Negotiating Latina/o Ethnicity in NYC

Social Interactions and Ethnic Self- Presentation

Authors

  • Rosalyn Negrón Goldbarg
  • Wilneida Negrón

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7146/dl.v10i16.113576

Keywords:

situational ethnicity, multiple ethnic identities, code-switching, Latina/os, New York City

Abstract

Today, an increasing number of people regularly switch from ethnicity
to ethnicity in normal discourse, in an attempt to maximize their
economic and political interests. This paper focuses specifically on
ethnic flexibility among Latina/os in New York City. Drawing on
ethnographic, linguistic, and social network data we explore how
Latina/os in NYC negotiate between multiple ethnic identities in
everyday contexts. Through language and dialect switches, accents,
and even calculated silence the Latinos in our research negotiated
NYC’s multi-level system of categorization. We hope to show that no
one-to-one relationship exists between subjective feelings of ethnic
belongingness and the use of ethnic markers. Ethnic markers,
particularly language-related ones, are manipulated in a number of
creative ways by members and non-members alike, pushing the limits
of what constitutes ethnic group membership and challenging notions
of ethnic authenticity.

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Published

2009-01-01

How to Cite

Goldbarg, R. N., & Negrón, W. (2009). Negotiating Latina/o Ethnicity in NYC: Social Interactions and Ethnic Self- Presentation. Diálogos Latinoamericanos, 10(16), 23. https://doi.org/10.7146/dl.v10i16.113576

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Section

Articles