“De la música y los toros”: masculinities and the representation of Carlos Vives in Ángeles Mastretta's Arráncame la vida (1985)

This article is an innovative exploration of the representation of Carlos Vives as, potentially, an exemplar of feminist masculinity in Ángeles Mastretta's best-selling novel Arráncame la vida. On a theoretical level, it attempts to add the categories of feminist masculinity and resistant masculinity to Connell's influential sociological model centred on hegemonic masculinity. In this case, though, we should note that hegemonic and patriarchal masculinity as embodied in the character of Andrés Ascencio are synonyms. On a literary level, it attempts to transform radically current understandings of Carlos Vives as a foil for Andrés Ascencio and a touchstone of change in Catalina's life by arguing that he is a key character, of equal standing with Andrés, in Mastretta's representation of Mexican men and masculinities.     

Yucatecan–Mexican Relations at the Time of Independence: The Yucatecan Pronunciamiento of 1821

This article will explore local Yucatecan politicking and the Yucatecan–Mexican relationship at the time of independence, using Yucatán's pronunciamiento for independence in September 1821 as a case study. This examination will highlight the fact that, while local ambitions played a significant role in Yucatán's bid for independence, this did not necessarily detract from Yucatecans' attempts to not only engage with national political movements, but also to unite with Mexico. This in turn will take further historians' recent attempts to revise the traditional perception of Yucatán as one of the more pro‐autonomous and isolated states of early nineteenth‐century Mexico.     

At Boiling Point: Like Water for Chocolate and the Boundaries of Mexican Identity

Abstract — This article explores the mechanisms of Mexican identity as they are constructed in Alfonso Arau's film Como agua para chocolate (1991) (Like Water for Chocolate). In re-designing the characters of Laura Esquivel's novel, Arau produces a range of filmic stereotypes drawn from both the Hollywood and the Mexican traditions of film-making. Through the careful manipulation of filmic devices such as editing, framing and close-ups, many of the features of Mexican otherness perpetuated by Hollywood throughout the twentieth century are inscribed. I apply the metaphor of boiling, derived from the film's title, to examine certain key concepts of cinematic 'mexicanness' including the tropes of 'revolution', 'border', 'race' and 'sex'. Crucial to this argument is a consideration of the contemporary political climate in which Like Water for Chocolate was both produced and released. In Mexico, it was released halfway through the sexenio (six-year period of rule) of President Carlos Salinas de Gortari's rule and is clearly one of the most succesful cultural products (and exports) of his government's now infamous rule. In the United States, the climate of anti-immigrant attitudes in 1992 and 1993 and the corresponding political tension provokes new readings of certain stereotypical images of Mexicans and mexicanness. It is the tension that is produced by the collision between these two contexts — cultural, political and ethnic — that forms the principal focus of discussion in this article.     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed: Serulnikov, Sergio (2003)Subverting Colonial Authority: Challenges to Spanish Rule in Eighteenth‐Century Southern Andes Connaughton, Brian (2003)Clerical Ideology in a Revolutionary Age. The Guadalajara Church and the Idea of the Mexican Nation (1788–1853) Palmer, Steven (2003)From Popular Medicine to Medical Populism: Doctors, Healers, and Public Power in Costa Rica, 1800–1940 Papiernik, Charles (2004)Unbroken: From Auschwitz to Buenos Aires MacLachlan, Colin M. (2003)A History of Modern Brazil: The Past Against the Future. Bulmer‐Thomas, Victor (2003)The Economic History of Latin America since Independence Silverman, Helaine and Proulx, Donald (2002)The Nasca Castro‐Klarén, Sara and Chasteen, John Charles (eds)(2003)Beyond Imagined Communities: Reading and Writing the Nation in Nineteenth‐Century Latin America Lewis, Laura A. (2003)Hall of Mirrors: Power, Witchcraft, and Caste in Colonial Mexico Hirsch, Jennifer S. (2003)A Courtship After Marriage: Sexuality and Love in Mexican Transnational Families Myers, Kathleen Ann (2003)Neither Saints nor Sinners: Writing the Lives of Women in Spanish America Sanford, Victoria (2003)Buried Secrets: Truth and Human Rights in Guatemala Warren, Kay B. and Jackson, Jean E. (eds)(2002)Indigenous Movements, Self‐Representation, and the State in Latin America Burgess, Katrina (2004)Parties and Unions in the New Global Economy Dudley, Steven (2004)Walking Ghosts: Murder and Guerrilla Politics in Colombia Jaguaribe Helio and Álvaro de Vasconcelos (eds)(2003)The European Union, Mercosul and the New World Order Saldaña‐Portillo, María Josefina (2003)The Revolutionary Imagination in the Americas in the Age of Development Trigo, Benigno (ed.)(2002)Foucault and Latin America: Appropriations and Deployments of Discursive Analysis Egan, Linda (2001)Carlos Monsiváis: Culture and Chronicle in Contemporary Mexico Weiss, Jason (2003)The Lights of Home: A Century of Latin American Writers in Paris     

