Sports Culture in Latin American History (Pitt Latin American Series)

Perhaps no other activity is more synonymous with passion, identity, bodily ideals, and the power of place than sport. As the essays in this volume show, the function of sport as a historical and cultural marker is particularly relevant in Latin America. From the late nineteenth century to the present, the contributors reveal how sport opens a wide window into local, regional, and national histories. The essays examine the role of sport as a political vehicle, in claims to citizenship, as a source of community and ethnic pride, as a symbol of masculinity or feminism, as allegorical performance, and in many other purposes. __Sports Culture in Latin American History__ juxtaposes analyses of better-known activities such as boxing and soccer with first peoples’ athletics in Argentina, __Cholita__ wrestling in Bolivia, the African-influenced martial art of __capoeira,__ Japanese Brazilian gateball, the “Art Deco” body ideal for postrevolutionary Mexican women, Jewish soccer fans in Argentina and transgressive behavior at matches, and other topics. The contributors view the local origins and adaptations of these athletic activities and their significance as insightful narrators of history and culture. As This Edited Volume Shows, The Function Of Sport As A Historical And Cultural Marker Is Particularly Relevant In Latin America. From The Late Nineteenth Century To The Present, The Contributors Examine The Role Of Sport As A Political Vehicle, In Claims To Citizenship, As A Source Of Community And Ethnic Pride, As A Symbol Of Masculinity Or Feminism, As Allegorical Performance, And In Many Other Purposes. The Chapters Juxtapose Better-known Activities Such As Boxing And Soccer With First Peoples' Athletics In Argentina, Cholita Wrestling In Bolivia, The African-influenced Martial Art Of Capoeira, Japanese Brazilian Gateball, And The Art Deco Body Ideal For Postrevolutionary Mexican Women, Among Other Topics. -- Back Cover. Acknowledgments -- Introduction / Laura Podalsky -- Roberto Durán, Omar Torrijos, And The Rise Of Isthmian Machismo / Michael Donoghue -- Fighting On The Edge: Cholitas Luchadoras In Bolivia's Cholo Revolution / Ken Lehman -- Natural Athletes: Constructing Southern Indigenous Physicality In Late Nineteenth-century Argentina / Carolyne Ryan Larson -- Japanese-brazilian Croquet In São Paulo: Ethnic Identity, Contestation, And Integration / Joshua Hotaka Roth -- People Of The Book Or People Of The (foot)ball? On The Pitch With Fans Of Atlanta In Buenos Aires / Raanan Rein -- Building Bodies: Creating Urban Landscapes Of Athletic Aesthetics In Postrevolutionary Mexico City / Ageeth Sluis -- Boxing In The Making Of A Colombian Costeño Identity / David M.k. Sheinin -- From Moral Disease To National Sport : Race, Nation, And Capoeira In Brazil / Katya Wesolowski -- Notes -- Contributors -- Index. Edited By David M.k. Sheinin. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.

Perhaps no other activity is more synonymous with passion, identity, bodily ideals, and the power of place than sport. As the essays in this volume show, the function of sport as a historical and cultural marker is particularly relevant in Latin America. From the late nineteenth century to the present, the contributors reveal how sport opens a wide window into local, regional, and national histories. The essays examine the role of sport as a political vehicle, in claims to citizenship, as a source of community and ethnic pride, as a symbol of masculinity or feminism, as allegorical performance, and in many other purposes.
Sports Culture in Latin American History juxtaposes analyses of better-known activities such as boxing and soccer with first peoples' athletics in Argentina, Cholita wrestling in Bolivia, the African-influenced martial art of capoeira, Japanese Brazilian gateball, the "Art Deco" body ideal for postrevolutionary Mexican women, Jewish soccer fans in Argentina and transgressive behavior at matches, and other topics. The contributors view the local origins and adaptations of these athletic activities and their significance as insightful narrators of history and culture.

CONTENTS 8 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 10 INTRODUCTION / LAURA PODALSKY 14 1. ROBERTO DURÁN, OMAR TORRIJOS, AND THE RISE OF ISTHMIAN MACHISMO / MICHAEL DONOGHUE 30 2. FIGHTING ON THE EDGE: CHOLITAS LUCHADORAS IN BOLIVIA’S CHOLO REVOLUTION / KEN LEHMAN 52 3. NATURAL ATHLETES: CONSTRUCTING SOUTHERN INDIGENOUS PHYSICALITY IN LATE NINETEENTH-CENTURY ARGENTINA / CAROLYNE RYAN LARSON 74 4. JAPANESE-BRAZILIAN CROQUET IN SÃO PAULO: ETHNIC IDENTITY, CONTESTATION, AND INTEGRATION / JOSHUA HOTAKA ROTH 97 5. PEOPLE OF THE BOOK OR PEOPLE OF THE (FOOT)BALL? ON THE PITCH WITH FANS OF ATLANTA IN BUENOS AIRES / RAANAN REIN 116 6. BUILDING BODIES: CREATING URBAN LANDSCAPES OF ATHLETIC AESTHETICS IN POSTREVOLUTIONARY MEXICO CITY / AGEETH SLUIS 134 7. BOXING IN THE MAKING OF A COLOMBIAN COSTEÑO IDENTITY / DAVID M. K. SHEININ 152 8. FROM “MORAL DISEASE” TO “NATIONAL SPORT”: RACE, NATION, AND CAPOEIRA IN BRAZIL / KATYA WESOLOWSKI 174 NOTES 196 CONTRIBUTORS 238 INDEX 242 This edited volume shows how the function of sport as a historical and cultural marker is particularly relevant in Latin America.