Common Ground: Understanding the Gap That Unites Latin America and the U.S.

When considering this text, the research team discerned directions, titles, and themes that would hold together chapters from various disciplines. The authors consist of educators, business leaders, a psychologist, cooks, and entrepreneurs. To write a textbook covering the differences, or similarities, between the Americas seemed daunting, but in so many ways became organically cohesive. To that end, we decided on the title of Common Ground, the differences that unite us. As each one of the authors has experience living and working in a country outside of their place of birth, we drew on firsthand accounts, relevant research, and new data to demonstrate how similar the Americas are. To highlight this, we selected a variety of chapters that would give students and workers a solid foundation into cross-cultural relations between Latin America and the United States. The book is intended for those who may be planning a first time visit to Latin America, or a worker who may be relocating to a Spanish-speaking country for their employment. This would be the same equation for those from Latin America looking toward a new adventure in the United States. The aim of the text is to give a look at what each area offers from business to food to disability services and provides a blueprint for translating their experience abroad.

 

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