White-Latino Relations

The United States is often regarded as a country of immigrants given its long history of immigration. While American Indians are the original inhabitants of this country, whites (individuals with primarily Western European and Anglo Saxon roots) have held most of the social, political, and economic influence in this country since the birth of this nation. A minority group in the United States (in terms of population size and power in general) is Latinos. This racial, ethnic group makes up the largest minority group in the United States and are individuals with direct or indirect ties to Latin America (Latinos is used here as a gender-inclusive term). While Latinos immigrate from various parts of Mexico, Central America, and South America, the largest percentage of Latinos are of Mexican descent. Actually, the largest percentage of immigrants in the United States were born in Mexico. The Latino population in the United States is multifarious. Not only do Latinos differ by national origin but they also differ by nativity, citizenship status, and skin tone, among a variety of characteristics. The term “Latino” is a pan-ethnic term used to describe the Latino population yet not all Latinos identify pan-ethnically. Further, Latinos do not identify by the same race. Since the US Census considers Latino origin an ethnicity, it provides Latinos the opportunity to identify by race. According to the 2010 US Census, the majority of Latinos identify as white (53 percent); some classify themselves as some other race (37 percent); and very few (3 percent) identify as black. Latinos’ increasing presence and emerging social, political, and economic clout has been noticed by many individuals, particularly whites. Some whites have responded positively to Latinos’ presence and influence, yet others have not. This article addresses race relations between whites and Latinos with a focus on what extant research reveals to us regarding whites’ perceptions of immigration with a focus on Latino immigration, Latinos’ views toward whites, and the determinants of white-Latino racial attitudes and relations. The bibliography below begins with a discussion of studies that have established the foundation for our understanding of white-Latino relations. This discussion is followed by a presentation of extant research (primarily from the political science discipline) focused on three major themes. The first theme is perceptions of immigrants and immigration with a focus on the determinants on these attitudes. The second theme of the following studies center on Latinos’ social, economic, cultural, and political incorporation into the United States and whites’ perceptions of their behavior. Lastly, the third major theme focuses on white-Latino racial attitudes, the precursors of coalition formation, and the factors that structure inter-race relations. This article culminates with a discussion of critical data sources that individuals can consult for further research on white-Latino relations.