Latino America [2 volumes]


Book Description

This encyclopedia proves that Latinos have a history in all 50 U.S. states, and it anticipates how and why residents of Latin American descent will play critical roles throughout the hemisphere. These essays portray the dynamics, past and present, of changing migrant and native-born populations, and explain the varied nature of Latino neighborhoods, workplaces, theaters, places of worship, and political organizations.--[from foreword].




Mammals of South America, Volume 2


Book Description

The second installment in a planned three-volume series, this book provides the first substantive review of South American rodents published in over fifty years. Increases in the reach of field research and the variety of field survey methods, the introduction of bioinformatics, and the explosion of molecular-based genetic methodologies have all contributed to the revision of many phylogenetic relationships and to a doubling of the recognized diversity of South American rodents. The largest and most diverse mammalian order on Earth—and an increasingly threatened one—Rodentia is also of great ecological importance, and Rodents is both a timely and exhaustive reference on these ubiquitous creatures. From spiny mice and guinea pigs to the oversized capybara, this book covers all native rodents of South America, the continental islands of Trinidad and Tobago, and the Caribbean Netherlands off the Venezuelan coast. It includes identification keys and descriptions of all genera and species; comments on distribution; maps of localities; discussions of subspecies; and summaries of natural, taxonomic, and nomenclatural history. Rodents also contains a detailed list of cited literature and a separate gazetteer based on confirmed identifications from museum vouchers and the published literature.




Encyclopedia of U.S. Military Interventions in Latin America [2 volumes]


Book Description

This unique reference shows how the United States has intervened militarily, politically, and economically in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean from the early 19th century to the present day. What do baseball, American war crimes, and a slice of watermelon have in common in the annals of Latin American history? Believe it or not, this disparate grouping reflects the cultural and historical remnants of America's military and political involvement in the region. As early as 1811, the United States began intervening in the affairs of Central America, South America, and the Caribbean ... and it hasn't stopped since. This compelling reference analyzes both the major interventions and minor conflicts stemming from our nation's military operations in these areas and examines the people, places, legislation, and strategies that contributed to these events. In addition to documented facts and figures, the alphabetically organized entries in Encyclopedia of U.S. Military Interventions in Latin America present fascinating anecdotes on the subject, including why the United States once invaded Panama over a slice of watermelon, how an intervention in Nicaragua landed our country on trial for war crimes, and how the popularity of baseball in Latin America is a direct result of American influence. Primary source documents and visual aids accompany the content.




Latino America [2 volumes]


Book Description

A Hispanic and Latino presence in what is now the United States goes back to Spanish settlement in the sixteenth century in Florida and the progressive U.S. conquest of the Spanish-controlled territory of California and the Southwest by 1853 and the Gadsden Purchase. Mexicans in this newly American territory had to struggle to hold on to their land. The overlooked history and the debates over new immigration from Mexico and Central America are illuminated by this first state-by-state history of people termed Latinos or Hispanics. Much of this information is hard to find and has never been researched before. Students and other readers will be able to trace the Latino presence through time per state through a chronology and historical overview and read about noteworthy Latinos in the state and the cultural contributions Latinos have made to communities in that state. Taken together, a more complete picture of Latinos emerges. The information allows understanding of the current status-where the Latino presence is now, what types of work they are doing, and how they are faring in places with only a small Latino presence. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are covered in individual chapters. A chronology starts the chapter, giving the main dates of Latino presence and important events and population figures. The historical overview is the core of the chapter. The cast of Latino presence and how they have made their livelihood along with relations with non-Latinos are discussed. A Notable Latinos section then provides a number of short biographical profiles. Cultural contributions are showcased in the final section, followed by a bibliography. A selected bibliography and photos complement the chapters.




A History of Latin America


Book Description

This best-selling text for introductory Latin American history courses encompasses political and diplomatic theory, class structure and economic organization, culture and religion, and the environment. The integrating framework is the dependency theory, the most popular interpretation of Latin American history, which stresses the economic relationship of Latin American nations to wealthier nations, particularly the United States. Spanning pre-historic times to the present, A HISTORY OF LATIN AMERICA takes both a chronological and a nation-by-nation approach, and includes the most recent historical analysis and the most up-to-date scholarship. The Ninth Edition includes expanded coverage of social and cultural history (including music) throughout and increased attention to women, indigenous cultures, and Afro-Latino people assures well balanced coverage of the region's diverse histories. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.




