News

Prof. Mario Garcia publishes a new book: The Latino Generation: Voices of the New America (University of North Carolina Press, 2014).

Latinos are alrady the largest minority group in the United States, and experts estimate that by 2050, one out of three Americans will identify as Latino. Though their population and influence are steadily rising, sterotypes and misconceptions about Latinos remain, from the assumption that they refuse to learn English to questions of just how "American" they actually are. By presenting thirteen riveting oral histories of young, first-generation college students, Mario T.

Prof. Gerardo Aldana co-edits a new book: Archaeoastronomy and the Maya (with Edwin Barnhart, Oxbow Books, 2014).

"More than just investigations of esoteric ancient sciences, studies of ancient Mayan astronomy have profoundly aided our understanding of Mayan worldviews. Concepts of time and space, meanings encoded in religious art, intentions underlying architectural alignments, and even methods of political legitimization are all illuminated through the study of Mayan astronomy."

Prof. Dolores Inés Casillas publishes her first book: Sounds of Belonging: U.S. Spanish-language Radio and Public Advocacy (NYU Press, 2014).

Using a vast array of sources, from print culture and industry journals to sound archives of radio programming, Casillas reflects on institutional growth, the evolution of programming genres, and reception by the radio industry and listeners to map the trajectory of Spanish-language radio, from its grassroots origins to the current corporate-sponsored business it has become. Casillas focuses on Latinos’ use of Spanish-language radio to help navigate their immigrant experiences with U.S.