The Latinx Philosophy Reader

The Latinx Philosophy Reader showcases a wide range of significant philosophical works about Latinx people and their experiences, displaying the breadth, distinctiveness, originality, and diversity of Latinx philosophy. Readings include discussions of what it is like to be perceived as undocumented, ethical quagmires affecting those who interpret for their family members, the difficulty of pursuing career success without compromising one’s cultural identity and values, the nature of citizenship, disputes about labels, the significance of language, and debates about the nature of Latinx identity.

The editors’ detailed introduction orients readers with an overview of the origins of the field of Latinx philosophy, a guide to terminology, and a history of the idea of Latinx identity in the United States. The volume’s 35 readings are made up of both widely read and cited articles from journals and books and newly commissioned contributions from the leading voices in the field. All of them are organized into seven thematic units in contemporary Latinx philosophy:

1. Social Identity
2. Mestizaje and Indigeneity
3. Cross-Cultural Challenges
4. Epistemology, Phenomenology, and Coloniality
5. Language and Communication
6. Immigration and Citizenship
7. Metaphilosophy

Each of these seven units includes its own introduction that connects each reading to the overarching themes of the unit and volume. Throughout, the readings provide an accessible entry point to readers who are new to philosophy. The texts generate opportunities for philosophical reflection without requiring readers to consult additional resources to grasp the major insights. They can be read in any order, allowing for ready adaptation to the particular interests of instructors and students.

Key Features

• Includes accessible, previously published articles as well as newly commissioned contributions from leading voices in the field
• Foregrounds the explosion of more recent work on Latinx philosophy, while also including essential classic texts
• Provides a general introduction that contextualizes Latinx philosophy and explains its distinct and broader importance
• Includes seven smaller unit introductions that describe the importance and relevance of each reading in the unit
• Highlights a diversity of latinidades, or ways of being Latinx, portraying a range of Latinx experiences and concerns
• Provides reading and discussion questions for each chapter

Lori Gallegos is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Texas State University and the editor of APA Studies on Hispanic/Latino Issues in Philosophy. She works in the areas of Latinx philosophy and the philosophy of emotions, and her publications have appeared in edited volumes and in journals including Hypatia, Philosophical Topics, Journal of Intercultural Studies, Critical Philosophy of Race, Topoi, and the Inter-American Journal of Philosophy.

Manuel Vargas is Professor of Philosophy at the University of California San Diego and the author of Building Better Beings: A Theory of Moral Responsibility (2013); Mexican Philosophy (forthcoming), and a co-author of Four Views on Free Will, 2nd Ed. (2024). He has been the recipient of multiple prizes from the American Philosophical Association, including its Book Prize, Prize in Latin American Thoughts, and the Alvin Plantinga Prize.

Francisco Gallegos is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Wake Forest University. He works on the politics of emotion, Latin American philosophy, Latinx philosophy, and existential phenomenology. He is the co-author of The Disintegration of Community: The Social and Political Philosophy of Jorge Portilla (with Carlos Sánchez, 2020).