Icons of Latino America [2 volumes]


Book Description

Latinos have contributed a tremendous amount to American cultural heritage, injecting energy, a unique style, and piquant flavor. This set profiles the big names from this century and the last who represent the highest achievement in their field and who have inspired, led, educated, informed, and entertained us. A diverse representation from the world of sports, entertainment, education, music, journalism, literature, and labor is offered. Biographical essays engagingly tell the story behind the icon, with background including family and education, career trajectory and highlights, and contributions and circumstances that have led to icon status. Along with these famous figures, several essays on other types of Latino pop culture icons—iconic characters from cartoons and comics and film and even iconic Latino foods—are included. Entertaining side bars and classic photos complement the essays. Perfect for student reports and browsing, with more in-depth coverage than an encyclopedia entry but less than a full biography, there is something fascinating and informative here for everyone. Readers will find that that a number of the icons profiled were influenced by other icons profiled or have an important connection to one another. For example, Tito Puente and Celia Cruz performed together for many years. Actress Jennifer Lopez portrayed the singer Selena in a biopic. Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta made the United Farm Workers union a reality. Furthermore, in telling the story of these icons, each essay relates so much of the historical and social issues of the times. Thus, together, these essays offer a good sense of recent Latino and Latin American history and progress. Icons include Desi Arnaz; Ruben Blades; Fabiola Cabeza de Baca; Cesar Chavez; Chiles, Tortillas, and the Mexican Food Explosion; Sandra Cisneros; Roberto Clemente; Celia Cruz; Placido Domingo; Jaime Escalante; Gordo, Speedy Gonzales, Dora the Explorer, Bondo, and La Cucaracha; Dolores Huerta; Jennifer Lopez; Rita Moreno; Edward James Olmos; Tito Puente; Ruben Salazar; Carlos Santana; Cristina Saralegui; Selena; Lee Trevino; Luis Valdez; Ritchie Valens; and Zorro.







Latinos and Latinas at Risk [2 volumes]


Book Description

This two-volume collection of essays addresses the Latino/a experience in present-day America, covering six major areas of importance: education, health, family, children, teens, and violence. The Latino/a presence in this country predates the United States itself, yet this group is often marginalized in the American culture. Many noted experts explore the ideology behind this prejudicial attitude, examining how America views Latinos/as, how Latinos/as view themselves, and what the future of America will look like as this group progresses toward equitable treatment. Through the exploration process, the book reveals the complexity and diversity of this community, tracing the historical trajectories of those whose diverse points of origin could be from almost anywhere, including the Americas, Europe, or other places. Written with contemporary issues at the forefront, this timely collection looks at the resolve of the Latino people and considers their histories, contributions, concerns, and accomplishments. Pointed essays address disparate quality-of-life issues in education, health, and economic stability while depicting individual and group efforts in overcoming barriers to mainstream American society. Each chapter discusses key challenge areas for the Latino American population in everyday life. An engaging "Further Investigations" feature poses questions about most of the essays, leading to critical thinking about the most important topics affecting Latino/as today.




Mammals of South America, Volume 2


Book Description

The vast terrain between Panama and Tierra del Fuego contains some of the worlds richest mammalian fauna, but until now it has lacked a comprehensive systematic reference to the identification, distribution, and taxonomy of its mammals. The first such book of its kind, Mammals of South America both summarizes existing information and encourages further research of the mammals indigenous to the region. It includes identification keys and brief descriptions of each order, family, and genus. Species accounts include taxonomic descriptions, synonymies, keys to identification, distributions with maps and a gazetteer of marginal localities, lists of recognized subspecies, brief summaries of natural history information, and discussions of issues related to taxonomic interpretations.




Keen's Latin American Civilization, Volume 2


Book Description

The tenth edition of Keen's Latin American Civilization inaugurates a new era in the history of this classic anthology by dividing it into two volumes. The 75 excerpts in this volume provide foundational and often riveting first-hand accounts of life in modern Latin America.