Special Topics
Women’s Studies/USLT 498R
FALL, 2008
Latina/o Families: Nation, Gender, Class and Community
Professor: Ruth E. Zambrana, Ph.D.
Office: 1208 Cole Student Activities Building
Phone: 405-3447
Email: rzambran@umd.edu
Class Times: Tuesdays 2:00-4:30 p.m.
Class Location: MMH 3418
Office Hours: Tuesdays 10:00-12:00 p.m.
And by appointment
Course Outline
Introduction:
In 1980 Latinos comprised approximately 7% of the US population and
by 2000 represented almost 14% of the US population surpassing African
Americans. Nearly 58.5 percent of all Latinos in the U.S. are Mexican
American; 9.6 percent are Puerto Rican; 4.8 percent are Central American;
3.8 percent are South American; 3.5 percent are Cuban American; 2.2
percent are Dominican; 0.3 percent are Spaniard; and 17.3 percent are other
self-identified sub-groups in the U.S. The U.S. Census Bureau (2000a)
projects that the Latino population could increase to 52.7 million by 2020
(16.3 percent of the nation’s total population), and 96.5 million by 2050 (24.5
percent of the nation’s total population).
Latino family structure and patterns are heterogeneous and diverse within
the large Latino population as well as within subgroups of Latinos. A significant
part of the differences are associated with national origin, place of birth and
socioeconomic status in country of origin, racial phenotype, educational
attainment of family of origin and the access or denial of social capital resultant of
parental education. For immigrant Latino populations, historical modes of
incorporation, receptivity by host society, that is, granting political amnesty,
assigning refugee status, or work visas due to occupation or professional need
such as physicians, engineers etc and perceptions of human capital possessed
by a specific ethnic group shapes a very different experience for Latino immigrant
families of multiracial or indigenous ancestry. Although Latinos are united by
customs, language, spirituality and values, there is significant heterogeneity
among subgroups.
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Course Description:
The course provides an overview of the diverse Latino family forms in the
US, and examines family structure and patterns and their influence on family
functioning and individual development by gender, class and nation. The course
objectives are to have students: (1) become informed on the heterogeneity within
and among Latino subgroups; (2) become familiar with the contemporary
theoretical discourse on understanding the position of Latino families in US
society; (3) understand the interplay of ethnicity, race, gender and class in the
functioning of Latino women and families; (4) examine the key social and policy
issues that differentially impact Latino women and families; and (5) gain an indepth understanding of a specific aspect of Latino families or a subgroup through
a final term paper.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK:
Ruth E. Zambrana, Heterogeneity and Transformation in Latino Families:
Role of National Origin, Gender, and SES (manuscript under review)
Kurt C. Organista, (2007) Solving Psychosocial and Health Problems:
Theory, Practice and Populations, Hoboken New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons.
Websites:
Pew Hispanic Center: http://pewhispanic.org/
US Census Bureau: http://www.census.gov/acs/www/
Course Requirements and Expectations:
OFFICE HOURS: I will require a formal meeting with each student at the start of
the semester. Additionally, please come and speak with me if you have any
questions or concerns- don’t wait until the last minute!
IMPORTANT: All written assignments must be typed, double-spaced and 12pt.
Font (Times and Times New Roman are the only acceptable font styles). Use
APA style format as presented in the Publication Manual 5th Edition.
Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. It is expected that all
assignments submitted will be paginated, proofread, spell-checked and adhere to
grammatical standards. Please note: Emailed submissions are NOT acceptable.
A paper that does not adhere to these standards may lose up to 10 points. Use
standard spacing and margins. Multiple page submissions should be stapled or
well-bound together.
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ASSIGNMENTS: Students are responsible for all assigned readings. Read
PRIOR to the assigned class time. Class lectures and discussions will cover
material supplemental to the readings, in addition to guiding you through them.
Assignments are due on the date scheduled. You are encouraged to consult
with me at any time for assistance and ideas on improving your performance.
LATE ASSIGNMENTS: Late assignments will drop one letter grade-level (1 day
late a B+ assignment converts to a C+) per day they are late from the original
due-date. Being absent from class does not excuse you from having a hardcopy
of your assignments delivered at the appropriate time (do not send via email).
