Using rhetorical criticism and performance ethnography, Calafell (communication studies, University of Denver) maps the terrain of Latino/a performance. She argues that the relationship between rhetorical scholarship and emerging performance work has largely been ignored, and challenges this split by creating a more complex and less Eurocentric understanding of rhetoric. Examining performance from a variety of perspectives, she looks at identity and community in everyday life and how it intersects with popular culture, touching on such diverse topics as pop singer Ricky Martin and Chicana feminist pilgrimages. The book contributes to a more nuanced understanding of race and ethnicity and attests to the importance of Latina/o studies in the field of communication. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
