Hispanic New York and the Latinoization

According to the latest census, around 2.5 million people of Hispanic origin live in New York City, accounting for approximately one third of the city's total population. Of all the major cities in the United States, New York has the most diverse range of immigrant and national origin communities from Latin America and the Caribbean. This makes it one of the leading Latino cities in the U.S. and, at the same time, a Latin-American crossroads. The seminar “Hispanic New York and the Latinoization of the U.S.” will explore the national, racial & ethnic origins, and demographic evolution of New York's Latino and Latin American population and their main cultural traditions, as well as the connections between those traditions, the broader U.S. culture, and the global Spanish-language culture. To provide students with a first-hand approach to the different Latino communities and their current issues, the seminar will include a list of representative guest speakers and visits to social and cultural organizations. The seminar's main objective is to provide students with an in-depth and solid overview of the cultural history of Hispanic New York, as well as the connections between the city and the Spanish-speaking world. Students will also learn how to use basic methodological, theoretical and statistical tools in order to analyse the racial, ethnic, and demographic development of the U.S. Hispanic population.