Skip to Main Content
It looks like you're using Internet Explorer 11 or older. This website works best with modern browsers such as the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. If you continue with this browser, you may see unexpected results.
University Library DePaul Library

Latin American and Latino Studies Research Guide: Introduction and Key Resources

Interdisciplinary sources used to explore the broad dynamics shaping Latin American and Latino experiences.

Introduction to Latin American and Latino/e/a/x Studies Research Guide

About Latin American and Latino/e/a/x Studies:

"Latina/o Studies typically refers to Latina/o Studies programs in educational institutions, but it can also refer to a body of knowledge on and alternative approaches to the study of Latinos and Latinas in the United States. Although Latina/o Studies as a body of knowledge is more than a century old, Latina/o Studies programs are of a more recent vintage. Latina/o Studies can refer to programs focusing on Latinos and Latinas broadly or collectively to more specific programs such as Chicana/o Studies, Puerto Rican Studies, Dominican Studies, Cuban Studies, and Central American Studies. All of these programs were created only within the past 40 years. This entry looks at research about Latinos and Latinas and at academic programs that help to enlarge and disseminate this body of knowledge."

Schaefer, Richard T. "Latina/o Studies." Encyclopedia of Race, Ethnicity, and Society. Edited by Vol. 1. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2008, pp. 836-39. SAGE Knowledge. 21 Jan 2022, doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412963879.n338.

Victoria Santa Cruz (Peru, 1922 – 2014)
Still image from Victoria – Black and Woman, Repository MOLAA

Terminology: Latin American and Latino Studies

Latin American and Latino Studies represents the culture, history, society, economy, politics, religions, and arts of the people of four core regions North America, South America, Central America, and the Caribbean that were once colonized by Spain and Portugal. It is because of this colonization that the people of these regions speak the Romance languages (Spanish, Portuguese, French).

Key Resources