Browsing by Subject "Mexican"
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Item American Progressive Education, Texas Schools, and Home Economics, 1910-1957(2011-08-08) Besa, DelilahThis thesis explores the Americanization efforts of educational leaders in Texas during the Progressive Era to demonstrate that reformers did not use vocational education, and specifically home economics, primarily to Americanize immigrant and ethnic minority students to become good, working-poor citizens. Through Americanization efforts in vocational curricula, reformers hoped to provide economically disadvantaged students with a practical body of knowledge and democratic values that would create healthy, economically viable communities occupied by loyal, educated American citizens. Federal legislation that promoted the development of vocational education in the first half of the twentieth century demonstrates that this way of thinking reflected national rather than regional trends. In Texas, vocational education was largely directed at a population that was predominately white and rural for the first several decades of the twentieth century. That decision by educators casts considerable doubt on assertions that they were primarily motivated by racialized thinking. Notably, home economics curricula was constructed over the framework of Americanization, and children who took such courses in rural schools received training that advocated respect for others, cooperation, an appreciation of Western culture and the value of aesthetics, efficiency and thriftiness, and good hygiene practices. The homemaking program at the South San Antonio high school in the 1944-1945 school year provides an example. Homemaking teacher Nell Kruger's curriculum reached far beyond training future housewives, waitresses and maids. She sought, in accordance with the state-mandated home economics curriculum, to provide a practical body of knowledge and to inculcate democratic values in her students. Using Texas' State Department of Education and State Board of Vocational Education bulletins, Texas Education Agency literature, federal and state laws, conference reports, and curriculum guidelines, this thesis seeks to further nuance the understanding of Americanization efforts through vocational education, specifically homemaking, during the Progressive Era in Texas by arguing that Americanization reflected an urban, middle-class perspective directed toward economically disadvantaged white students as well as immigrant and ethnic minority students.Item An american irony: the story of Mexican immigrant poverty in the land of immigrants(2009-05-15) Garcia, Ginny ElizabethThis dissertation uses data from the 2006 American Community Survey and Decennial Census 2000 to analyze trends and determinants of poverty among Mexican Americans and Mexican immigrants in the Southwestern United States. The chapters include: 1) an Introduction; 2) a Literature Review with sub-sections on many issues related to these populations; 3) a discussion of Data and Methods including a section on the Development of a Proxy Variable for Undocumented Status; 4) Results for Mexican Americans (Individual Level); 5) Results for Mexican Immigrants (Individual Level); 6) Multilevel Results; and 7) Conclusions and Future Research Directions. The introduction and literature review will provide a background and overview of the research, as well as the analysis of poverty at the individual and contextual level (i.e. the Super-PUMA level). Data and methods are then discussed relative to all the analyses to be undertaken in the dissertation. In addition, specific emphasis in this chapter will be placed on the methodology pertaining to the development of the undocumented proxy variable. In Chapter IV data are analyzed at the individual level through the use of logistic regression. Special attention is placed on variables pertaining to ethnicity, citizenship status, and years spent in the US, among others, in order to predict the likelihood of Mexican Americans being in extreme poverty, one hundred percent poverty, and low-income. The focus is then narrowed in Chapter V to Mexican immigrants with special attention given to the effect on poverty of undocumented status. In Chapter VI, independent variables at the contextual level are used to predict poverty in conjunction with those used at the individual level; these include the percentage of persons in poverty, concentration of Mexican immigrants, and the relative presence of various industries. The findings confirm that both individual level and contextual level predictors are key in the determination of poverty for Mexican Americans and immigrants. In the conclusion, discussion is given to the fact that many studies have focused on the individual level predictors of poverty; this research goes one step further in that it examines poverty not only with respect to individual predictors, but also group level variables.Item Curanderismo and Mental Health: Mexican and Mexican-American Beliefs, Attitudes, and AcculturationRamirez, Kelsie Lozano; Curtis, Drew A; Contreras, Jose A; Lee, Jungeun; Self, Raelye TThis study explored the effects of generation on Mexican and Mexican-American beliefs about mental illness, their willingness to seek