Los Dos Mundos: Rural Mexican Americans, Another America [Paperback]

Richard Baker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1995

Mexican Americans make up the largest minority in Idaho, yet they seemingly live in a different world from the dominant Anglo population, and because of pervasive stereotypes and exclusive policies, their participation in the community's social, economic, and political life is continually impeded.

This unique ethnographic study of a small Idaho community with a large Hispanic population examines many dimensions of the impact race relations have on everyday life for rural Mexican Americans.

Editorial Reviews

Review

In Los Dos Mundos, sociologist Richard Baker examines the distinct worlds of its contemporary Anglo American and Mexican American residents. It is the first major academic work on Mexican Americans in [Idaho], and the first detailed community study of Mexicans in the Pacific Northwest. The study is based on author interviews of local Mexican Americans and Anglos, attendance at public meetings, and ongoing contacts with key information for a period of more than a year -- New Mexico Historical Review, July 1996

About the Author

Richard Baker is professor of Sociology at Boise State University at Boise, Idaho.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Utah State University Press; 1 edition (February 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0874211840
• ISBN-13: 978-0874211849
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #839,648 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Native of the Community Studied, November 8, 2000

By 

V. C. Ramirez (Caldwell, Idaho United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Los Dos Mundos: Rural Mexican Americans, Another America (Paperback)

Amazing! I read this book several years ago as part of the author's course requirements. I am a native--born and raised in Caldwell, Idaho, the town that Dr. Baker studied and depicts in "Los Dos Mundos." At the time of my reading, Caldwell was still digesting the "attack" that Dr. Baker's book leveled at the myopic, dominant population of this predominately white community. I say attack because to this day, November 7, 2000, Caldwell residents still harbor ill feelings towards Baker's perspective. The main reason why this book still is a sore point is that Dr. Baker placed a mirror in the faces of many "leaders" of Caldwell; who likes seeing what others know. The book does more than shine light on a social problem it depicts a reality that I lived through. I was blind to the bigotry that encompassed my childhood because I inadvertently maintained the "master/slave" mentality that still lives in the aged souls of this farming community.

This book is a "must read" for anyone who believes that racism does exist, because it will reinforce what you already know. Furthermore, it puts Caldwell, Idaho on the map of institutional segregationism at its worst. Even now in the 21st century folks refuse to understand that if a flawed foundation upon which a structure is built is used in any renovation, the new structure will inherit the problems of the old foundation. Read the book and then visit the town on your way to Seattle or Portland using the book as your guide.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Strong research but opinionated, August 19, 2001

By 

Christine Brennaman - See all my reviews

This review is from: Los Dos Mundos: Rural Mexican Americans, Another America (Paperback)

Richard Baker's book Los dos mundos: rural Mexican Americans, another America discusses Mexican Americans in Idaho. This group of Mexican Americans is often forgotten; indeed, many people probably do not associate Idaho with having a large Mexican American population. The author has conducted extensive research in the town of Middlewest, Idaho, and his book discusses various factors that affect Mexican Americans' quality of life.

The purpose of Baker's book and study is to show that Mexican Americans in Idaho face many factors that tend to keep them in a lower socioeconomic status than Anglo Americans. Even though most Mexican Americans work very hard, it is unlikely that they will be able to get ahead of the Anglos in education and job status. Baker also showed examples of how Anglos perpetuate the Mexican American poverty situation, but they do not recognize this fact. Instead, many Anglos "blame the victim," by claiming that Mexican Americans cannot get ahead due to their laziness.

Baker organized his book into chapters discussing his field research, the Anglo community, Mexican American culture and daily life, the Anglo working class, permanent working class Mexican Americans, Mexican American migrant workers, institutionalized racism, the education institution and his conclusions and recommendations.

He described how the Anglo and Mexican American communities are separate in the town of Middlewest. In his book, he used separate chapters to discuss the thoughts of the Mexican Americans and the Anglo Americans. For example, by having separate chapters about "the Anglo working class and Anglo farmers" and "Permanent Working class Mexican Americans," Baker illustrates that the Anglos and Mexican Americans are both members of the working class, but their worlds are completely separate.

Another strength of Baker's book and study is the amount of interviews and research that he conducted with individual people. Baker spent fourteen months working on field research. He conducted 335 in-depth interviews during this time. Some research assistants conducted 40 additional interviews. He audiotaped and made extensive notes of his interviews to help him remember details later on when he was analyzing information. By conducting so many, in depth, personal interviews, Baker was able to get a true glimpse of life and the values of the people in the town of Middlewest.

A weakness of this book is that Baker's opinion is evident throughout the entire book. While I personally agree with his opinions, I felt that he should have left his personal feelings to the final chapter, in which he discussed his conclusions and recommendations. Baker commented on the housing conditions of the Mexican American migrant workers by saying, "If it were society's intent to create animals, the living conditions of the typical farm worker would be a perfect spawning ground" (1995). I agree with this statement, but I feel that if the typical Anglo in Middlewest (who does not believe racism to be a problem in his or her town) was reading this book, this person would be more convinced of this idea by simply reading the facts and empirical evidence, instead of constantly reading Baker's opinion.

This book does contribute to our understanding of ethnic groups and intergroup relationships by emphasizing the fact that the Anglo and Mexican American worlds are entirely separate. The book adequately describes how most Mexican Americans see the rampant problems with racism in the town, but many Anglo members of the town simply do not recognize the fact that racism exists in their town. In interviews with Baker, Anglos typically repeat that the Mexican Americans are a lazy bunch. However, with Baker's descriptions of Mexican American life, the reader can see how Mexican Americans work hard much of their lives, only to advance themselves very little or not at all economically. Through Baker's study, the reader can see how Mexican Americans in the town spend much of their time "just trying to survive."