Asian Hispanics: the Socioeconomic Determinants of Racial and Ethnic Identities.

Officially defined as an ethnic category based on a Latin American cultural heritage, "Hispanics" can be of any race. Based on lesser known "Hispanics" of Asian backgrounds, this paper examines how Asian Hispanics identify themselves racially and ethnically in the U.S. Some identify themselves as "Hispanic" and "Asian," while others relate only to "Hispanic" or "Asian" identities. Previous research on the identities of multicultural people has stressed the importance of individual characteristics, such as phenotypical features (i.e., physical features) and cultural factors (e.g., Spanish language proficiency and familiarity with migrants' home cultures). This paper, by contrast, argues for the importance of socioeconomic achievement (or achieved status) in explaining Asian Hispanics' identification patterns. Those with higher levels and education are more likely to identify as "Asian," partly because they are better able to identify with a higher status group, and also because they tend to interact more with "Asians." Identification patterns, then, have important consequences for one's socio-economic achievement. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]