out psychological help, and their beliefs and attitudes about curanderismo, a Mexican folk-healing practice. This study utilized a convenience sample from four locations. Participants were split into two groups: Group 1 consisted of Mexicans or 1st and 2nd generation Mexican-Americans and Group 2 included participants who reported being 3rd, 4th, or 5th generation Mexican-Americans. The findings of the study indicated no significant differences between the two generation groups on beliefs and attitudes toward curanderismo, attitudes toward psychotherapy and psychotherapists, and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help. There was a statistically significant difference in the scores between the two generation groups on beliefs toward mental illness. Implications of research and practice are discussed.Item Curanderismo and Mental Health: Mexican and Mexican-American Beliefs, Attitudes, and AcculturationRamirez, Kelsie Lozano; Curtis, Drew A; Contreras, Jose A; Lee, Jungeun; Self, Raelye TThis study explored the effects of generation on Mexican and Mexican-American beliefs about mental illness, their willingness to seek out psychological help, and their beliefs and attitudes about curanderismo, a Mexican folk-healing practice. This study utilized a convenience sample from four locations. Participants were split into two groups: Group 1 consisted of Mexicans or 1st and 2nd generation Mexican-Americans and Group 2 included participants who reported being 3rd, 4th, or 5th generation Mexican-Americans. The findings of the study indicated no significant differences between the two generation groups on beliefs and attitudes toward curanderismo, attitudes toward psychotherapy and psychotherapists, and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help. There was a statistically significant difference in the scores between the two generation groups on beliefs toward mental illness. Implications of research and practice are discussed.Item Degreed and in the shadows : journeys and Testimonios from Mexican undocumented college graduates in Texas(2012-05) Romo, Enrique; Sáenz, Victor B.; Reddick, Richard J.; Sharpe, Edwin R.; Sanders, Sherri L.; Franquiz, Maria E.; Vincent, Gregory J.This study sought to research and documents the experiences of a group of Mexican undocumented college graduates in the state of Texas. Mexican students were chosen for this study because they are the largest undocumented group residing not only in the United States, but also in the state of Texas. Furthermore, this study revealed perceived and real opportunities Mexican undocumented students have after college graduation. The study focused on college choice as aspirational capital, Latina/o critical race theory (LatCrit) through testimonios as counternarratives, social capital, and cultural wealth to frame a discussion on the post-college experiences of Mexican undocumented college graduates. Furthermore, the study provided a review of legislation and policies addressing the broader immigration context. Overall, this study concluded that for the participants in this study, social capital as well as cultural wealth played important roles in how critical connections and networks operated. After exposure to social capital, participants were able to build their own networks and by tailoring it to their unique needs, were able to help their community by providing access and information about the college admissions process and available options after college graduation. In doing so, they were able to adapt, thrive, and survive within racist and discriminatory societal structures. College choice played a pivotal part in this study, but given the participants’ immigration status, they were left to attend institutions in their home state of Texas. However, given the participants academic acumen, they were able to attend and graduate from the state’s premier public flagship institution. Through their testimonios, activism, and civic engagement the participants shared their experiences as undocumented college students as well as college graduates. In the process, participants dispelled myths about their intellectual abilities and their potential to succeed. Still, their options were limited given their lack of a social security number. This study contributed to the limited literature about opportunities and challenges Mexican undocumented college students face upon degree completion.Item Examining Working Class Chicano Identities in San Antonio and Chicago as Portrayed in The Banner Project by Juan Miguel Ramos, David Botello’s Arte por Vida/Art for Life and The Children of Quetzalcoatl by Ricardo Santos Hernandez(2011-08) Polendo, Arthur J.; Check, Ed; Chua, Kevin; Erler, Carolyn; Wasserman, Jason; Jaddo, LahibThis dissertation examines how contemporary Chicano working class identities are imagined and portrayed within three public art examples in Chicago, Illinois and San Antonio, Texas: The Banner Project, completed in 2002, by San Antonio Artist Juan Miguel Ramos, contemporary tattoo art of San Antonio artist David Botello, owner and proprietor of Arte Por Vida/Art for Life tattoo studio, and The Children of Quetzalcoatl mural by Chicago artist Ricardo Hernandez. Using the artists? lives and environs as grounded theories, I