Between Rivalries and Cooperation: Comparative Analysis of Latino Incorporation in Boston, Miami and Los Angeles

• In Event: “Latin@s” making in American and European Migratory Spaces

Abstract

This paper investigates the influence of the relations among different Latino groups on the incorporation of Latino immigrants in the cities of Boston, Los Angeles and Miami. Through presenting an overview of social cohesion among Latino communities, this paper ascertains the impact of these differential experiences on the identity formation and subsequent incorporation of Latino immigrants.
The demographic changes in American society and the rapid increase of the Latino population of the United States since the 1960s have led to intense debates regarding immigration policies. In this context, understanding the mechanisms of immigrant incorporation into American society has become a public policy issue. Although research devoted to Latino immigrants is vast, gaps in the literature remain regarding their incorporation into American society. In order to better understand how they adapt to the host society, this article offers a comparative analysis of the relations among different Latino groups and puts forward the importance of the relation between the different Latino groups on their incorporation into American society.
The data for this study was collected in 2012 as part of a larger project pertaining more broadly to Latino immigrant’s incorporation and political participation. The data for this particular analysis consists of 214 semi-structured qualitative interviews of Latino immigrants. The recruitment process involved purposeful selection in order to achieve a high degree of socioeconomic variety

Author

• Marie Laure Mallet, University College London