Studying U.S. Hispanics: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

This article argues for academic researchers to adopt new methodologies when studying the U.S. Hispanic population’s political participation and civic engagement. For decades scholars have used sound but limiting approaches to study this diverse and ever-growing population segment. As the number of Hispanics participating in U.S. electoral politics increases, so does the need to better understand their attitudes and behaviors. Hispanics now make up a significant portion of the population in battleground states with key Electoral College votes—most notably in states outside of the Southwest. Over the years, robust quantitative studies have provided great insight into the Hispanic electorate; qualitative studies have aided in this pursuit, though they are more limited in scope and number. The growth of technology has brought forth new forms of interpersonal communication and news consumption among citizens, U.S. Latinos included. Recent changes call for us to reexamine our current research methodologies and consider adopting a mixed methods approach.