Jessica Vasquez, author of the article Disciplined Preferences, attempts to explain racial endogamy among Latinos by examining family, peer, and community impact on choices individuals make. Explain racial endogamy and give three specific examples of how it is reproduced, enlisting the thematic categories identified by Vasquez.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The responses to this will vary but students should define endogamy and give three specific examples of how it is reproduced that enlist the thematic categories. An answer might incorporate some of these details: Racial endogamy is the phenomenon of picking a partner who is racially similar to you. This definition infers choice and Vasquez shows that this “choice” is constrained by social pressures as well as structural barriers. She identifies structural barriers such as residential segregation and socioeconomic status. However, she also shows how other techniques are used including surveillance, punishment, and self-discipline. In particular, Vasquez shows how “racializing and disciplining” encounters teach individuals to “prefer” people within their own race. These include racialized rebuffs, romance, and family pressure (students should provide evidence of understanding these by providing examples). Further, White violence [“policing the color line”] is also a strategy employed by White parents against Latino/Latina potential dates. Finally, Latino/Latina groups and Black groups also police boundaries by employing social pressure and statements about who belongs with whom. Vasquez finds that this type of policing is based on skin color, with darker skinned Latinos being steered to endogamy, while lighter skinned Latinos are steered toward exogamy.