No Dancin' in Anson:

No Dancin’ in Anson provides a fascinating account of Ricardo Ainslie’s first ethnographic research project. In studying urbanization and social change in small towns in Texas, Ainslie encountered a simmering conflict dividing the community of Anson. The controversy began when a group of parents proposed a dance for teens, only to discover a city ordinance against dancing had been enacted in the 1930s, supported by a fundamentalist church that still wielded much influence in the community. In applying a psychoanalytic lens to understand the conflict, Ainslie discovered tensions between Anson’s old guard and relative newcomers, many of whom were immigrants from Mexico, revealing a powerful connection between religious affiliation, economy, and social power.

Ricardo Ainslie, PhD is a psychologist-psychoanalyst who uses books, documentary films, and photographic exhibits to capture and depict subjects of social and cultural interest. A native of Mexico City, he teaches at the University of Texas at Austin where he holds the M.K. Hage Centennial Professorship in Education. In addition to No Dancin’ in Anson: An American Story of Race and Social Change (1995), his books include Long Dark Road: Bill King and Murder In Jasper, Texas (2004. His films include Crossover: A Story of Desegregation (1999) and Looking North: Mexican Images of Immigration (2006). In 2002 the Texas Psychological Association recognized Dr. Ainslie with its “Outstanding Contribution to Science” award, and in 2009 the APA’s Division of Psychoanalysis recognized his work with its “Science Award.” He was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters in 2006. He received the Psychoanalysis and Social Achievement Award in 2012.  

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