Paper Cadavers: The Archives of Dictatorship in Guatemala (American Encounters/Global Interactions)

In __Paper Cadavers__, an inside account of the astonishing discovery and rescue of Guatemala's secret police archives, Kirsten Weld probes the politics of memory, the wages of the Cold War, and the stakes of historical knowledge production. After Guatemala's bloody thirty-six years of civil war (1960–1996), silence and impunity reigned. That is, until 2005, when human rights investigators stumbled on the archives of the country's National Police, which, at 75 million pages, proved to be the largest trove of secret state records ever found in Latin America.The unearthing of the archives renewed fierce debates about history, memory, and justice. In __Paper Cadavers__, Weld explores Guatemala's struggles to manage this avalanche of evidence of past war crimes, providing a firsthand look at how postwar justice activists worked to reconfigure terror archives into implements of social change. Tracing the history of the police files as they were transformed from weapons of counterinsurgency into tools for post-conflict reckoning, Weld sheds light on the country's fraught transition from war to an uneasy peace, reflecting on how societies forget and remember political violence. In Paper Cadavers, An Inside Account Of The Astonishing Discovery And Rescue Of Guatemala's Secret Police Archives, Kirsten Weld Probes The Politics Of Memory, The Wages Of The Cold War, And The Stakes Of Historical Knowledge Production. After Guatemala's Bloody Thirty-six Years Of Civil War (1960-1996), Silence And Impunity Reigned. That Is, Until 2005, When Human Rights Investigators Stumbled On The Archives Of The Country's National Police, Which, At 75 Million Pages, Proved To Be The Largest Trove Of Secret State Records Ever Found In Latin America. The Unearthing Of The Archives Renewed Fierce Debates About History, Memory, And Justice. In Paper Cadavers, Weld Explores Guatemala's Struggles To Manage This Avalanche Of Evidence Of Past War Crimes, Providing A Firsthand Look At How Postwar Justice Activists Worked To Reconfigure Terror Archives Into Implements Of Social Change. Tracing The History Of The Police Files As They Were Transformed From Weapons Of Counterinsurgency Into Tools For Post-conflict Reckoning, Weld Sheds Light On The Country's Fraught Transition From War To An Uneasy Peace, Reflecting On How Societies Forget And Remember Political Violence. -- Publisher's Description. Excavating Babylon -- Archival Culture, State Secrets, And The Archive Wars -- How The Guerrillero Became An Archivist -- Building Counterinsurgency Archives -- Recycling The National Police In War, Peace, And Post-peace -- Revolutionary Lives In The Archives -- Archives And The Next Generation(s) -- Changing The Law Of What Can Be Said, And Done -- The Possibilities And Limitations Of Archival Thinking. Kirsten Weld. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 301-322) And Index. « In Paper Cadavers, an inside account of the astonishing discovery and rescue of Guatemala's secret police archives, Kirsten Weld probes the politics of memory, the wages of the Cold War, and the stakes of historical knowledge production. After Guatemala's bloody thirty-six years of civil war (1960-1996), silence and impunity reigned. That is, until 2005, when human rights investigators stumbled on the archives of the country's National Police, which, at 75 million pages, proved to be the largest trove of secret state records ever found in Latin America. The unearthing of the archives renewed fierce debates about history, memory, and justice. In Paper Cadavers, Weld explores Guatemala's struggles to manage this avalanche of evidence of past war crimes, providing a firsthand look at how postwar justice activists worked to reconfigure terror archives into implements of social change. Tracing the history of the police files as they were transformed from weapons of counterinsurgency into tools for post-conflict reckoning, Weld sheds light on the country's fraught transition from war to an uneasy peace, reflecting on how societies forget and remember political violence. »-- Résumé de l'éditeur Contents 8 List of Abbreviations 10 Acknowledgments 14 Introduction: The Power of Archival Thinking 18 Part I: Explosions at the Archives 44 Chapter 1: Excavating Babylon 46 Chapter 2: Archival Culture, State Secrets, and the Archive Wars 67 Chapter 3: How the Guerrillero Became an Archivist 86 Part II: Archives and Counterinsurgency in Cold War Guatemala 106 Chapter 4: Building Counterinsurgency Archives 108 Chapter 5: Recycling the National Police in War, Peace, and Post-Peace 136 Part III: Archives and Social Reconstruction in Postwar Guatemala 168 Chapter 6: Revolutionary Lives in the Archives 170 Chapter 7: Archives and the Next Generation(s) 200 Part IV: Pasts Present and the Future Imperfect 228 Chapter 8: Changing the Law of What Can Be Said, and Done 230 Chapter 9: Conclusion: The Possibilities and Limitations of Archival Thinking 253 Notes 274 Bibliography 318 Index 340 In 2005, human rights investigators stumbled on the archives of Guatemala's National Police. In Paper Cadavers, Kirsten Weld tells the story of the astonishing discovery and rescue of 75 million pages of evidence of state-sponsored crimes, and analyzes the repercussions for both the people and the state of Guatemala