Hispanic Cultures & Identity Syllabus

The rich diversity within the Hispanic/Latino label — distinct communities from Mexican Americans to Afro-Latinos, regional patterns from the Southwest to New York, cultural traditions from quinceañeras to reggaeton, and the complex question of identity in the United States. Twenty courses. Two hundred forty chapters. University-level content, open to everyone.

20Courses
240Chapters
1,600+Topics

Identity and Terminology

What do the labels mean, who uses them, and how are they changing?

1 What Does "Hispanic" Mean? 12 ch.
  1. The Census Creates a Category
  2. Spanish Language as the Common Thread
  3. Colonial Origins: What Spain Left Behind
  4. Hispanic vs. Latino: The Great Debate
  5. Latinx: A New Term Emerges
  6. Race and the Hispanic Category
  7. National Origin vs. Pan-Ethnic Identity
  8. The Politics of Counting
  9. Marketing and the Hispanic Consumer
  10. Who Gets to Be Hispanic?
  11. Critiques of the Category
  12. The Future of Hispanic Identity
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2 Latino, Latina, Latinx: The Evolving Politics of Self-Identification 12 ch.
  1. From Latino to Latinx: A Linguistic Journey
  2. The Grammar Wars
  3. Generational Divides
  4. Academia and Activism
  5. Media and Marketing Choices
  6. LGBTQ+ Latinos and Gender-Inclusive Language
  7. The Polling Controversy
  8. Right-Wing Backlash
  9. Latin America's Perspective
  10. Beyond the Binary Debate
  11. Institutional Choices
  12. Where Language Goes from Here
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Major Hispanic Communities

The distinct histories, cultures, and experiences of America's largest Hispanic populations.

3 Mexican Americans: The Largest and Most Diverse Hispanic Community 12 ch.
  1. The Numbers: Size and Distribution
  2. Those Who Were Here First
  3. Waves of Migration
  4. Regional Diversity Within Mexican America
  5. Chicano Identity and the Movement
  6. Language Patterns and Generations
  7. Economic Trajectories
  8. Political Diversity and Engagement
  9. Religion and Faith
  10. Family Structures and Gender
  11. Cultural Production and Influence
  12. The Next Generation
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4 Puerto Ricans in America: American Citizens, Caribbean Identity 12 ch.
  1. Citizens Without a State
  2. The Great Migration
  3. Circular Migration: The Airbus Generation
  4. Nuyorican Culture
  5. Beyond New York: The Diaspora Spreads
  6. Race and Puerto Rican Identity
  7. Language and Belonging
  8. Puerto Rican Politics on the Mainland
  9. Economic Conditions and Mobility
  10. Music: From Bomba to Reggaeton
  11. Hurricane Maria and Its Aftermath
  12. The Future of Puerto Rican Identity
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5 Cuban Americans: Exile, Success, and Political Complexity 12 ch.
  1. The Golden Exiles: The First Wave
  2. Mariel and the Marielitos
  3. Balseros: Rafters and Desperation
  4. Miami: Capital of Cuban America
  5. The Economic Success Story
  6. Anti-Communism as Identity
  7. Republican Loyalties and Democratic Defections
  8. Whiteness and Race
  9. Cuban American Culture
  10. Connections to the Island
  11. Cuban Americans Outside Florida
  12. The Next Generation
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6 Dominican Americans: From Quisqueya to Washington Heights 12 ch.
  1. The Dominican Republic: Understanding the Homeland
  2. Waves of Migration
  3. Washington Heights: Dominican Capital of America
  4. Beyond New York: The Growing Diaspora
  5. Race and Dominican Identity
  6. Language and Biculturalism
  7. Economic Life and Mobility
  8. Transnational Politics
  9. Music and Cultural Expression
  10. Baseball: The Dominican Pipeline
  11. Family and Community
  12. The Second Generation
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7 Central Americans in America: Salvadorans, Guatemalans, Hondurans, and Nicaraguans 12 ch.
  1. The Central American Nations: Distinct Histories
  2. War Refugees: The 1980s Crisis
  3. Salvadoran Americans: The Largest Central American Group
  4. Guatemalan Americans: Indigenous and Ladino
  5. Honduran Americans: A Growing Community
  6. Nicaraguan Americans: Diverse Origins
  7. Legal Limbo: TPS and DACA
  8. Geography of Settlement
  9. Economic Life and Work
  10. Culture and Community
  11. Pan-Central American Identity?
  12. The Next Generations
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8 South Americans in America: Colombians, Venezuelans, Peruvians, Ecuadorians, and Argentines 12 ch.
  1. South America: A Continent of Diversity
  2. Colombian Americans: The Largest South American Group
  3. Venezuelan Americans: Crisis Migration
  4. Peruvian Americans
  5. Ecuadorian Americans
  6. Argentine and Chilean Americans
  7. Brazilian Americans: Not Hispanic, but Often Grouped Together
  8. Class and Professional Immigration
  9. Race and South American Identity
  10. Cultural Contributions
  11. Pan-South American or Nation-Specific Identity?
  12. The Next Generations
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Regional Hispanic America