fully document their images and analyze how these artists and their artworks relate to and interact with the particular surrounding space and location as well as my personal and professional relationships to the original art sites. I examine the multiple ways ethnicity plays a role in each artist?s life and art and discover that ethnicity is but one meaningful factor defining their art. Formal education, lived experiences within familial locations and working class values and ethics also contribute in shaping the course of these artists? identities and artwork over time. Ethnicity and social class are factors that these artists negotiate daily. These formally educated artists with working class roots have helped change communities and the visual arts and are but a glimpse of the complex lives and locations of what it means to be Chicano in a rapidly changing American cultural landscape.Item Exiting poverty: Experiences of resilient Mexican American women(2006-12) Bowman, Victoria L.; Caldera, Yvonne M.; Sharp, Elizabeth A.; Mulsow, MiriamThe primary purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of Mexican American women who self-identified that as children they grew up in poverty and as adults transitioned to the middle class. Through semi-structured interviews, the phenomenological experience of this transition was addressed. Not much is known about individuals who exit poverty and even less is known about Mexican American women who do so. This study thus expands the literature on resilience, ethnic minority groups, and Mexican American women. The present study explores individual, familial, and societal factors, operating and embedded, in the process of exiting poverty. Six Mexican American women between the ages of thirty six and fifty one were interviewed about their experiences and interpretations of their exit from poverty into middle class life. The women were asked to respond to the question, "What was your experience getting out of poverty?" The women's experiences of exiting poverty were interpreted using an interpretive phenomenological analysis. Several themes emerged: the importance of education in making this transition, belief and reliance on God and faith, and teachings from parents/family. Additionally, the women talked about being determined, going against the norm, and making conscious decisions to change their lives. This study therefore illustrates that the women, despite hardships, made the journey from poverty into the middle class.Item Exploring characteristics of effective multicultural education in Mexican and Mexican-American art museums(2011-05) Severin, Andrea Vargas; Mayer, Melinda M.; Bolin, PaulThe increase in the Latino population, and specifically the Mexican-American population, in the United States demonstrates the need for meaningful multicultural museum education to, for, and about this demographic. This exploratory case study investigates the educational programming in the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago, Illinois and Mexic-Arte Museum in Austin, Texas through observations of programs and curricular documents and interviews and seeks to identify characteristics of effective multicultural art education related to this cultural group. While highlighting Mexican and Mexican-American art and artists serves as the primary content of program curricula, museum educators at these institutions aim for education that is socially conscious and meaningful. The author of this study argues that effective multicultural museum programming has the potential to positively impact program participants on an educational, personal, and societal level.Item Mexican immigrant newcomer students in central Texas : a study of immigrant adaptation(2012-08) Rubio, Brenda 1984-; Valenzuela, Angela; De Lissovoy, NoahThe purpose of the study was to identify the sociocultural and sociopolitical supports and practices that foster or hinder the successful integration of the Mexican immigrant student. The study was centered on the student perspective of their newcomer school in Central Texas. New school models have emerged in an attempt meet the educational needs of immigrant children by providing targeted instruction and concentrated resources to facilitate their successful integration into their new school system and academic success. In order to identify promising practices that positively impact the academic incorporation of newcomer students in Texas, attention was paid to the school discourse, organizational structures, institutional policies and practices, supports through social resources and services, supports through adult-student relationships, school opportunities, and high-expectations. Unfortunately, the Mexican immigrant student was a forgotten majority and found themselves not receiving the adequate support.Item Mi chiquito (my little one) : mothers of Mexican heritage in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)(2010-12) Cleveland, Lisa Marie; Horner, Sharon D.; Volker, Deborah; Clingerman, Evelyn; Walden, Marlene; Gill, SaraThe admission of an infant to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) has the potential to produce significant stress for the mothers of these infants. Researchers suggest that this may contribute