Mexicans and Mexican Americans in Michigan (Discovering the Peoples of Michigan) |  | Authors: Rudolph Valier, Ph.d. Alvarado, Sonya Alvarado
Publisher: Michigan State University Press
Category: Book
List Price: $12.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  1 reviews
Sales Rank: 2338146
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 90
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.4
ISBN: 0870136666
Dewey Decimal Number: 977.400468073
EAN: 9780870136665
ASIN: 0870136666
Publication Date: September 2003
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Condition: **New** copy, unmarked EXCELLENT condition; ships with delivery confirmation in US psm
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Unlike most of their immigrant counterparts, up until the turn of the twentieth century most Mexicans and Mexican Americans did not settle permanently in Michigan but were seasonal laborers, returning to homes in the southwestern United States or Mexico in the winter. Nevertheless, during the past century the number of Mexicans and Mexican Americans settling in Michigan has increased dramatically, and today Michigan is undergoing its third "great wave" of Mexican immigration. Though many Mexican and Mexican American immigrants still come to Michigan seeking work on farms, many others now come seeking work in manufacturing and construction, college educations, opportunities to start businesses, and to join family members already established in the state. In Mexicans and Mexican Americans in Michigan, Rudolph Valier Alvarado and Sonya Yvette Alvarado examine the settlement trends and growth of this population, as well as the cultural and social impact that the state and these immigrants have had on one another. The story of Mexicans and Mexican Americans in Michigan is one of a steadily increasing presence and influence that well illustrates how peoples and places combine to create traditions and institutions.
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| Customer Reviews:
OK, but written for middle- and high school students May 3, 2005
You might find this book to be informative and entertaining, but don't expect much social analysis and social theory. Alvarado does a nice job of presenting a historical account of Mexicans/Mexican-Americans in the Detroit region over the past century. However, his writing style appears to be geared towards school students rather than a college-level audience. His prose is very simple, and he never provides more than a surface-level account of the history of this group.
Overall, I liked this book for the fact that the author did present a historical account of Mexicans in Michigan - a topic that does not garner much attention. Many people still think that Mexicans are confined to the southwest, and Alvarado shows how Mexicans have had a long history in the Motor City and its surrounding agricultural areas. The strongest part of this book is its first two chapters, where Alvarado lays out the underlying economic factors and labor demands that stimulated the first wave of Mexican migration to Michigan. After the first two chapters however, Alvarado gets progressively simplistic in his writing and often repeats himself.
Also, the author makes several blanket statements without providing supporting evidence. For example, in one chapter Alvarado claims that cultural heritage programs in Michigan schools during the 1970s failed due to lack of qualified personnel running these programs. And that is all he mentions on this subject. He provides no arguments or evidence to support his claim, which is a bold one at that.
Aside from the first two chapters, this book loses its edge quickly, becomes repititve, and is written at a level more suitable for kids, not adults.
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