RACIAL AND ETHNIC IDENTITIES AMONG MEXICAN-WHITE COUPLES IN TEXAS A Dissertation by JENNIFER CASSANDRA GUILLEN Submitted to the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Chair of Committee, Sarah N. Gatson Co-Chair of Committee, Rogelio Sáenz Committee Members, Jane Sell Marco Portales Head of Department, Jane Sell December 2014 Major Subject: Sociology Copyright 2014 Jennifer Cassandra Guillen ABSTRACT This qualitative study explores the complexities of racial and ethnic identification Mexicans in romantic relationships with whites in four locations: Brazos County, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston. Using data from 90 in-depth, semi- structured and open-ended interviews with 50 couples I examine racial and ethnic self- identification among Mexican partners, the racial and ethnic self-identification of white partners, and how white partners perceive the racial and ethnic identities of Mexican partners. Findings show that the racial identity of partners of Mexican descent fluctuate depending on the social and geographical space, supporting and adding to Sáenz and Aguirre’s (1990) research. Furthermore, fluctuations in racial identity among Mexican partners showed that these identities operate in different ways. For the purpose of this research, I was primarily interested in the use of “Hispanic” given its history as an imposed identity. Thus, I examine not just how identity is adopted but why, examining the use of “Hispanic” as an identificational last resort given the lack of fit in other categories; the power of using “Hispanic” as both an exclusionary label and as a semi- inclusionary tool; as well as the resistance to it. Secondly, data on white ethnic identity showed that increasingly whites are moving beyond selectively adopting ethnicity as symbolic and adopting “white”. Data from this research concludes that this is a discursive tactic employed by whites to retain white supremacy. Additionally, I examine how some white partners develop a racial ii awareness about themselves and their familial environments, developing a sense of racial literacy. In doing so, these whites strive for antiracist practices as a form of resistance. Lastly, the analysis of data from this dissertation finds that whites, in particular men, employ coercion and their relative power in their relationships and marriages to determine the meaning of the situation or the identity of their partners. Thus, whites impose the identity of “Hispanic” on their partners even when these do not identify as such. These are important coercive tactics given that romantic space is generally considered the most loving and safe space. Therefore, these findings prove otherwise, that romantic space is actually one of the most coercive spaces. iii DEDICATION Para mi madre, Ann Cyphers. Eres mi todo. Dedico esta obra a todas las generaciones de mi familia. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This is probably the most important section of this dissertation. It is because of those who have surrounded me with their love, support, and advice that I have become the scholar and person who I am today. Without those who have advised, cheered, laughed with me and at me, and mentored me during this graduate school process this would have never been possible. This is for all of you. First I would like to thank my committee co-chairs, Dr. Sarah N. Gatson and Dr. Rogelio Sáenz, as well as my committee members, Dr. Jane Sell and Dr. Marco Portales for the countless hours of guidance, conversation, friendship, advice, time, support, walking off ledges of doom, coffee, breakfast tacos, and laughter. Sarah, thank you for the numerous conversations about everything and nothing, about Nicolas Cage, pop culture, parenting, family, race, Latin@s, and anything else we could come up with (which is a lot!). Your support and friendship has meant a lot to me since we’ve been working together and I’m grateful every day for the collaborative and supportive friendship and working relationship that we have created over the years. Rogelio, gracias por todo el apoyo, tiempo, y cariño que me ha demostrado a través de los años y en especial después de su salida de A&M. Sin su apoyo, sus consejos, su conocimiento y amistad este proceso no hubiera sido el mismo. Pórtese bien, cepíllese los dientes y gracias por todo! Jane, you’ve always been the department’s therapist (for both faculty and students) and even with your super busy schedule as department head, you’ve looked out for everyone. Thanks for always being there, for the jokes, the breakfast v tacos, the laughter, the support, the advice, and love that you have given me since I came to A&M during recruitment