This October, Associate Professor Jason Ruiz, published his second book, Narco Media: Latinidad, Popular Culture, and America's War on Drugs! Through the examination of popular television shows, including Breaking Bad and Miami Vice, he analyzes the creation and endurance of the popular American trope that "Latinos [are] an alien people who threaten the US body politic with drugs." Professor Ruiz dissects the portrayal of Latinx individuals in these - and other - shows and challenges the stereotypes created. He encourages his readers to think about how popular media has largely influenced American thought as it pertains to the War on Drugs.
Professor Ruiz's book has already gained recognition in the fields of American Studies and Latino Studies with Mary Beltrán, author of Latino TV: A History praising "In this well-researched and thought-provoking study, Jason Ruiz illuminates how the rise of drug trafficking–focused films, TV series, and media texts, from Scarface and Miami Vice to Breaking Bad and Narcos, have been intimately tied to US political rhetoric that has scapegoated Latinas/os as eternal foreigners and threats. A sobering but important exploration of narcomedia and its impact."
If you're interested in learning more about Professor Ruiz's thoughts on his book, check out his Q&A session here and his feature on the "America's War on Drugs" episode of Civics 101: A Podcast.
Congratulations, Professor Jason Ruiz!