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The Limits of Social Change: The Case of a Mexican American Community

The Limits of Social Change: The Case of a Mexican American Community

Author(s): Jose Amaro Hernandez , DRH Publishing Inc

Edition: 1

Copyright: 2015

Pages: 236

Edition: 1

Copyright: 2015

Pages: 236

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ISBN 9781465270566

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A product of the authors 44 years of consistent community activity and government service, The Limits of Social Change: The Case of a Mexican American Community is intended for college students in Chicano Studies and related areas, political science, urban studies, and history classes.

This is a case study of the Mexican American community of San Fernando, a small city that has been the heart of Southern California’s progressive forces changing the city’s political landscape into a political base of Mexican Americans.

Social change is the central theme of this study. Social change is rarely precisely defined. In this case, social change is interpreted here as the desire to reorganize a group political structure and behavior that lead to equal opportunities and benefits as Mexican Americans and Latinos increased representation in local government. The change is not chimerical, certainly not minimal. It’s real transformational change.

Available in print and eBook formats, The Limits of Social Change: The Case of a Mexican American Community:

  • Helps students understand the political world in which they live and to give them some general knowledge about local public policy and real Latino politics in social affairs. 
  • Is the story of determined progressive men and women profoundly dedicated to positive change, and a mayor and city council bent on social and cultural issues who played a key role in transforming local politics. 
  • Observes some aspects of social and economic life, however nonpolitical, to learn more about politics and about Mexican American perennial efforts to gain recognition as first-class citizens in San Fernando. 
  • Illustrates that when given an opportunity, Mexican Americans will excel in all levels of American life with admirable results. 
Preface
A Note on Methodology
Location and City and Political Structure
Acknowledgements
Introduction

CHAPTER 1 The Evolution of Mexican American Citizen Participation and the Slow Deterioration of the Anglo American System of Domination
CHAPTER 2 Structural Change in the Economy and New Job Opportunities in the San Fernando Valley
CHAPTER 3 Decades of Progressive Citizen Participation
CHAPTER 4 The Search for a Civic Voice in San Fernando
CHAPTER 5 The Historic Election of 1984
CHAPTER 6 The Old Order at Risk
CHAPTER 7 Making Government Work for the People
CHAPTER 8 Public Access to Policymaking in a Small Government
CHAPTER 9 The City in Distress
CHAPTER 10 Conflict in Changing Times
CHAPTER 11 New Council Challenges
CHAPTER 12 The End of an Era
CHAPTER 13 Summary and Conclusions

Selected Biography
About the Author
Index
Jose Amaro Hernandez
Professor José Hernández received a bachelor of arts degree in economics from St. Mary’ University, San Antonio, Texas, a Catholic institution which mixed faith with the promotion of social justice; a master of arts degree in economics from the Ohio State University; and a Ph. D. in political science from the University of California, Riverside. He is a founding member and professor of Chicano Studies, California State University, Northridge, considered the largest and finest such department in the nation. Professor Hernández published several articles on citizen participation; however, his major publication, Mutual Aid for Survival: The Case of the Mexican American was published by Krieger Publishers in 1983. The book attaches great importance to the value of association life.
DRH Publishing Inc

A product of the authors 44 years of consistent community activity and government service, The Limits of Social Change: The Case of a Mexican American Community is intended for college students in Chicano Studies and related areas, political science, urban studies, and history classes.

This is a case study of the Mexican American community of San Fernando, a small city that has been the heart of Southern California’s progressive forces changing the city’s political landscape into a political base of Mexican Americans.

Social change is the central theme of this study. Social change is rarely precisely defined. In this case, social change is interpreted here as the desire to reorganize a group political structure and behavior that lead to equal opportunities and benefits as Mexican Americans and Latinos increased representation in local government. The change is not chimerical, certainly not minimal. It’s real transformational change.

Available in print and eBook formats, The Limits of Social Change: The Case of a Mexican American Community:

  • Helps students understand the political world in which they live and to give them some general knowledge about local public policy and real Latino politics in social affairs. 
  • Is the story of determined progressive men and women profoundly dedicated to positive change, and a mayor and city council bent on social and cultural issues who played a key role in transforming local politics. 
  • Observes some aspects of social and economic life, however nonpolitical, to learn more about politics and about Mexican American perennial efforts to gain recognition as first-class citizens in San Fernando. 
  • Illustrates that when given an opportunity, Mexican Americans will excel in all levels of American life with admirable results. 

Preface
A Note on Methodology
Location and City and Political Structure
Acknowledgements
Introduction

CHAPTER 1 The Evolution of Mexican American Citizen Participation and the Slow Deterioration of the Anglo American System of Domination
CHAPTER 2 Structural Change in the Economy and New Job Opportunities in the San Fernando Valley
CHAPTER 3 Decades of Progressive Citizen Participation
CHAPTER 4 The Search for a Civic Voice in San Fernando
CHAPTER 5 The Historic Election of 1984
CHAPTER 6 The Old Order at Risk
CHAPTER 7 Making Government Work for the People
CHAPTER 8 Public Access to Policymaking in a Small Government
CHAPTER 9 The City in Distress
CHAPTER 10 Conflict in Changing Times
CHAPTER 11 New Council Challenges
CHAPTER 12 The End of an Era
CHAPTER 13 Summary and Conclusions

Selected Biography
About the Author
Index

Jose Amaro Hernandez
Jose Amaro Hernandez
Professor José Hernández received a bachelor of arts degree in economics from St. Mary’ University, San Antonio, Texas, a Catholic institution which mixed faith with the promotion of social justice; a master of arts degree in economics from the Ohio State University; and a Ph. D. in political science from the University of California, Riverside. He is a founding member and professor of Chicano Studies, California State University, Northridge, considered the largest and finest such department in the nation. Professor Hernández published several articles on citizen participation; however, his major publication, Mutual Aid for Survival: The Case of the Mexican American was published by Krieger Publishers in 1983. The book attaches great importance to the value of association life.
DRH Publishing Inc
DRH Publishing Inc