The Social Function of Carlos Fuentes: A Critical Intellectual or in the ‘Shadow of the State’?

This article seeks to raise meaningful questions about the role, or wider social function, of the intellectual within state–civil society relations in Latin America characterised by conditions of socio–economic modernisation. It does so by pursuing such questions through a detailed examination of the social function of Carlos Fuentes as an intellectual in Mexico. Through a focus on the social function of Carlos Fuentes, it is possible to distinguish the role intellectual activity can play in the construction and contestation of hegemony in Mexico. Most crucially, the article prompts consideration of the social basis of hegemony and the agency of intellectuals organically tied to particular social forces functioning through state–civil society relations in the struggle over hegemony. Put differently, it is possible to grant due regard to the mixture of critical opposition and accommodation that has often confronted the intellectual within Latin America.     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed in this article: The González de la Rocha, Mercedes (1994), The Resources of Poverty: Women and Survival in a Mexican City Roosevelt, Anna (ed) (1994), Amazonian Indians from Prehistory to the present: Anthropological Perspectives Bastian, Jean-Pierre (1994), Le Protestantisme an Amérique Latine: une approche socio-historique Weiss, Judith A. et al (1993), Latin American Popular Theatre; the First Five centuries Versényi, Adam (1993), Theatre In Latin American: Religion, Politics and Culture from cortés to the 1980s Cloudsley, peter(1993), A Survey of Music in Peru, British museum Foweraker, Joe (1995), Theorizing Social Movements Jonas, Susanne and McCaughan, Edward J. (eds) (1994), Latin America Faces the 21st Century: Reconstructing a Social Justice Agenda Maingot, Anthony P. (1994), The United States and the Caribbean Martz, John D. (ed)(1995), United States Policy in Latin America: a Decade of Crisis and Challenge Niblo, Stephen R. (1995), War, Diplomacy, and Development: the United States and Mexico, 1938–1954 Craske, Nikki (1994), Corporatism Revisited: Salinas and the Reform of the Popular Sector Harvey, Neil and Serrno, Mónica(eds)(1994), Party Politics in “An Uncommon Democracy”, Political Paties and Elections in Mexico Cook, Maria Lorena, Middlebook, Kevin J. and Molinar Horcasitas, Juan (eds) (1994), The Politics of Economic Restructuring: State-Society Relations and Regime Change in Mexico Joseph, Gilbert M. and Nugent, Daniel (eds) (1994), Everyday Forms of State Formation: Revolution and the Negotiation of Rule in Modern Mexico Dunkerley, James (1994), The Pacification of Central America Spoor, Max (1995), The State and Domestic Agriculture Markets in Nicargua Vilas, Carlos M. (1995), Between Earthquakes and Volcanoes: Market, State, and the Revolutions in Central America Goodman, Louis W., Mendelson Forman, Johanna Naím, Moíses, Tulichin, Joseph S. and Gary (eds) (1995), Lessons of the Venezuelan experience Rosen, Fred and McFadyen, Deidre (eds) (1995), Free trade and Economic Restructuring in Latin America: a NACLA Reader Kagami Mitsuhiro (1995) The voice of east asia Development Implication for America     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed in this issue. Cristian C. Baeza and Truman G. Packard, Beyond Survival: Protecting Households from Health Shocks in Latin America. Eduardo Duhalde, Comunidad sudamericana: logros y desafíos de la integración. Enrique Peruzzotti and Catalina Smulovitz, eds., Enforcing the Rule of Law: Social Accountability in the New Latin American Democracies. Laurence Wolff, Juan Carlos Navarro, and Pablo González, eds., Private Education and Public Policy in Latin America. Lessie Jo Frazier, Salt in the Sand: Memory, Violence, and the Nation‐State in Chile, 1890 to the Present. Carlos Huneeus, The Pinochet Regime. Translated by Lake Sagaris. J. Christopher Kovats‐Bernat, Sleeping Rough in Port‐au‐Prince: An Ethnography of Street Children and Violence in Haiti. Teresa Alfaro‐Velcamp, So Far from Allah, So Close to Mexico: Middle Eastern Immigrants in Modern Mexico. John Tofik Karam, Another Arabesque: Syrian‐Lebanese Ethnicity in Neoliberal Brazil. Alberto Ulloa Bornemann, Surviving Mexico's Dirty War: A Political Prisoner's Memoir. Lewis Taylor, Shining Path: Guerrilla War in Peru's Northern Highlands, 1980–1997.     

