Political Violence and the Construction of National Identity in Latin America

This topical volume seeks to analyze the intimate but under-studied relationship between the construction of national identity in Latin America, and the violent struggle for political power that has defined Latin American history since independence. The result is an original, fascinating contribution to an increasingly important field of study. This highly topical volume seeks to analyze the intimate but under-studied relationship between the construction of national identity in Latin America and the violent struggle for political power that has defined Latin American history since independence "This intriguing book reminds us of the continuing power of national imaginaries to generate and orchestrate violence, and of how much violence is an integral part of not only authoritarian, but also liberal, regimes. Fowler and Lambert have put together an impressive interdisciplinary collection that combines illuminating theoretical overviews with wide-ranging and engaging case studies. An important book for all students of nationalism and violence."--Peter Wade, Professor of Social Anthropology, University of Manchester 'Fowler and Lambert have put together a fascinating collection of essays on one of the most contested topics in the current debate about Latin America: the role of political violence in the construction of national identity. This collaborative text by experts on Latin America offers rich insights into the historical roots of nationalism in the region, as well as a theoretical framework for assessing the most recent political developments from Mexico to Argentina.' - Abdiel Onate, Professor of History, Director of the Latin American Area Studies Program, San Francisco State University 'Each selection in this collection is original and presents associations between political violence and national identities in modern Latin America. The internal coherence and theoretical cogency of the volume reveals an innovative approach for organizing Latin American history in general, which will stimulate both classroom discussion and specialist debate. You could construct a course around this book.' - Timothy E. Anna, Distinguished Professor of History, University of Manitoba Front Matter....Pages i-xii The Children of the Chingada....Pages 1-18 Myth, Manipulation, and Violence: Relationships between National Identity and Political Violence....Pages 19-36 Languages of Nationalist Violence: Notes on Mexican Hispanophobia....Pages 37-53 Lucha and Cubanía: The (Re)Construction of a Cuban Historical Identity Through the Idea of (Revolutionary) Struggle....Pages 55-72 Contesting Imagined Communities: Gender, Nation, and Violence in El Salvador....Pages 73-90 National Identity and Violence: The Case of Colombia....Pages 91-109 National Identity and Political Violence: The Case of Venezuela....Pages 111-129 Political Violence, Cinematic Representation, and Peruvian National Identity: La Boca del Lobo (Francisco Lombardi, 1988) and La Vida es una Sola (Marianne Eyde, 1993)....Pages 131-148 Violence, the Left, and the Creation of Un Nuevo Chile....Pages 149-166 The Effects of State Violence on National Identity: The Fate of Chilean Historical Narratives Post 1973....Pages 167-185 “Muero con mi patria!” Myth, Political Violence, and the Construction of National Identity in Paraguay....Pages 187-205 Some Historical Observations on the Relationship between Nationalism and Political Violence in Argentina....Pages 207-225 Back Matter....Pages 227-244 This highly topical volume seeks to analyze the intimate but under-studied relationship between the construction of national identity in Latin America and the violent struggle for political power that has defined Latin American history since independence. The theoretical framework is complemented by a series of tightly structured and fascinating case studies, written by an international team of specialists and spanning a range of Latin American countries. The result is an original and fascinating contribution to an increasingly important field of study