Migrations Programme - [04/13/2007]

The force of latin americans in the United States

Ramón Grosfoguel, a lecturer in Ethnic Studies at the University ofCalifornia in Berkeley, analysed the influence of Latin American communities on the political and social future of the United States, situating “the Latin American communities as a key transformational element in American society”, in a debate workshop organised by the CIDOB Foundation’s Migrations Programme, with the collaboration of the Consulate General of the United States in Barcelona.

For Professor Ramón Grosfoguel, “the social stratification in the U.S. is based on the concept of coloniality, the reformulation of the colonial system of power, based, however, on the same prejudices, discriminations and power relationships”. For the author, the concept of immigrant could be framed within this logic of coloniality, so “it is more important to conceptualise ethnic and cultural minorities by their situation in the receiving country than by their origin or ancestry”.

Finally, Grosfoguel defended the “crucial role that could be played by Latinos”, who, with a population of 39 million, comprise the most important ethnic minority in the United States. Moreover, according to the author, “their projected demographic growth could make Latinos a majority in a few decades, ending this social stratification, which does not correspond with an egalitarian, fair democracy”.

The debate workshop also featured the participation of Josep Ribera, Director of the CIDOB Foundation; Richard A. Figueroa, Assistant Cultural Attaché in the United States Embassy in Madrid; and Gemma Pinyol, Co-ordinator of the CIDOB Foundation Migrations Programme.

>> Working conclusions of the debate workshop (pdf 121kB)