National Research Council Report on Hispanics

The National Academies has released Multiple Origins, Uncertain Destinies and its companion volume of papers, Hispanics and the Future of America.  These reports describe how Hispanics are transforming the country as their numbers grow and they disperse geographically. They also address the resultant effects on education, the labor market, the health care system and other aspects of society.  They address both challenges and opportunities.
Multiple Origins, Uncertain Destinies is the culmination of a 2 year study by a panel of experts convened to help inform future policy debate and provide government, public institutions, and the private sector with the information needed to allocate resources for the benefit of both the Hispanic population and the nation as a whole.

This report looks carefully at the diverse populations encompassed by the term Hispanic, representing recent immigrants and their children as well as families who have been citizens for many generations.  It discusses long-term trends and future possibilities in population aging, social disparities, and social mobility that have shaped and will shape the Hispanic and national  experience.

Hispanics and the Future of America ­ the companion volume to this report­ contains a collection of papers and presents the detailed analyses that underlie much of the committee’s report.

  These papers draw on a wide variety of data sources to describe the contours of this population, from the perspectives of history, demography, geography, education, family, employment, economic well-being, health, and political engagement. They provide a rich source of information for researchers, policy makers, and others who want to better understand the fast-growing and diverse population that we call Hispanic.

Multiple Origins, Uncertain Destinies: Hispanics and the American Future, National Research Council, 2006

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