Overview

Diven by the pressures of poverty and civil strife at home, large numbers of Central Americans came to the Los Angeles area during the 1980's. Neither purely economic migrants, though they were in search of stable work, nor official refugees, although they carried the scars of war and persecution, Guatemalans and Salvadorans were even denied the aid given to refugees such as Cubans and Vietnamese. In addition, these immigrants sought refuge in a city undergoing massive economic and demographic shifts of its own. The result was - and is - a complex interaction that will help to reconceptualize the migration experience. Based on twenty years of work with the Los Angeles Central American community and filled with facts, figures, and personal narratives, Seeking Community in a Global City presents this saga from many perspectives. The authors examine the forces in Central America that sent thousands of people streaming across international borders. They discuss economic, political, and demographic changes in the Los Angeles region and the difficulties the new immigrants faced in negotiating a new, urban environment. They look at family roles, networking, work strategies, and inter-ethnic relations. But they also consider policy issues and alliances, changing expectations, shifting priorities, and the reciprocal effect of the migrants and the city on each other.

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9781566398671

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"""Seeking Community in a Global City is the impressive culmination of two decades of collaborative research by the authors with Central Americans in Los Angeles. Drawing on extensive interviews and narrative accounts from a broad spectrum of Salvadoran and Guatemalan community members and leaders, this book fills a substantial gap in our understanding of contemporary migration. It will prove to be essential reading for scholars, students, and decision makers alike."" —James Loucky, author of The Maya Diaspora (Temple) ""...the book offers a rare look into the experiences of these important migrant groups. ... The authors utilise state-of-the-art theories and concepts of migration to frame their study, and as a result their analysis is both comprehensive and sensitive."" —Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies"

Seeking Community in a Global City is the impressive culmination of two decades of collaborative research by the authors with Central Americans in Los Angeles. Drawing on extensive interviews and narrative accounts from a broad spectrum of Salvadoran and Guatemalan community members and leaders, this book fills a substantial gap in our understanding of contemporary migration. It will prove to be essential reading for scholars, students, and decision makers alike. --James Loucky, author of The Maya Diaspora (Temple)

Author Information

Nora Hamilton is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Southern California. Norma Stoltz Chinchilla is Professor of Sociology and Women's Studies at California State University, Long Beach. They have both published extensively on the Central American immigrant experience.

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