The categorical meaning of Spanish American identity among blue-collar New Mexicans, circa 1983

Abstract

Many ethnic labels and attending ideological identities vie for acceptance among the Spanish surnamed people of the Southwest. Taking a historical approach, this article searches for the meanings that 50 blue-collar respondents in Albuquerque, New Mexico, attached in 1983 to their preference for the term Spanish American. A set of qualitative interviews reveals a lack of sure ideological or knowledgeable ethnic identity. To distinguish themselves from other groups, participants relied on surface trait characteristics (categorical awareness) rather than deep cultural differences. A combination of ethnic flux and class dynamics accounts for the lack of a full-fledged ethnic identity.