investigate whether elite Latino business owners and corporate executives retain a sense of commitment to less advantaged coethnics and the Latino community at large by engaging in practices that aim to remedy social and economic inequalities. Finally, I connect these practices to immigrant assimilation literature and elaborate on the theoretical concept of “ethnic capitalism,” which occurs when the retention and maintenance of an ethnic identification is commodified to further social and economic interests.

Author

• Jody Agius Vallejo, University of Southern California