Focusing on the regional culture of San Diego, California, this volume addresses the various manifestations, mechanisms and changes that both shape and define the local population from the late 18th to the early 20th centuries. From its role as an active colonial seaport to being a focal point of the US-Mexican border, this work analyzes the confrontation and blending of peoples, ideas and influences that have contributed to San Diego culture.
Drawing from multiple disciplines, this work discusses the evolution of population and society as seen from archival and historical sources as well as through the representations found in literary, sociological, or archeological studies. This unique approach allows the questioning of canonic positions and recognizes the complexity of regional borderland studies in an effort to better define the mechanisms and manifestations of local Californio culture.
The resulting text, focused on the people living in San Diego and the physical and social environment in which they circulated, seeks to contribute to the scholarship and understanding of this unique place.