Officially Hispanic

Officially Hispanic takes a critical look at the American government's classification system of ethnicity and race. Classification policies - related to issues of identity and civil rights - are an important feature of American politics. The classification of Hispanic or Latino is especially significant due to the large percentage of the population identified in that category. Delving into questions of group categorization and the nature of membership, identity, and ethnic groups, Idler argues that the Hispanic category, as currently used by the federal government, does not adequately capture the multiplicity of circumstances and identities among Hispanics. Applicable in the upper level undergraduate or graduate public policy, political science, and cultural studies classroom, as well as for academics and practitioners, this timely inquiry addresses one of the central questions of modern states: how to socially and politically integrate all of its citizens.