Connecticut College faculty from various disciplines have explored topics related to Latinos in American society, such as culture, identity, art, education and politics in a new speaker series that debuted this semester. The Latino Studies Speaker Series was the result of growing student interest in the field of Latino studies.
“In response, faculty from various academic fields — sociology, Hispanic studies, art history, and government and international relations — are bringing their specializations to explore Chicano/Latino studies through the new series,” said Ana Lilia Campos Manzo, assistant professor of sociology and one of the series’ organizers. “Nurturing students’ intellectual curiosity is a priority at Connecticut College.”
The series concludes on Tuesday, April 30, with “Latinos and Politics in the U.S.,” a joint presentation by MaryAnne Borrelli, professor of government, and Carlos A. Suarez-Carrasquillo, visiting assistant professor of government. They will discuss the wide spectrum of Latino politics in the United States, asking questions like What are Latino political issues? Who are the Latinas and Latinos currently serving in Congress? And what are the connections between the issues and the decision-makers? The talk is at 4 p.m. in the Charles Chu Asian Art Reading Room in Shain Library. It is free and open to the public.
“Since Florida’s Spanish period, the Mexican-American war, and U.S.’s control over Puerto Rico, the Chicano/Latino population has been a defining force of American culture,” said Campos-Holland. “In 2010, the Hispanic population in the United States was 16.6 percent, including 33,557,922 from Mexican ancestry and 4,885,294 from Puerto Rican ancestry, according to the 2010 U.S. Census. This series will explore the Latino experience as an American phenomenon.”
The Latino Studies Speaker Series is sponsored by the President’s Fund for Faculty-Student Engagement and the Center for the Comparative Study of Race and Ethnicity. For more information, contact Campos-Holland at 860-439-2006.