Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Effects of Mexican Immigration on Mexican American Ethnicity

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This research would investigate Mexican American ethnicity in two mid-size communities (Santa Maria, California and Garden City, Kansas). These locations extend sociological research on ethnicity beyond the usual major metropolitan areas. 120 interviews in the two communities will address questions of the strength of ethnic identification and the relationships between established residents and new immigrants. An organizational comparison of Mexican American civil rights groups in the two communities will also help us understand how ethnicity develops and is expressed. A principal research question focuses on how the different patterns of immigration in the two communities (continuous immigration in Santa Maria versus distinct phases in Garden City) have affected ethnic identification and solidarity.