The Legal Construction of Identity: The Judicial and Social Legacy of American Colonialism in Puerto Rico

by Efrén Rivera Ramos

The book discusses the legal constructs and governing norms involved i n the struggle for identity, specifically a Puerto Rican identity, one which claims rights to United States citizenship and participation wh ile also asserting a separate cultural identity. The law as a crucial arbiter of self-determination and self-perception is also analyzed in relation to Puerto Ricans striving to form a distinct national identit y. This book will be of interest not only to social scientists and leg al scholars but also to anyone interested in the symbiotic relationshi p between law and society.

275 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2001