Item Details

title

Hispanic Exceptionalism: Intra-ethnic segregation in the Hispanic Community

author

Arismendy, Stephanie

abstract

In an increasingly globalized world, Miami, Florida may serve as a unique example of how discourse and ideas are exchanged between those of different cultures. That is not to say that it is the only place where these types of interactions take place. With the help of modern technology, people have access to nearly unlimited interaction with those of different cultures via the internet and other forms of telecommunication. However, I argue that the frequency at which these interactions occur in a face-to-face medium is much higher in metropolitan areas such as South Florida, making it a unique place to study identity formation through discourse. What makes it even more unique is the types of people that are having these interactions. The proximity of South Florida to other countries, in comparison to most of the States in the U.S., means that South Florida may be the first stop on many migrants’ journeys, and is a huge hub for people from different native home countries. This increases the chances of cross-cultural interaction between its natives and visitors. This study aims to understand how Hispanics view themselves in comparison to others in a dynamic space, that happens to be located in a conveniently unique geographical location, giving its residents a one-of-a-kind experience when navigating through discourse. To investigate how “place” plays a role in Identity Formation, South Florida Hispanics were interviewed via phone and asked to describe how they view themselves and others given the richness of culture and diversity they encounter on a day-to-day basis. Place Identity theory is used as a lens to analyze participant responses, concluding that there are a handful of overarching themes that participants commonly mentioned as having an effect on their identity and view of others.

contributor

Von Burg, Alessandra (committee chair)

date

2019-05-24T08:35:50Z (accessioned)

2020-05-23T08:30:20Z (available)

2019 (issued)

degree

Communication (discipline)

embargo

2020-05-23 (terms)

identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/93980 (uri)

language

en (iso)

publisher

Wake Forest University

type

Thesis