Doctoral Dissertation Research: Latinos/as and Work in the New South

University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC

Investigators

Abstract

Doctoral Dissertation Research: Latinos and African Americans in the New South This project examines the incorporation of Latino/a migrants in the U.S. South, focusing on workplace intergroup dynamics at a meatpacking plant. It includes participant observation of the interactions of Latinos/as and African American workers as well as interviews with workers. The project seeks to understand the dynamics of economic competition theories and to see how intergroup relations figure into the incorporation of migrants, and racial and ethnic relations. It will bridge and extend important theoretical traditions that have so far developed in isolation. Findings will be of interest to a diverse audience including local and national organizations working to facilitate Latino/a migrant incorporation and address grievances between Latinos/as and African Americans at the community level. Findings will also aid efforts to improve the working conditions of all workers, given insights into the sources of conflict and opportunities for cooperation between Latinos and African Americans.