Acknowledgments
I have benefited greatly from the many friends and mentors who have stimulated my thinking and guided me through the process of writing this book. I am especially indebted to Satya Mohanty, Linda Martín Alcoff, and Michael Hames-García, all of whom have profoundly influenced the trajectory of my work. Indeed, were it not for Satya's original theorizing and his meticulous criticisms, Michael's insightful commentary and his steadfast friendship, and Linda's scholarly example and her affirmation of my ideas about identity, this book would not exist.
I have been fortunate to have found in my colleagues at Stanford a tremendous resource. The Feminist Studies Program and the Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity (CCSRE) have provided supportive contexts for pursuing the kind of interdisciplinary work I am interested in. I am particularly grateful for the many conversations I have had with Al Camarillo, Estelle Freedman, Stephanie Fryberg, Hazel Markus, Rob Reich, and the other members of the Inequalities and Identities Workshop here at Stanford.
My colleagues and students in the English Department have been equally generous with their time and expertise. I am beholden to John Bender, David Halliburton, Shirley Brice Heath, Lora Romero, Ramón Saldívar, and Robert Warrior for commenting on various chapters of this book and providing me with much-needed mentoring. Sharon Holland has supported and influenced me in immeasurable ways. I hold her close to my heart. A casual conversation with Alex Woloch proved immensely
I would also like to thank my colleagues from across the country who commented on parts of this manuscript or helped me in crucially important ways. These wonderful people include Jacqui Alexander, Bernadette Andrea, Martin Bernal, Junot Díaz, Charlene Gima, Jorge Gracia, Mickie Grover, Shuchi Kapila, Josephine Mendez-Negrete, Eduardo Mendieta, Chandra Talpade Mohanty, Ben Olguín, José David Saldívar, Rosaura Sánchez, and William Wilkerson. I am deeply obliged to Helena María Viramontes for writing such a wonderful novel. Also, I want to thank Ted Estess, Lois Parkinson Zamora, and Robert Zaretsky for their friendship, and for what they taught me while I was an undergraduate at the University of Houston.
I also value the enthusiasm and professionalism of the team at the University of California Press who shepherded this book into existence. Special thanks are due to Linda Norton, whose continuing faith in my work is deeply appreciated, and to Erika Büky, who did more than she needed to do to accommodate my schedule. I extend my heartfelt esteem to Susan Carter, Estrella Fichter, Nicole Hayward, Randy Heyman, Leslie Larson, and Lynn Meinhardt.
I would like to give special thanks to my family. My parents and my brother and sisters have always supported me and shown a keen interest in my work. My daughters, to whom this book is dedicated, provide me with love and motivation to keep doing the work I set out to do. I hope they find this work to be worthy of them.
My greatest debt is to my husband, Tim Young. A partner in the true sense of the word, he has read and commented on every chapter in this book. His editorial advice has been tremendously valuable; his emotional support, however, is priceless.