My research is about Latino political
participation in the Northeast,
focusing on Puerto Ricans in New
York and Connecticut. In particular,
my work explores the role of race
and ethnicity in the political
process, how minority elites fashion
political alliances, and the role
of leadership in bridging the gap
between political representation
and policy responsiveness. My first
book, Identity and Power: Puerto
Rican Politics and the Challenge
of Ethnicity. Philadelphia: Temple
University Press, 1998, explored
the relationship between ethnic
identity, political mobilization,
and political empowerment. Currently
I am working on two book projects:
a political history of Puerto Ricans
in New York City during the period
1960-1990 and a comparative case-study
of coalition-building between African-American
and Latino elites in Chicago and
New York City during the administrations
of Harold Washington and David
Dinkins respectively.
I recently completed an article on Latino politics in Connecticut that will be included in a book about Latinos in New England to be published by Temple University Press. My most recent publications are “Interminority Relations in Legislative Settings: The Case of African Americans and Latinos,” in Anani Dzidzienyo and Suzanne Oboler, eds. Neither Enemies nor Friends, Latinos, Blacks, Afro-Latinos. Palgrave, 2005 and “Latinos in Office,” in Sharon Navarro and Armando Mejia, eds. Latino Americans and Political Participation. ABC-CLIO, 2004.
