The "Puerto Rican Problem" in Postwar New York City: Migrant Incorporation from the U.S. Colonial Periphery

The "Puerto Rican problem" campaign and narrative in New York City from 1945 to 1960 originated in an intense public campaign and influenced their incorporation. It later entered American academia and popular culture, reproducing stereotypes and shaping the way Puerto Ricans were studied and perceived by Americans.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 11 November 2022
Publisher: Rutgers University Press

The Puerto-Rican Problem in Postwar New York City is a groundbreaking exploration that delves into the origins, development, and far-reaching consequences of the "Puerto Rican problem" campaign and narrative in New York City from 1945 to 1960. This concept emerged as a result of a fervent public campaign triggered by the influx of Puerto Rican migrants into the city following World War II. The "problem" narrative exerted a significant influence on their integration into New York City and other regions across the United States where they settled. This anti-Puerto Rican campaign ultimately led to the formulation of public policies by the governments of Puerto Rico and New York City aimed at facilitating their integration into the city. Notions intrinsic to this narrative later permeated American academia, including the concept of the "culture of poverty," and American popular culture, exemplified by works such as West Side Story. These cultural expressions perpetuated and reinforced many of the stereotypes associated with Puerto Ricans during that era, shaping the way in which Americans studied and perceived Puerto Ricans. Through meticulous research and analysis, The Puerto-Rican Problem in Postwar New York City sheds light on the complex and multifaceted dynamics that shaped the lives of Puerto Ricans in the postwar era and their ongoing struggle for social and cultural recognition.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781978831469