to difficulties with coping following discharge. Past research on this topic has been primarily focused on Caucasian women. Approximately 9% of the U.S. population is of Mexican heritage; therefore, this population is significantly underrepresented in the existing literature. For this reason, the purpose of this grounded theory study was to identify the basic social processes used by English-speaking mothers of Mexican heritage who have experienced the admission of an infant to the NICU. Maximum variation sampling was utilized to recruit 15 English-speaking mothers of Mexican heritage who were at least 18 years of age and had experienced the admission of an infant to the NICU. The women were recruited from various locations in San Antonio, Texas. Data collection was conducted through audio-taped, semi-structured individual interviews and transcribed field notes. Data analysis consisted of constant comparison, open coding of data, and theoretical coding. This investigation resulted in the substantive theory making sure my baby is cared for by being there for my baby. The process began with the unexpected event of having an infant in the NICU and played out in the context of opposing forces: trying to be the mother or making meaningful connections. The mothers developed strategies for managing this situation by balancing responsibilities, leaving part of me with my baby, and watching over. The process concluded with one of two consequences: bringing my baby home or losing my baby. The theory that emerged from this study offers insight for researchers, nurse educators, and neonatal nurses who provide care for English-speaking, Mexican-heritage mothers and their infants as well as for the care of all NICU mothers and their infants.Item Nativity and age of migration in relation to morbidity, disability and active life expectancy among older Mexican Americans(2015-12) Garcia, Marc Anthony; Angel, Ronald; Angel, Jacqueline L; Hayward, Mark D; Hummer, Robert A; Powers, Daniel A; Rodriguez, NestorThe U.S. Mexican-origin population has experienced rapid growth over the past several decades, with aging Mexican Americans composing a significant part of this increase. Despite these growing numbers there has been relatively little research that explores how nativity and for immigrants, age of migration, affect health outcomes of Mexican Americans in later life. The objective of this dissertation is to examine and document differentials in morbidity, Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs), and Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA) limitations across eight groups by gender, nativity and age of migration among Mexican-origin elderly individuals residing in the southwestern United States. This broad examination takes into account the demographic heterogeneity of the U.S. Mexican-origin population and is especially timely given the rapid population aging that U.S. Latino and immigration subpopulations are experiencing. I argue that the life experiences of the foreign-born in the U.S. are likely to be shaped by the age and the period at which they immigrated to the United States. Results show that there are important differences by nativity and age of migration in the prevalence, ALE, and functional limitation trajectories of foreign-born Mexican elders. Female migrants are at a significant disadvantage in terms of IADL disability relative to U.S.-born women, particularly early and late life migrants. Conversely, mid and late life male migrants exhibit a health advantage in TLE and ADL disability compared to their U.S.-born counterparts. Furthermore, results indicate that mid and late life migrant males have lower functional disability at age 65, however have a steeper increase in POMA limitation over time relative to U.S.-born and early life migrants. These findings illustrate foreign-born Mexican elders are not a homogeneous group. While the majority of individuals in this cohort report a disability, there are large variations by nativity and for immigrants by age at migration. This issue merits special attention in the development of community-based long-term care programs to appropriately target the specific needs of different sub-groups of older individuals of Mexican-origin who are entering into their last decades of life.Item "Perl's of wisdom" : "Rabbi" Sam Perl, new models of acculturation, and the "in-between" Jew(2011-12) Schottenstein, Allison Elizabeth; Abzug, Robert H.; McKiernan-Gonzalez, John“‘Perl’s of Wisdom’: ‘Rabbi’ Sam Perl, New Models of Acculturation, and the ‘In-Between’ Jew” examines archival materials from the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The Brownsville Herald and El Heraldo de Brownsville to demonstrate how Sam Perl — an Eastern European Jewish immigrant who changed the face of Brownsville, Texas — redefines historical approaches to Jewish acculturation. In this bordertown, Perl not only revitalized the Jewish community when he became the temple’s lay-rabbi, but he also actively united Mexican and Anglo communities both in Brownsville and across the border in its sister city of Matamoros. In Perl’s efforts to simultaneously revitalize his own religious community and the greater social landscape of the border area, Perl proved that he did