The Student Movement of 1968 and the Mexican Press: The Cases of Excélsior and Siempre!

The Student Movement of 1968 was a watershed in Mexican political history. This article explores how it was reported in the daily newspaper Excélsior and the weekly magazine Siempre! from August to October 1968. It analyses the work of specific journalists to reveal the extent to which criticism of the government was voiced in a climate of apprehension and oppression. In doing so the important role played by Carlos Monsiváis in promoting and sustaining the students' cause, and the commitment to impartial news coverage of editors Julio Scherer García and José Pagés Llergo, become evident.     

“Una tercera lectura”: the cinematic reader and the cult of virility in Manuel Puig's El beso de la mujer araña (1976)

In El beso de la mujer araña, Manuel Puig encourages a “tercera lectura,” informed by both cinema and literature. He creates a cinematic language reinforced by the spirit of “synthesis” and then incorporates a conceptual discourse which is beyond cinema because of the “límites de atención” of a “lector cinematográfico.” Puig expects readers to draw their own conclusions about the themes which emerge. I argue here that both the themes and aesthetic of the novel can be read as a challenge to the form and content of a literary and filmic “cult of virility.”     

Book Reviews

Mainwaring, Scott and Valenzuela, Arturo (eds) (1998), Politics, Society, and Democracy: Latin America. Essays in Honor of Juán J. Linz . Phillips, Lynne (ed.) (1998), The Third Wave of Modernization in Latin America. Cultural Perspectives on Neoliberalism . Vellinga, Menno (ed.) (1988), The Changing Role of the State in Latin America . Domínguez, Jorge and Lindenberg, Marc (eds) (1997), Democratic Transitions in Central America . Terry Lynn Karl (1997), The Paradox of Plenty: Oil Booms and Petro-States . Escudeé, Carlos (1997), Foreign Policy Theory in Menemós Argentina . Conca, Ken (1997), Manufacturing Insecurity. The Rise and Fall of Brazilós Military Industrial Complex . Ward, John (1997), Latin America: Development and Conflict Since 1945 . Brian W. Blouet and Olwyn M. Blouet (eds) (1997), Latin America and the Caribbean: A Systematic and Regional Survey . Chant, Sylvia (1997), Women-Headed Households: Diversity and Dynamics in the Developing World . Brown, Jonathan (ed.) (1997), Workers Control in Latin America, 1930–1979 . Alvarez, Sonia, Dagnino, Evelina and Escobar, Arturo (eds) (1998), Cultures of Politics, Politics of Cultures. Re-Visioning Latin American Social Movements . Ward, Peter M. (1998), Mexico City . Johns, Michael (1997), The City of Mexico in the Age of Díaz . Rodríguez, O. and Jaime, E. (eds) (1997), The Origins of Mexican National Politics, 1808–1847 . Serrano, Mónica (ed.) (1997), Mexico: Assessing Neo-Liberal Reform . Serrano, Mónica (ed.) (1998), Governing Mexico: Political Parties and Elections . Camp, Roderic (ed.) (1996), Polling for Democracy . Dumond, Don E. (1997), The Machete and the Cross: Campesino Rebellion in Yucatan . Raczynski, Dagmar (ed.) (1995), Strategies to Combat Poverty in Latin America . Lloyd-Sherlock, Peter (1997), Old Age and Urban Poverty in the Developing World: The Shanty Towns of Buenos Aires . Binford, Leigh (1996), The El Mazote Massacre . Parkinson Zamora, L. and Faris, W.B. (eds) (1995), Magical Realism: Theory, History, Community . Stevens, Donald F. (ed.) (1997), Based on a True Story: Latin American History at the Movies . Apfell-Marglin, Frédérique (ed.)(1998), The Spirit of Regeneration. Andean Culture Confronting Western Notions of Development . Carlsen, Robert S. (1997), The War for the Heart and Soul of a Highland Maya Town .     