CLASS PARTICIPATION AND BEHAVIOR: Active participation is required and
will be considered in the assignment of final grades. This participation includes:
coming to class prepared (having read and thought about the reading and having
completed assignments in hand); being ready to begin class on time (arriving on
time, putting unrelated materials away, ending conversations, etc.); responding to
instructor questions, contributing to class discussion, and asking thoughtful
questions; listening attentively and respectfully to all class members; participating
in individual and group exercises; and contributing to harmony in the classroom
(not monopolizing class discussion and not acting in a disruptive manner, for
example, but showing good will toward others, offering some humor when
appropriate, coming to the instructor with questions or concerns, etc.). In a word,
it comes down to respect. If you are not present in class, you cannot participate
and learn. Just as the instructor is responsible for facilitating, monitoring,
evaluating, and contributing to this process, students are responsible for fully and
seriously participating in the course.
EMAIL: You are required to keep your email account current. At times
throughout the semester I may be sending assignments and/or messages to the
class or to specific individuals. Please be aware emailed assignments are not
acceptable.
ABSENCES: If you miss two classes you are encouraged to drop the course.
Attendance will be taken at each class meeting. Absence is at times
unavoidable; nonetheless your grade is likely to suffer. Students will not be
penalized because of observances of their religious beliefs; students shall be
given an opportunity, whenever feasible, to make up within a reasonable time
any academic assignment that is missed due to individual participation in
religious observances. It is the student’s responsibility to inform the instructor of
any intended absences for religious observances by the end of the Schedule
Adjustment period.
University Policies:
1. Students with disabilities should contact the instructor at the beginning of the
semester to discuss any accommodation for this course.
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2. The University has approved a Code of Academic Integrity which prohibits
students from cheating on exams, plagiarizing papers, submitting the same
paper for credit in two courses without authorization, buying papers, submitting
fraudulent documents, and forging signatures. Plagiarism policy: all quotations
taken from other authors, including from the Internet, must be indicated by
quotation marks and referenced. Paraphrasing must be referenced as well. The
following University of Maryland Honor Pledge has been proposed by the
Council and approved by the University Senate: "I pledge on my honor that I
have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on this
assignment/examination." This pledge should be handwritten and signed on the
front page of all papers, projects or other academic assignments submitted for
evaluation in this course.
3. Religious observance: Please inform your instructor of any intended absences
for religious observance in advance.
4. This syllabus may be subject to change. Students will be notified in advance of
important changes that could affect grading, assignments, etc.
Course Assignments:
1. Participation
Class sessions are essential to maximizing your learning in this course. Each
student is expected to have read all assigned class readings prior to class and to
actively participate and contribute to class discussion. Students are encouraged
to provide different perspectives in a respectful and intellectually challenging
manner. (10%)
2. Each student will be required to complete three response papers on the
required readings.
You are expected to summarize the major themes or facts learned from the
readings, analyze and respond within the context of the class lectures and
discussion. These are about 3 typewritten pages each. These will be due after
each of 4 class sessions. Dates are noted on the course outline (30%).
3. Each student will be required to work with a partner to read the assigned
articles and serve as discussion leader.
The leader(s) are expected to highlight 3-5 important issues from the readings
and to develop 3-5 discussion questions to stimulate participation of students.
(10%).
4. Each student is required to select a topic for their final/term paper by the
second week of class.
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These term papers are designed to provide you with an in-depth knowledge of
some aspect of family functioning of a specific Latino subgroup. Topics may
include Mexican American girls and educational achievement, Puerto Rican
women and public assistance, Mexican American youth and gang membership,
Resiliency in Mexican American children; Factors that influence gender roles in
Latino subgroups. Each student will be assigned a 15 minute time to present a
discussion of their paper during the last 4 weeks of class (20%).
5. Submit a written final/term paper at the end of the semester.
This paper will include a brief demographic description of the subgroup by age,
gender, geographic location, education, income and occupations. Required is a
conceptual approach to understanding the family dynamics of the group, review
of major findings for topic under study, and discuss how these findings help us to
better understand that particular area of Latino families. The paper should be
about 10 pages in length. You will be expected to have at least 5 empirical
references from journals. (30%).
