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The Ethnic Self-Identification of Mexican Immigrants Along Religious Lines

Sat, August 22, 10:30am to 12:10pm, TBA

Abstract

The Mexican-origin population, based on its numerical growth and noted religiosity, is poised to influence the U.S. religious landscape in a significant manner. The intersection of ethnic identities and religious identities provides an important angle of analysis for the Mexican-origin population given the growth of its community and its notable religiosity. This study purports to examine how the religious affiliation of Mexican immigrants influences their understandings of ethnic identity. Employing a comparative framework, the study analyzes the experience of Catholic Mexicans alongside that of Evangelical Mexicans in order to parse out the mechanisms that contribute to ethnic identity construction. Data was collected via in-depth interviews as well as through participant observation at various churches in the ethnic enclaves of Santa Ana, CA. Results demonstrate that while macro-level sociological forces contribute to some similarities across religious lines, Catholics and Evangelicals do demonstrate some differences in regards to how they conceptualize their ethnic identities.

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