Community, Ethnicity, and Class in a Changing Rural California Town*

摘要: This study investigates how community is constructed, maintained, and contested among diverse residents of a rural town in California's Central Valley. Drawing on observations, interviews, archival material, I examine the way which ethnicity class play significant role recasting organized interpreted by Mexicans long-term white residents. In my field site, have long been involved (in)formal community-making, yet perceive ''loss community'' because social relations are no longer structured around an agrarian culture that at one time reinforced ties through volunteerism interaction local mainstream institutions. article demonstrates continual significance place defining community, but suggests immigrants develop communities need aimed providing important social, emotional, political support absent society. Finally, this also speaks competition for representation respectability developing sense belonging. ''Community'' never simply recognition cultural similarity or contiguity categorical identity premised various forms exclusion constructions otherness (Gupta Ferguson 1997:13).