weekend (even when I went through that brief “shy” stage during recruitment that you love telling people about). You are and always will be the glue that binds this department. Marco, gracias por todo su apoyo, presencia. cariño y sugerencias. Ha sido un gustazo conocerlo y a su familia durante estos últimos años. In addition to my committee, there are a few faculty members who have been part of this adventure and who have been instrumental in different ways. Dr. Verna Keith, thank you for your generosity and support in hiring me as a research assistant at RESI, the many laughs we have shared, and the advice you have given. Dr. Wendy Leo Moore, thank you for trusting me with your work, for believing enough in my intellectual abilities to be part of your brilliance, and for always being a friend. Dr. Nancy Plankey-Videla and Dr. Rob Mackin, I want to thank you both for all of your kindness and advice, for helping to create this mutually supportive friendship that we have today, for including me in your projects and personal lives, and for introducing me to Brazos Interfaith Immigration Network. Dr. Mary Campbell, thank you for the support, the advice, the random conversations through the wall separating our offices, for sharing reviews of restaurants, and for thinking of me for a variety of projects. I would also like to thank the department faculty and staff for their help and support over the years, without you this journey would have been full of unnecessary ups and downs, jumping through hoops, and confusion, especially Christi Ramírez, Brenda Bernal, Bethany Edwards and Mary Pendleton, who along with Jane, bind all of us and vi truly make our lives as easy and simple as possible. Thank you for always being available to help, for caring about everyone who walks through the Sociology doors. I would also like to extend my gratitude to the Melbern G. Glasscock Center for Humanities Research, the Department of Sociology, the College of Liberal Arts, the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, and the Race and Ethnic Studies Institute for their support in this research, without which this project would never have been possible. There are a few special people who I have been fortunate to befriend throughout this process and who have informally mentored and advised me on school and life. Dr. Lorena Murga and Dr. Jenni Mueller, you are both among the most amazing, loving, supportive, and strong women I have ever met, I am honored to be your friend and to be privy to your brilliance. I will never really be able to vocalize how much you both mean to me as a scholar and friend, but I will give it a shot— your willingness to take me under your wing, to check up on me, to give advice and support, to trust me with your lives and with your work speaks to how strong of a relationship I have with you, you are both inspirational and amazing women and I love you so much and am thankful every day for your love and friendship. To all the friends I have made both in graduate school and in life, thank you for sticking around and for thinking of me when I haven’t even had a chance to think about anyone else. I appreciate all of you and send you love and luck wherever you may be. Lastly, I want to acknowledge and thank my family. Sobretodo quisiera agradecer a mi mamá, Ann Cyphers, por su fuerza, inspiración, sus sacrificios, y el vii cariño, apoyo, risas y aventuras que me ha dado durante mi vida. Nunca lo hubiera logrado sin ti, mamacita linda. Has sido mi ejemplo a seguir y el logro mas grande de mi vida será convertirme en una mujer independiente, inteligente, cariñosa, apasionada, entusiasmada y exitosa como tu. Te quiero y te adoro con todo mi ser y cada día me siento más y más honrada de ser tu hija. También me gustaría agradecer a mi papá jaguar, Artemio López Cisneros, por siempre apoyarme, por hablar conmigo sobre la vida de una manera muy abierta y honesta, y por tenerme el cariño que se le tendría a una hija biológica. Los quiero y los adoro a los dos de una manera que no se como expresar con palabras. También quisiera agradecer a mi mejorisisisima amiga en el mundo, Andrea Kline Cardenas por el apoyo y cariño que me has brindado, los consejos, las risas, las pato-choco-aventuras, y por siempre tener fe en mi y mis logros. Sin ti me hubiera perdido en la locura de este proceso. Algún día tendremos nuestro conjunto residencial en donde viviremos together forever! Gracias por todo, preciosa! Lastly, I would also like to express my love and gratitude to my partner, Steven Lavender, who has had incredible patience and strength throughout this journey and who has given me unlimited love and support without asking why or how.