A genuinely original exploration of Spanish identity among Nuevomexicanos and Nuevomexicanas, a classic cultural theme in Southwest studies.
Spanish identity has always been a striking hallmark of New Mexico culture, yet many questions remain about how this unique and provocative construction originated and what it has meant to the state’s Hispanic populace. Through a meticulous handling of the historical record, Gonzales arrives at a clear definition of what Spanish identity has been and what it continues to be. He uncovers Spanish identity’s origins deep in New Mexico’s past, its cultural and political development in the nineteenth-century, the pinnacle of popularity it enjoyed beginning in the early twentieth century, and its eventual decline.
In Hispano Nation Gonzales argues that Spanish identity was formulated in the nineteenth century along the lines of ethnic nationalism. He deftly addresses the controversies that have surrounded Spanish identity, including whether it reflected a “true” ethnic identity in lieu of a Mexican identity for the Nuevomexicano people, and how historical conflict with Indigenous people became ingrained itself in the Spanish Americans’ view of their own heritage. The narrative is enlivened throughout with engaging stories, penetrating analyses, fascinating cultural actors, and visits to known historical legacies.
Industry Reviews
"In this deeply researched book, Gonzales reveals how New Mexicans (or at least a certain proportion of them) have come to understand themselves as Hispanos and not as people of Mexican descent: a people who separate themselves from other Latinx peoples. He brings rigor and analysis to this ongoing and heated discussion. Hispano Nation is the definitive examination of this complex and important question that still impacts our politics and social engagement with one another." - Maria E. Montoya, author of Translating Property: The Maxwell Land Grant and the Conflict over Land in the American West, 1840-1900 "Hispano Nation provides the most nuanced and compelling examination of New Mexico's Spanish American identity to date. Gonzales masterfully engages with existing scholarship while introducing fresh perspectives drawn from meticulous original research. Challenging prevailing narratives that link identity formation to industrial modernization, Hispano Nation traces its origins to the preindustrial 1840s, illuminating the complex interplay of territorial annexation, interethnic conflict, and political resistance. The book's rigorous engagement with historical sources and theoretical frameworks makes an indelible contribution to the field. This book reshapes our understanding of Nuevomexicano ethnonationalism and its enduring legacy within US identity politics." - John M. Nieto-Phillips, author of The Language of Blood: The Making of Spanish-American Identity in New Mexico, 1880s-1930s "Hispano Nation is bound to become a classic for anyone interested in understanding how Nuevomexicanos have thought of themselves. The research is deep, the guide is an expert, and the stories are engaging." - Rosina Lozano, author of An American Language: The History of Spanish in the United States