not need to conform to the expectations of Anglo-Christian identity to succeed. Challenging theories of whiteness studies scholars, Perl never sacrificed his Jewish identity, had a boulevard named after him, and came to be known as “Mr. Brownsville.” Indeed, Perl’s profound impact on the Brownsville-Matamoros community was the result of his ability to occupy an “in-between,” interstitial position that did not require him to blend in with majority cultures; that is, Perl remained distinctly Jewish while simultaneously involving himself in both Anglo and Mexican arenas. Immersing himself in every aspect of bordertown life, Perl occupied multiple roles of community authority, serving as a businessman, rabbi, a Charro Days founder, cultural diplomat, court chaplain and radio host. A close examination of Perl’s life and considerable legacy demonstrates how new acculturation models are needed to better understand the manner in which Jews like Perl have adapted and contributed to dominant cultures.Item Pr?spero: A Study of Success from the Mexican Middle Class in San Antonio, Texas(2012-10-19) Bertinato, SaritaImmigration is a topic that has experienced an evolution of social importance across centuries. While the United States has welcomed individuals seeking lives of promise and opportunity, its neighboring border with Mexico has also encouraged significant migration into the United States Therefore, immigration into Texas was not a new and unusual development. However, the flood of Mexican citizens trying to escape the regime of Porfirio Diaz was noteworthy and left San Antonio residents struggling to accept their new neighbors. The purpose of this dissertation is to study a historically Mexican middle class neighborhood in San Antonio, in order to identify factors that made it possible for some residents to experience socioeconomic prosperity while others were less successful. I believe that positive socioeconomic success resulted from two important factors: high levels of human and social capital and the synergistic interactions of sociopolitical elements. I begin by presenting an overview of the shared turbulent history between Mexico and the United States, the rise and fall of President Porfirio Diaz, and the role that the Mexican Revolution played in San Antonio's 1910 immigration flux. Since this research focuses on the Mexican middle class, I explore the literature pertaining to racial/ethnic definitions, the middle class, and human/social capital, as well as the relevance of each concept within the context of my research question. This research utilizes comparative/historical, qualitative, and quantitative methodologies. I present a quantitative analysis of Prospect Hill's residents, particularly those of an anomalous nature. Of the cases identified, I discuss the case of Romulo Munguia, a native-born Mexican who presented as the third anomalous Mexican resident. Munguia moved to the U.S. in 1926 and established himself as a successful, middle class printer who became heavily involved with San Antonio's Mexican community. Ultimately, Munguia's success indicates a dependency on two specific factors. First, he possessed considerable human and social capital that afforded him social, economic, and political advantages. Secondly, he settled into a community that desperately needed his skills and expertise. Munguia's case supports the hypothesis that immigrant prosperity requires both human/social capital and specific synergistic interactions to achieve success.Item Racial and Ethnic Identities of Mexican-White Couples in Texas(2010-11-03) Guillen, Jennifer 1983-This thesis is a result of qualitative research conducted with individuals in interracial, Mexican-White couples in Southeast, Texas. This study calls into question the ways in which individuals in these relationships self-identify and how they perceive and are perceived by their partners. There are several conclusions reached during this study. First, the results partially support Omi and Winant?s (1994) argument that racial and ethnic identities are fluid and dynamic among non-White individuals, as is shown by the availability of labels and the variation in selecting those identities. Second, the analysis shows that Whites impose the label ?Hispanic? onto their Mexican partners, regardless of how these self-identify. Finally, the identity of Whites does not support Omi and Winant?s (1994) argument that racial and ethnic identities are fluid and dynamic. On the contrary, behaviors and attitudes among Whites shift, but their identity is static. This reflects the retention of White power and privilege associated with White identity. This analysis utilized forty in-depth interviews of individuals living in a small to medium sized metropolitan area in Texas, and who were asked to discuss ethnic and racial identity as it is self-identified, and perceived and imposed by their partners. Respondents revealed extensive variation in responses as to how individuals in these couples racially and ethnically self-identified, identified their partners, as well as, what factors may or may not affect those identifications. Results indicate a complex relationship between individuals in interracial and interethnic relationships and their constructions of identity