Elements of Latinidad: Conceptualizing Within-Group Status in Latino Politics

Why do some Latines express political preferences that diverge from conventional wisdom concerning their political behavior? Drawing on 33 in-depth interviews across eight cities, I introduce the concept of the within-group status hierarchy: a framework that theorizes how individuals perceive themselves relative to other members of their marginalized group, and how this matters for their policy preferences and political behaviors. Findings from a national survey of Latines (N=1,500) suggests that Latines who see themselves as higher-status within the Latine community often engage in political group distancing, which I conceptualize as favoring stricter immigration policies, opposing aid to low-income co-ethnics, and embracing conservative stances that align more with dominant-group interests than with co-ethnic solidarity. This pattern holds even after controlling for demographics and partisanship. By shifting focus from inter-group to intra-group dynamics, this research offers a new framework for understanding how status within a group can disrupt expectations of political solidarity.