Chicano studies study list

self identity

How individuals define themselves—based on personal experiences, beliefs, and values. It’s one’s own sense of “who I am.”

social identity

Part of a person’s identity that comes from group membership (race, gender, religion, nationality, etc.). Proposed by Henri Tajfel.

Social categorization

The process of classifying people (including ourselves) into groups—“us” vs. “them.” Simplifies the social world but can lead to stereotypes.

social comparization

Comparing one’s group to others to enhance self-esteem or understand social position (e.g., Chicanos comparing their status to Anglos).

Problematic vs. Unproblematic Social Identities:

• Unproblematic: Identities easily accepted by society (e.g., white, male, upper class).

• Problematic: Marginalized or stigmatized identities (e.g., Chicano, Indigenous, immigrant).

Psychological Work:

The mental and emotional process of reconciling conflicting identities, histories of oppression, and cultural expectations.

Consciousness:

Awareness of social position and systemic inequalities. In Chicanx contexts, relates to “conscientización”—becoming aware of oppression and acting for justice.

“I Am Joaquín” (Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales):

A Chicano poem (1967) exploring dual identity—indigenous and Spanish roots, struggle, resistance, and pride. Symbol of Chicano empowerment.

Chicano:

A Mexican American who embraces a political and cultural identity rooted in pride, resistance, and connection to Indigenous heritage.

Mi Familia (Film):

Multigenerational story of a Mexican American family in East LA—shows assimilation, racism, identity struggles, and perseverance.

Aztlán (Rafael Pérez-Torres Essay):

Aztlán symbolizes the Chicano homeland (mythical Aztec origin in the U.S. Southwest). Pérez-Torres analyzes it as a metaphor for cultural identity and political space.

Sistema de Castas:

Spanish colonial racial hierarchy:

• Español (Spanish)

• Indio (Indigenous)

• Mestizo (Spanish + Indigenous)

• Mulato (Spanish + African)

• Africano (African descent)
  Created to maintain colonial control and racial purity.

Social Race (Patricia Seed):

Seed explains how “race” in colonial Latin America was a social construct, tied to status, language, and religion—not biology.

The Mission (Film):

Jesuit priests protect Indigenous Guaraní from Portuguese slave traders; explores faith, colonialism, and moral conflict.

Bartolomé de las Casas:

Spanish priest who defended Indigenous rights in the 1500s; criticized the encomienda system and colonial violence.

U.S.-Mexican War (1846–1848):

Conflict over U.S. expansion (Manifest Destiny). U.S. seized Mexican territories (California, Texas, etc.).

Manifest Destiny:

19th-century U.S. belief that Americans were destined to expand westward and spread civilization—justified conquest.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848):

Ended the war. Promised Mexican citizens U.S. citizenship and property rights—but many lost land through legal manipulation.

Pablo de la Guerra Case:

California court case testing Treaty promises; highlighted discrimination against Mexican Americans despite “citizenship” rights.

The Great Migration:

Movement of millions of Mexican laborers (Braceros) and others for work in U.S. agriculture and industry—often under harsh conditions.

Doss v. Bernal (1943)

Court case that desegregated schools in Orange County, CA. Early civil rights victory for Mexican Americans.

“Other White Legal Strategy”:

Mexican Americans sometimes claimed “white” legal status to access rights and avoid segregation—highlighting racial contradictions.

The Lemon Grove Incident (1931)

First successful school desegregation case in U.S. history. Mexican parents in Lemon Grove, CA, sued the school board—and won.

Cesar Chavez:

Labor leader and Catholic activist who co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW).

• Abuelita theology: faith rooted in grandmother’s traditional, grassroots spirituality.

• Catholic social teaching: emphasis on dignity, labor rights, community.

• Community service organization: early training ground for Chavez’s organizing.

United Farm Workers (UFW):

Founded by Chavez and Dolores Huerta (1962). Fought for fair wages and conditions for farmworkers through nonviolent protest and boycotts

Dolores Huerta Documentary:

Explores Huerta’s life, activism ,and gender struggles within the labor and civil rights movements.

Chicana labor & feminist leader; co-founded UFW (1962) with César Chávez.

• Led Delano Grape Strike, coined “Sí, se puede.”

• Rooted in Catholic social teaching—justice, dignity, service.

• “Abuelita theology”: everyday faith guiding activism.

• Fought sexism in the movement; symbol of Chicana feminist spirituality., and gender struggles within the labor and civil rights movements.

Larry Itliong & Filipino Farmworkers:

Itliong led Filipino farmworkers who initiated the Delano Grape Strike (1965); later united with Chavez and Huerta to form the UFW.

East LA Blowouts (1968):

High school student walkouts protesting discrimination, poor education, and lack of Chicano representation.

Romero (Film):

Depicts Archbishop Óscar Romero’s transformation from conservative cleric to defender of El Salvador’s poor; assassinated for speaking out.

Romero, Hidalgo, Flores (Article):

Argue for re-centering religion in Chicanx/Latinx studies—not as oppression but as a force for liberation, community, and cultural survival.

• Religion = not just colonial control but resistance + identity.

• Calls to reclaim faith as liberatory, community-building force.

• Urges decolonized, intersectional study of faith (gender, class, race).

• Highlights mujerista theology—women’s lived spirituality.

• Faith = dynamic power in Chicanx/Latinx culture, not oppression.

Brown Church (Definition):

A faith-based movement blending Christianity with social justice and ethnic identity—centered on liberation of Latinx peoples.

Latina/o Theology:

Theological reflection grounded in Latinx experiences—emphasizes liberation, cultural hybridity, and lived faith.

Mujerista Theology:

Developed by Ada María Isasi-Díaz; feminist Latinx theology focused on women’s everyday struggles, dignity, and survival as sacred.

Galilee (in Brown Theology):

Symbol for the margins—where Jesus ministered to the poor and outcast; represents solidarity with the oppressed in Latinx theology.