Description
Why do many Latinos choose not to participate in formal American politics? Drawing on 41 in-depth semi-structured interviews with Latinx young adults, I provide a window into the way experiences of political alienation during youth socialization impact Latinx participation. Departing from typical quantitative studies of political behavior, my qualitative approach shows that non-participation is not exclusively the result of resource deficiency or lack of mobilization, but instead an engaged response to exclusion and marginalization. Non-participation is, for many Latinx individuals, an act that signifies dissatisfaction with institutions that fail to represent or protect Latinx communities, or a non-political claim to belonging. Analyzing respondents’ narratives, I show that the uniquely racialized experiences of their youth led to feelings of political alienation through three key narratives: disillusionment with Latinos’ place in American politics, the pressures and responsibilities of economic attainment and parental sacrifice, and structural exclusions based on status.
About the Speaker
Conner Martinez (he/him) is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate at the University of Notre Dame whose research centers around political participation, race, ethnicity, and politics (REP), and American democracy. In his dissertation, he examines the role of racialized experiences in Latinx youth political socialization. His work has been published in Political Research Quarterly and the Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics. Prior to attending Notre Dame, Conner received a B.A. in International Political Economy from Pitzer College, and an M.A. in Political Science from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He has also worked with various immigrants' rights groups, such as Freedom of Immigrants, Puente Human Rights, and currently with the Hispanic American Community Education and Services (HACES).
Respondent
Lisa Magaña, Arizona State University
About the Borderlands and Latino/a Studies Seminar Series
The Newberry Borderlands and Latino/a Studies Seminar provides a forum for works-in-progress from scholars and graduate students that explore a variety of topics in the field. Seminars are conversational and free and open to faculty, graduate students, and members of the public, who register in advance to request papers.
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