Latinos in the US and Spain: demographics, designations and political identities

Abstract

Hispanic, Spanish speaking or Latino residents are a strong force in international migration; the influence in the societies in which they reside is seldom questioned. This article reviews the nature of the Latino group (immigrants and native born) in two countries, Spain and the US, the names through which they are known, their countries of origin, and their individual and group identities. The strength, demographics, and political organization of their collectives are also addressed, as is the citizenship status of the members in the host society. These issues are important for social workers who need to understand the nature of modern Latino or Latin-American immigration to address services to them.