The melting pot is a myth, according to Fernandez, who shows that the United States is and always has been a "banquet of cultures." As he argues, the best way to deal with the more than 20 million new immigrants since 1965 is to accept, recognize, and eagerly explore the differences among the American people.

Fernandez seeks to forge a positive national consensus based on two building blocks. First, the nation's many ethnic groups can be a powerful source of unprecedented economic, artistic, and scientific creativity. Secondly, the nation's many ethnic groups offer a way to erase the black/white dichotomy which, masks the shared injustices of millions of European, Asian, African, Native, and Latino Americans. This is a provocative analysis of how we arrived at our current ethnic and racial dilemmas and what can be done to move beyond them. Scholars and students of American immigration and social policy as well as concerned citizens will find the book equally rewarding.

Recently revised to include the latest current events, this classic reference presents the historical, social, political, and cultural aspects of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico, an island rich with culture and national pride, continues to inspire debate over its designation as a commonwealth of the United States. This updated edition of a popular encyclopedia captures important historical, social, political, and cultural developments of the oldest colony in the world, up to and including the region's current status in relation to the United States. The fascinating work is full of facts, figures, and narratives of the struggles, achievements, and creations of the Puerto Rican people. Essays highlight the area's economy, geography, religion, education, language, radio, television, social media, and films. A focus on the contributions of key historical figures showcase the stories of Ramon Power y Giralt, the first envoy to the Spanish Courts; and Juan Mari Bras, founder of the Puerto Rican Socialist Party, among others. The second edition features recent developments in the commonwealth, including the election of its first female governor, the introduction of the first sales tax, and the financial crisis that shut down schools. Offers insight into more than 500 years of Puerto Rican history Introduces the concept of "Nuyoricans," a term for those who have helped to define and create alternative definitions of Puerto Rico Contains biographical entries on historical figures and political leaders Includes a selection of photographs to visually engage the reader

Fernandez examines the lives and ideas of sociologists who shaped the main contours of the discipline. Weber, Marx, Durkheim, and Simmel fashioned the early ideas and approaches of sociology, and their ideas are still central to the discipline. Veblen, Mead, Goffman, and Berger added crucial conceptual approaches; they also serve to underscore the length and breadth of Sociology as a science.

This is a revised and updated edition of Ronald Fernandez's acclaimed study of the Puerto Rico-United States relationship. Tracing that relationship from the early years of the 20th century through to the present, Fernandez provides a comprehensive analysis of political, economic, and military affairs as they relate to Puerto Rico. The new edition is completely up-to-date through 1995 and includes important new material based upon documents found in the Reagan presidential library, as well as newly declassified documents in the Eisenhower library.

Fernandez examines the lives and ideas of sociologists who shaped the main contours of the discipline. Weber, Marx, Durkheim, and Simmel fashioned the early ideas and approaches of sociology, and their ideas are still central to the discipline. Veblen, Mead, Goffman, and Berger added crucial conceptual approaches; they also serve to underscore the length and breadth of Sociology as a science.

The melting pot is a myth, according to Fernandez, who shows that the United States is and always has been a banquet of cultures. As he argues, the best way to deal with the more than 20 million new immigrants since 1965 is to accept, recognize, and eagerly explore the differences among the American people. Fernandez seeks to forge a positive national consensus based on two building blocks. First, the nation's many ethnic groups can be a powerful source of unprecedented economic, artistic, and scientific creativity. Secondly, the nation's many ethnic groups offer a way to erase the black/white dichotomy which, masks the shared injustices of millions of European, Asian, African, Native, and Latino Americans. This is a provocative analysis of how we arrived at our current ethnic and racial dilemmas and what can be done to move beyond them. Scholars and students of American immigration and social policy as well as concerned citizens will find the book equally rewarding.