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed in this article: García Canclini, Nestor (trans. Christopher L. Chiappari and Silvina L. López (1995), Hybrid Cultures: Strategies for Entering and Leaving Modernity Beverley, John, Oviedo, José and Aronna, Michael (eds) (1995), The Postmodernism Debate in Latin America Stuempfle, Stephen (1996), The Steelband Movement: the Forging of a National Art in Trinidad and Tobago Browning, Barbara (1995) Samba: Resistance in Motion Vargas, Lucila (1995), Social Uses and Radio Practices: the Use of Participatory Radio by Ethnic Minorities in Mexico Paranagua, Paulo Anntonio (ed.) (1995), Mexican Cinema Valderrama Fernández, Ricardo and Escalante Gutierrez, Carmen (original eds), Gelles, Paul H. and Martinez Escobar, Gabriela (translation, annotations and revised glossary) (1996) Andean Lives: Gregorio Condori Mamani and Asunta Quispe HuamPn Hendrickson, Carol (1995) Weaving Identities: Construction of Dress and Self in a Highland Guatemala Town Morales, Edmundo (1995) The Guinea Pig: Healing, Food, and Ritual in the Andes Brandon, George. (1993), Santeria from Africa to the New World: the Dead Sell Memories Peña, Milagros (1995) Theologies and Liberation in Peru: the Role of Ideas in Social Movements Lovell, W. George (1995) A Beauty that Hurts: Life and Death in Guatemala Starn, Orin, Degregori, Carlos Ivan and Kirk, Robin (eds) (1995), The Peru Reader: History, Culture, Politics Bethell, Leslie (ed.) (1996) Cambridge History of Latin America. Vol. 10. Latin America since 1930: Ideas, Culture and Society Helg, Aline (1995) Our Rightful Share: the Afro-Cuban Struggle for Equality, 1886–1912 Brunk, S. (1995), Emiliano Zapata: Revolution and Betrayal in Mexico Di Tella, Torcuato S. (1996) National Popular Politics in Early Independent Mexico, 1820–1847 Mallon, Florencia E. (1995), Peasant and Nation: the Making of Postcolonial Mexico and Peru Posada-Garbó, Eduardo (1996) The Colombian Caribbean: a Regional History, 187&1950 Joseph, Gilbert M. and Szuchman, Mark D. (eds) (1996), I Saw a City Invincible: Urban Portraits of Latin America Walter, Richard J. (1994), Politics and Urban Growth in Buenos Aires: 191&1942 Kleinpenning, Jan M. G. (1995), Peopling the Purple Land: a Historical Geography of Rural Uruguay, 1500–1915 Avellaneda, José Ignacio (1995), The Conquerors of the New Kingdom of Granada Craig, Alan K. and West, Robert C. (eds) (1994), In Quest of Mineral Wealth. Aboriginal and Colonial Mining and Metallurgy in Spanish America Velázquez, Primo Feliciano (1995, 3rd edition), Codex Chimalpopoca Bierhorst, John (1992) History and Mythology of the Aztecs: the Codex Chimalpopoca Nickson, R. Andrew (1995), Local Government in Latin America Smith, Hazel (1995), European Union Foreign Policy and Central America Bresser Pereira, Luiz C. (1996), Economic Crisis and State Reform in Brazil: Toward a New Interpretation of Latin America Camp, Roderic Ai (1993), Political Recruitment Across Two Centuries: Mexico, 1884–1991 Mainwaring, Scott and Scully, Timothy R. (eds) (1995), Building Democratic Institutions: Party Systems in Latin America Haggard, Stephan and Kaufman, Robert R. (1995), The Political Economy of Democratic Transitions Ryan, David (1995), US-Sandinista Diplomatic Relations: Voice of Intolerance Hall, Linda B. (1995), Oil, Banks and Politics: the United States and Postrevolutionary Mexico, 1917–1924 Philip, George (1994), Political Economy of International Oil Jones, Richard C. (1995), Ambivalent Journey: US Migration and Economic Mobility in North Central Mexico Dosal, Paul J. (1993), Doing Business with the Dictators: a Political History of United Fruit in Guatemala, 1899–1944 Jenkins, Rhys (1995), Trade Liberaiisation and Manufacturing in Bolivia Frenkel, Roberto (ed.) (1994), Strengthening the Financial Sector in the Adjustment Process Morley, Samuel A. (1995) Poverty and Inequality in Latin America: the Impact of Adjustment and Recovery Lustig, Nora (ed.) (1995) Coping with Austerity: Poverty and Inequality in Latin America Pattullo, Polly (1996) Last Resorts: the Cost of Tourism in the Caribbean Murray, Douglas L. (1995) Cultivating Crisis: the Human Cost of