1. Gina Pérez -
Ch.2
Inequality in America
Friday, 1/30/12

2. Overview of Ch. 2
What are the main themes of Chapter 2?
How do you think this chapter will contribute to
the project of the book overall?

3. Progress and Modernity
What do these two terms mean?
How are they linked, and what historical
processes are they related to?
(page 31)

4. Political Economy of San Sebastián
What were the local bases for the economy in
San Sebastián?
What was the impact of the U.S. invasion of
1898 on agricultural production?
(pages 33-37)

5. The Chardón Plan
How did this plan come about? What were its
major tenets?
What is the "overpopulation" debate about?
(pages 37-43)
What does Pérez mean by "structure of feeling"
and "developmentalist ideology"? (page 43)

6. Operation Bootstrap
What were the major components and goals of
Operation Bootstrap?
What is the significance of the name of this
program?
What was "the fever"?
(pages 44-45)

7. Gender and Modernization
What are the gendered dimensions Pérez
points to about the following: the
overpopulation debate, the industrialization of
Puerto Rico's economy, and the Institute of
Puerto Rican culture?

8. Gina Pérez -
Ch. 3
Inequality in America
Wednesday, 2/1/12

9. Themes for Discussion
● Shifting idea of Puerto Rican family
● Discourse of gender, family, and labor
● Model minority discourse
● Chicago vs NYC
● Division Street Uprising/Riots
● Culture of poverty thesis
● Chicago School and assimilation
● Young Lords