Focus Mexico/Enfoque México

Focus Mexico/Enfoque México is the first in-depth study of the politics of the “Mexican Diaspora” -- a binational investigation of the political priorities of both Mexican American and Mexican immigrant leaders in the United States, with a particular focus on issues relevant to U.S.-Mexico relations. 

Bringing together researchers from four universities in both countries, and with the support of a wide range of local institutions, this project has conducted scores of focus groups and individual interviews with leaders in six cities over a period of five years. This fieldwork makes possible a comprehensive analysis of the underlying attitudes and behaviors of people of Mexican origin, their leaders and organizations, toward relations with Mexico and issues such as immigration policy, border enforcement, deepening NAFTA, transborder political participation, and others. 

This project furthermore assesses the potential impact of this growing population and leadership on future U.S.-Mexico relations, by comparison with the participation of other ethnic groups in U.S. foreign affairs.  Among the key analytical issues that this investigation sheds light on are the two main collective action strategies employed by Mexican-origin leaders, the extent of their bifurcation into native and immigrant leadership networks, and the role of Mexican government policy in the development of autonomous immigrant leadership, organization and activism in the United States.

Institutions:  Focus Mexico/Enfoque México is a collaborative project of the International Relations Department of the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM) in Mexico City, the Leavy Center for the Study of Los Angeles of Loyola Marymount University (LCSLA - LMU), the Southwest Hispanic Research Institute of the University of New Mexico (SHRI – UNM), and The Institute for Latino Studies of Notre Dame (ILS – UND).