Twice American: Hispanic Writers in the United States

Abstract

Taking as a starting point the most traditional experience of exile, this paper encourages a debate about the expatriation experience that has affected many Latin American intellectuals residing in and producing their works in the United States of America. Most have decided to write in Spanish in a country that, according to the dominant narrative, is based on a pluralist and tolerant society. But racism and discrimination are still rooted there, and all those who do not ‘belong’ are literally treated as ‘aliens’, especially if they are part of the Latino/Hispano community. This study aims to emphasise the cultural and literary impact that this wave of transnational and extraterritorial writers may have in the future. Moreover, it highlights the use of Spanish language as a political stance in a context which, in a not-so-distant future, will be increasingly influenced by Spanish-speaking people, who are still wrongly considered a minority.