that influence racial and ethnic identifications.Item Re-reading the American renaissance in New England and in Mexico City(2010-05) Anderson, Jill, 1979-; Barrish, Phillip; Carton, Evan; Dominguéz-Ruvalcaba, Héctor; Joysmith, Claire; Murphy, GretchenRe-Reading the American Renaissance in New England and in Mexico City is a bi-national literary history of the confluence of concerns unevenly shared by new world liberal intellectuals in New England and in Mexico City. This dissertation seeks to fill a gap in our understanding of the complex history that informs the multi-faceted public and private spheres of the United States and Mexico in the twenty-first century. I introduce translations of nineteenth-century liberal intellectuals from the interior of Mexico who were preoccupied with many of the same ideas and problems characteristic of US American literary nationalism: the nation in moral crisis, the post-/neo-colonial onus of originality in the new world, the hypocrisies of race-based romantic nationalism, and the inherent contradictions of economic and political liberalisms. These inter-textual juxtapositions shift the analysis of US American liberal nationalism from a nation-based narrative of success or failure to the study of the complex, unequally distributed failures of liberalism across the region. Each chapter offers a new contextualization of the US American renaissance that demonstrates the period to be a complex palimpsest of provincial prejudices, liberal nationalisms, and cosmopolitan strategies. In Chapter Two I read the trans-american jeremiads of Margaret Fuller, Frederick Douglass, and Henry David Thoreau and Carlos María de Bustamante, Mariano Otero, and Luís de la Rosa in the aftermath of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. Chapter Three focuses on Ralph Waldo Emerson’s and Ignacio Ramírez's incommensurate preoccupations with the origins of language and their inter-related post/neo-colonial bids for national recognition on a Eurocentric geopolitical stage. The travel accounts of William Cullen Bryant’s trip to Mexico City in 1872 and Guillermo Prieto’s overnight stay in Bryant’s Long Island home in 1877 set the scene in Chapter Four to explore the bi-national tensions inherent in their oddly inter-related romantic nationalisms. Furthermore, the insights of this bi-national literary history invite us to recognize the contours of our own geopolitical positions, and in recognizing them, to re-orient nationalist epistemologies and literary histories as deeply conversant with contemporaneous traditions otherwise considered peripheral and/or foreign.Item ?When You Want Something So Bad, You Can Always Do It:? Mexican Women Journeying from the GED to Community College Graduate in a Southwestern State(2014-07-09) Russo, Renata FerreiraThe Hispanic population is the fastest growing population in the United States. Mexicans, who represent the largest Hispanic ethnicity, are also the most undereducated. Mexican women struggle between their roles as housewives and their desire to complete a higher education degree in order to improve their lives. The purpose of this study was to examine the internal (personal) and external (institutional) factors that influence female Mexican GED graduates? persistence in completing associate?s degrees at a community college in southeast Texas. A basic interpretive approach was employed to frame this study and to collect and analyze data. The sample consisted of twelve female Mexican GED graduates in their second year of postsecondary education. Additionally, two secondary sources were used to collect data for the study: interviews with two academic counselors from the institution, and institutional data showing student demographics. A thematic approach was utilized to analyze data from the audio-recorded and transcribed interviews. The findings revealed that the institution played a significant role in facilitating the female Mexican GED graduates? completion of their degrees. Supportive teachers, services such as counseling, and financial aid all had a strong impact on the participants? persistence. The findings also showed that pregnancies at an early age caused major setbacks in connection with their educational pursuits. Yet the participants also pointed out the support they received from parents and other family members. While many of the participants? parents did not themselves have high school diplomas, they had made education a priority for their daughters. A fourth finding suggests that the individual resilience of the participants played a significant role in their educational perseverance. The women in this study showed remarkable resilience in response to the many barriers they faced, overcoming these in order to remain in school through degree completion. The overall findings show that Mexican women who immigrate to the United States face significant obstacles with respect to earning their two-year college degrees. However, some of these women managed to complete their education by relying on supportive teachers, services, and family members. Most importantly, those who reached their educational goals showed great personal resilience and motivation to persist in order to provide a better life for themselves and their children.