How geography shapes Hispanic communities from the ancestral Southwest to the new destinations.

9 The Hispanic Southwest: Tejanos, Nuevomexicanos, and Californios 12 ch.
  1. Before the Border Crossed Them
  2. Nuevomexicanos: Centuries of Continuity
  3. Tejanos: Texans Before Texas
  4. Californios: From Rancheros to Minorities
  5. Arizona: Frontier Continuity
  6. Land, Water, and Dispossession
  7. Language and Cultural Preservation
  8. Relations with Mexican Immigrants
  9. Political and Economic Status Today
  10. Identity Claims and Debates
  11. Architecture, Food, and Material Culture
  12. The Future of Ancestral Claims
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10 Hispanic Florida: The Cuban Foundation and Beyond 12 ch.
  1. Before the Cubans: Hispanic Roots in Florida
  2. The Cuban Transformation of Miami
  3. Cuban Dominance and Its Discontents
  4. Puerto Rican Florida: The I-4 Corridor
  5. Venezuelan Florida
  6. Colombian, Nicaraguan, and Other South Americans
  7. Mexican and Central American Florida
  8. Language in Hispanic Florida
  9. Florida's Hispanic Economy
  10. Florida's Hispanic Politics
  11. Culture and Community Life
  12. The Future of Hispanic Florida
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11 Hispanic New York: A Century of Diasporas 12 ch.
  1. The First Hispanics in New York
  2. The Puerto Rican Foundation
  3. Nuyorican Culture
  4. Dominican New York: Washington Heights and Beyond
  5. Mexican New York: The Newest Major Community
  6. South American New Yorkers
  7. The Bronx: Hispanic Heartland
  8. Queens: The Most Diverse Borough
  9. Brooklyn's Hispanic Communities
  10. Economic Life in Hispanic New York
  11. Political Power and Representation
  12. The Future of Hispanic New York
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12 The New Hispanic Geography: Growth Beyond Traditional Gateways 12 ch.
  1. From Concentration to Dispersal
  2. The South's Hispanic Surge
  3. North Carolina: A Case Study
  4. Georgia and the Deep South
  5. The Midwest Transformation
  6. Pacific Northwest Growth
  7. Rural America's Hispanic Transformation
  8. Work and Economy in New Destinations
  9. Schools and the Second Generation
  10. Politics and Reception
  11. Community Building from Scratch
  12. The Future of Hispanic Dispersal
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Culture and Traditions

The food, music, faith, and celebrations that define Hispanic life in America.

