Author(s) :

Sophie Engel .

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

This paper delves into the idea of a panethnic identity, and the specific Latin American migration experiences that contradict and reinforce it. While Cristina Mora’s Making Hispanics argues the rise of a unified “Hispanic” identity is mainly due to the intersection of lobbyists and advocacy attempts to gain a wider base, this article challenges that top-down framework by exploring the nuanced experiences of migrants from Mexico, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba. Through a more bottom-up approach and analysis of migration routes, U.S. immigration policy, and sociopolitical treatment within the US, the research reveals both the unifying and fragmenting influences on Hispanic identity. Shared difficulties across countries like family separation and systemic exclusion strengthen panethnicity, yet unique situations due to distance, legal treatment, and racial identity fracture the notion of a cohesive Hispanic identity. I argue that panethnic identity functions less as a shared cultural reality than as a contingent political framework—one that fractures under differentiated legal treatment and social expulsion. Recognizing these fractures is essential for more accurate sociological analysis, equitable policy design, and meaningful representation.