Pesticides in Latin America Chevalier, Jacques M. and Buckles, Daniel (1995) A Land Without Gods: Process Theory, Maldevelopment and the Mexican Nahuas Peritore, N. Patrick and Galve-Peritore, Ana Karina (eds) (1995), Biotechnology in Latin America: Politics, Impacts and Risks Stewart, Douglas I. (1994), After the Trees: Living on the Transamazon Highway Simonian, Lane (1995), Defending the Land of the Jaguar: a History of Conservation in Mexico Bose, Christine E. and Acosta-Belén, B. Edna (eds) (1995), Women in the Latin American Development Process Alatorre, Javier, Careaga Gloria, Jusidman, Clara, Salles, Vania, Talamante, Cecilia and Townsend, John (1994), Las mujeres en la pobreza, El Colegio de Mexico and Grupo Interdisciplinario sobre Mujer Johnston, Francis E. and Low, Setha M. (1995), Children of the Urban Poor: the Sociocultural Environment of Growth, Development, and Malnutrition in Guatemala Schneider, Cathy Lisa (1995), Shantytown Protest in Pinochet's Chile Fiddian, Robin (ed.) (1995), Garcia Márquez Marzan, Julio (1995), The Numinous Site: the Poetry of Luis Palés Matos O'Connell, Joanna (1995), Prospero's Daughter: the Prose of Rosario Castellanos Bergman, Emilie L. and Smith, Paul Julian (eds) (1995), ¿Entiendes?: Queer Readings, Hispanic Writings Agosín, Marjorie (ed.) (1995) A Dream of Light and Shadow: Portraits of Latin American Women Writers Halperin Donghi, Tulio, Jaksié, Iván, Kirkpatrick, Gwen, and Masiello, Francine (eds) (1994), Sarmiento, Author of a Nation     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed in this article: Melville, Elinor G.K. (1997), A Plague of Sheep: Environmental Consequences of the Conquest of Mexico Pérez, Louis A. Jr; (1998), The War of 1898: The United States and Cuba in History and Historiography. Topik, Steven C. and Wells, Allen (eds.) (1998), The Second Conquest of Latin America: Coffee, Henequen, and Oil during the Export Boom 1850–1930 Berke, Phillip R. and Beatley, Timothy (1997), After the hurricane: linking recovery to sustainable development in the Caribbean Randall, Stephen, J. and Mount, Graeme, S. (1998), The Caribbean Basin an international history Richard Wilson (1995), Maya Resurgence in Guatemala: Q'eqchi' Experiences Judith N. Zur (1998). Violent Memories: Mayan War Widows in Guatemala Stillwaggon Eileen (1998), Stunted Lives, Stunted Economies: Poverty, Disease and Underdevelopment Dye, Alan (1998), Cuban Sugar in the Age of Mass Production: Technology and the Economics of the Sugar Central, 1899–1929 Dominguez Jorge, I. (1997), Democratic Politics in Latin America and the Caribbean Simon, J. (1997), Endangered Mexico — An Environment on the Edge Taylor, L. (1998), Citizenship, Participation and Democracy — Changing Dynamics in Chile and Argentina Bantjes, Adrian A. (1998) As If Jesus Walked on Earth: Cardenismo, Sonora and the Mexican Revolution Cleary, Edward L. and Stewart-Gambino, Elizabeth (eds.) (1997), Power, Politics and Pentecostals in Latin America John Holloway and Eloina Peláez (eds) (1998), Zapatista! Reinventing Revolution in Mexico Marta Durán de Huerta Patiño and Massimo Boldrini (1998), Acteal: Navidad en el Inflerno Carolina Mariá de Jesus (1997), I'm Going to Have a Little House: The Second Diary of Carolina Maria de Jesus: (Casa de Alvenaria: Diario de uma ex-favelada Gordon, E. (1998), Disparate Diasporas: Identity and Politics in an African–Nicaraguan Community Tobias, Hecht (1998), At Home In The Street: Street Children of Northeast Brazil Duncan, Green (1998), Hidden Lives: Voices of Children in Latin America and the Caribbean Torres-Saillant, S. (ed.) (1997), Caribbean Poetics: Toward an Aesthetic of West Indian Literature Folgarait, Leonard (1998), Mural Painting and Social Revolution in Mexico Taylor, Chris (1998), The Beautiful Game: a Journey Through Latin American Football Wilson, Larman C. and Dent, David W. (1998), Historical Dictionary of Inter-American Organizations     