13 Hispanic Foodways in America: Regional Cuisines, Fusion, and Identity 12 ch.
  1. Food as Identity Marker
  2. Mexican and Tex-Mex
  3. Caribbean Hispanic Cuisines
  4. Central American Cuisines
  5. South American Cuisines
  6. The Business of Hispanic Food
  7. Home Cooking and Family Traditions
  8. Street Food and Informal Economy
  9. Fusion and Innovation
  10. Beverages and Drink Culture
  11. Health, Nutrition, and Food Access
  12. The Future of Hispanic Food in America
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14 Hispanic Music in America: From Mariachi to Reggaeton to Latin Pop 12 ch.
  1. Music as Cultural Anchor
  2. Mexican Music Traditions
  3. The Salsa Story
  4. Reggaeton: The Global Phenomenon
  5. Latin Pop and Crossover
  6. Hip-Hop and the Latino Contribution
  7. Regional Music Scenes
  8. The Music Industry and Latin Music
  9. Dance and Music
  10. Spanish-Language Radio and Media
  11. Traditional Music Preservation
  12. The Future of Hispanic Music in America
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15 Hispanic Religious Life: Faith, Folk Traditions, and Community 12 ch.
  1. Catholicism: The Foundational Faith
  2. Our Lady of Guadalupe
  3. The Protestant Turn
  4. Folk Catholicism and Popular Religion
  5. Santería and Afro-Caribbean Religions
  6. Día de los Muertos and Death Traditions
  7. Churches as Community Centers
  8. Religious Life Cycle Events
  9. Generational Change in Religious Practice
  10. Hispanic Catholics and Church Politics
  11. Religion and Politics
  12. The Future of Hispanic Religion
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16 The Hispanic American Calendar: Celebrations and Traditions 12 ch.
  1. The Rhythm of Hispanic Life
  2. Quinceañera: Coming of Age
  3. Día de los Muertos
  4. Christmas Traditions: Posadas to Three Kings
  5. National Independence Days
  6. Cinco de Mayo: History vs. Marketing
  7. Weddings and Marriage Traditions
  8. Baptisms and First Communions
  9. Hispanic Heritage Month
  10. Community Festivals and Fiestas
  11. Sports and Celebrations
  12. The Future of Hispanic Traditions
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Language, Media, and Identity

Spanish in America, Hispanic media power, race within the community, and generational change.

17 Spanish in America: Language Maintenance, Loss, and Spanglish 12 ch.
  1. America's Second Language
  2. The Pattern of Language Shift
  3. Regional Spanish Varieties
  4. Spanglish: Code-Switching and Mixing
  5. Heritage Speakers
  6. Bilingual Education Battles
  7. Spanish in the Workplace
  8. Spanish Media in America
  9. Language and Identity
  10. Spanish and Politics
  11. Technology and Spanish
  12. The Future of Spanish in America
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18 Hispanic Media: Building a Spanish-Language Public Sphere 12 ch.
  1. The Rise of Spanish-Language Broadcasting
  2. Univision and Telemundo: The Duopoly
  3. Telenovelas: The Cultural Phenomenon
  4. Spanish-Language Radio
  5. Print and Digital News
  6. Representation in English-Language Media
  7. The Streaming Revolution
  8. Social Media and Hispanic Audiences
  9. News Coverage and the Hispanic Vote
  10. The Business of Hispanic Media
  11. Local and Community Media
  12. The Future of Hispanic Media
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19 Afro-Latino Identity: Race Within the Hispanic Experience 12 ch.
  1. The African Roots of Latin America
  2. Race in Latin America vs. the United States
  3. Afro-Latinidad: Defining an Identity
  4. Afro-Caribbean Communities
  5. Afro-Mexicans and Afro-Central Americans
  6. Afro-South Americans
  7. Colorism and Discrimination Within Hispanic Communities
  8. Afro-Latinos and the Census
  9. Afro-Latino Cultural Contributions
  10. The Movement for Afro-Latino Recognition
  11. Afro-Latino Youth and Identity Formation
  12. The Future of Afro-Latino Identity
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20 The Second Generation and Beyond: Assimilation, Retention, and Hybrid Identities 12 ch.
  1. What Is the Second Generation?
  2. Theories of Assimilation
  3. Language Across Generations
  4. Educational Achievement
  5. Economic Mobility
  6. Identity Formation
  7. Intermarriage and Mixed Heritage
  8. Cultural Maintenance and Innovation
  9. Political Attitudes and Engagement
  10. Third Generation and Beyond
  11. Challenges and Resilience
  12. The Future of Hispanic America
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