In 1991, the Puerto Rican government abolished bilingualism, claiming that “Spanish only” was necessary to protect the culture from North American influences. A few years later bilingualism was restored and English was promoted in public schools.
This revised edition of The Politics of Language in Puerto Rico is updated with an emphasis on the dual arenas where the language controversy played out—Puerto Rico and the United States Congress—and includes new data on the connections between language and conflicting notions of American identity. This book shows that officials in both San Juan and Washington, along with English-first groups, used these language laws as weapons in the battle over U.S.-Puerto Rican relations and the volatile debate over statehood.
Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
Acknowledgments
1. Culture, Identity, and Policy
2. Spanish and Puertorriqueñidad
3. The Power of English
4. The Politics of Status
5. Reviving the Language Debate
6. The Official Language Act of 1991
7. Rational Politics
8. Culture, Policy, and Nested Games
9. Congress and Conflicting Notions of American Identity
10. Restoring Official Bilingualism
11. Creating a Bilingual Citizenry
12. Washington’s Passive Torpedoing of Statehood
13. Looking Forward
Appendices
Notes
References
Index
