Why Do Latino Immigrants Identify More With Whites?
Two recent studies by Profs. Paula McClain at Duke University and Xavier DeSousa Briggs at MIT attempt to shed light on why Latino immigrants tend to identify themselves as whites over Blacks, reports National Public Radio. McClain, who studied Latino immigrants in the South, found that when they were asked which group they had the most in common with, Blacks or whites, most said they had most in common with whites. More than half of the Latino immigrants McClain interviewed in Durham indicated they had an unfavorable view of Blacks. Meanwhile, whites in Durham had a more favorable view of Blacks than did Latino immigrants. Briggs, who studied interracial relationships in 29 American cities, said Latinos with higher education are more likely to hold favorable notions of Blacks. He added that the workplace is a main arena for interracial interaction because whites tend to live and worship in mostly white communities. Read how Blacks and Latinos can overcome their differences.
