New Immigrant Communities: Finding a Place in Local Politics

by Kristi Anderson

Andersen (political science, Syracuse U.) investigates how US immigrants find a place in local politics where their organizations and leaders are consulted, their members are seen as valuable constituents, and their interests are included. She examines midsized cities of Chico, California; Fort Collins, Colorado; Lansing, Michigan; Spokane, Washington; Syracuse, New York; and Waco, Texas; drawing on interviews with city officials, political party leaders, and organizations that provide services to immigrant groups. She aims to understand the political behavior and incorporation of immigrants; examine the process of incorporation in its political contexts; compare the cities and their attributes; and understand immigrant experiences and the extent that nonparty organizations have replaced party organizations as the primary institutional political socializers of immigrants since the 1900s, when immigrants relied on party organizations. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

133 pages, Hardcover

First published August 13, 2010