Grading
Participation
Response Paper
Discussion Leader
Class Presentation
Final Research Paper
10%
30%
10%
20%
30%
100%
COURSE OUTLINE
Topic
Readings
September 2
Introduction and Overview
Why study Latino Families?
Zambrana, Chapter 1
September 9
Latina/os:
Who are They?
Organista, Chapter 1
Zambrana, Chapter 2
September 16
Latino Identity
And Nation
Organista, Chapters 2-3
September 23
Theory in
the Study of Latino Families
Organista, Chapter 6
Zambrana, Chapter 3
Response Paper DUE
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September 30
Family Development: Role
Of Poverty & Culture
Organista, Chapters 2, 3 and 4
Zambrana, Chapter 4
October 7
Girls to Women
Zambrana, Chapter 5
October 14
Boys to Men
Organista, Chapter 7
Zambrana, Chapter 6
October 21
Latina/o Health
Organista, Chapter 9
Zambrana, Chapter 7
Response Paper DUE
October 28
Mental Health
Organista, Chapter 8
November 4
Public Service Systems:
Policy and Latinos
November 11
Latinos, Practice in
the Community, and
Civic Participation
November 18
Heterogeneity and
Representation
of Latino Families
Zambrana, Chapter 9
Organista, Chapters 5 and 10
Zambrana, Chapters 9 and 10
Response Paper DUE
November 25
Latino Women: Role of
Work and Family
Student Presentations
December 2
Latino Children & Youth: Impact
Of Family & Community
Student Presentations
December 9
Student Presentations
Policy & Research
Directions
The final/term paper is due at my office, no later than Friday, December 19,
by noon.
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Recommended Readings
Acosta-Belen, E. & Santiago, C.E. (1998). Merging borders: the remapping of
America. In A. Darder & R.D. Torres (eds.), The Latino studies reader:
culture, economy, and society (pp.29-42). Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers.
Zambrana, R.E. & Dorrington C. (1998). Economic and social vulnerability of
Latino children and families by subgroup: implications for child welfare. Child
Welfare, Vol. LXXVII (1), 6-27.
Lichter, D.T. & Landale, N.S. (1995). Parental work, family structure, and
poverty among Latino children. Journal of Marriage and the Family (57), 346354.
Garcia-Coll, C.T. (1990). Developmental outcome of minority infants: a
process-oriented look into our beginnings. Child Development (61), 270-289.
Baca-Zinn, M. (1994). Feminist rethinking from racial-ethnic families. In M.
Baca-Zinn & B. Thornton-Dill (eds), Women of color in US society (pp. 303314). Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.
Rodriguez, G.G. (1999). Bringing up Latino children in a bicultural world. New
York: Simon & Schuster.
Gonzalez-Ramos, G., Zayas, L.H. & Cohen, E.V. (1998). Child-rearing values
of low-income, urban Puerto Rican mothers of preschool children.
Professional Psychology: Research & Practice 29(4): 377-382.
Gandara, P. (1995). Over the ivy walls: the educational mobility of lowincome Chicanos. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
Casas J.M., Wagenheim, B.R., Banchero, R. & Mendoza-Romero, J. (1995).
Hispanic masculinity: myth or psychological schema meriting clinical
consideration. In A. Padilla (editor), Hispanic Psychology: Critical Issues in
Theory & Research. (pp. 231-244). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
COSSMHO. (1999). The state of Hispanic girls. Washington, DC:
COSSMHO.
Perez-Stable, M. & Uriarte, M. (1993). Cubans and the changing economy of
Miami. In R. Morales & F. Bonilla (eds), Latinos in a Changing US Economy.
(pp.133-159). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
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Zambrana, R.E. (1994). Puerto Rican Families and social well-being. In M.
Baca-Zinn & B. Thornton-Dill (eds), Women of color in US society (pp. 133146). Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.
Reyes P. & Valencia, R.R. (1995). Educational policy and the growing Latino
student population. In A. Padilla (editor), Hispanic Psychology: Critical Issues
in Theory & Research. (pp. 303-325). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Publications.
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