Rivaling the PRI: The Image Management of Vicente Fox and the Use of Public Opinion Polling in the 2000 Mexican Election

This research examines the data from private polls conducted during Vicente Fox's presidential campaign through the lenses of the "modernization" of campaigning, the creation of image in the modern Mexican presidency, and the survey tools used by the campaign to achieve a historic presidential victory in 2000. Fox's campaign team used polling to determine the potential of the Mexican public to be persuaded by an opposition candidate, to provide a continuous update on how the campaign strategy was working, to assist in solidifying Fox's image and message of change (rather than promoting his policy agenda), and to target demographic groups that were perceived to be important electoral partners. These findings suggest that public opinion polling is a useful tool in Mexico to combat longstanding corporatist structures used to favor the PRI. Presidential campaigns in Mexico are beginning to resemble modern campaigns in other mature democracies in their use of private polling data; future Mexican campaigns will become more image- and personality-based.     

Los caminos de la vida: acumulación,reproducción o superación de las desventajas sociales en México

This article develops an analytical model which, using a life-trajector y approach, attempts to identify and understand the articulation of social factors that favors reproduction, deepening or overcoming social disadvantages among youths. The analytical model analyzes longitudinal life-trajectories and places emphasis in their evolving character. The analytical reconstruction exercise stems from the systematization and analyses of 34 life-histories of Mexican youths who experienced harsh social deprivation during their childhood/adolescence. Testimonies were collected in three Mexican cities with diverse development levels: Oaxaca, Monterrey and Mexico City.     

Crises of Confidence: Attitudes of the Domestic Bankers Towards the Credit Problem in Mexico

This paper analyses the Mexican banks' loan policies since 1995. Based on a series of interviews, we find that Mexico's financial system is currently experiencing two crises. First, banks lack confidence in the business practices of small and medium size enterprises. This negative attitude is reinforced by the bankers' perception of a culture of non-repayment. Banks also loan little to big businesses, which rely on the international money market. Second, bankers believe small and medium size business owners lack confidence in the Mexican financial system. Consequently, loan activities are down significantly. Socio-economic growth and development in Mexico will depend upon a profound change in structures, practices and attitudes surrounding loan activities.     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed in this article: Torres Rim, Edelberto (1993), History and Society in Central America González, Aníbal (1993), Journalism and the Development of Spanish American Narrative. Abel, Christopher and Lewis, Colin (eds) (1993), Welfare, Poverty and Development in Latin America Mesa-Lago, Camelo (ed.) (1993), Cuba After the Cold War Cardoso, Eliana and Helwege, AM (1992), Cuba after Communism Graham, Carol (1992), Peru's APIA: Parties, Politics and the Elusive Quest for Democracy Scully, Timothy R. (1992), Rethinking the Center: Party Politics in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-century Chile Hennessy, Alistair and Lambie, George (eds) (1993), The Fractured Blockade: West European-Cuban Relations During the Revolution Boué, Juan Carlos (1993), Venezuela: The Political Economy of Oil Ellner, Steve (1993), Organized Labor in Venezuela 1958–1991: Behavior and Concerns in a Democratic Setting Lalta, Stanley and Freckleton, Marie (eds) (1993), Caribbean Economic Development; The First Generation Carbonell de Masy, Rafael, with the collaboration of Teresa Blumers and Ernesto A. J. Maeder (1992, Estrategias de desarrollo rural en los pueblos guaraníes (1609–1767) Aguilar Camín, Héctor and Meyer, Lorenzo (1993), In the Shadow of the Mexican Revolution: Contemporary Mexican History 1910–1989 McFarlane, Anthony (1993), Colombia before Independence Economy, Society, and Politics under Colonial Rule Brotherston, Gordon (ed.) (1993), Latin America: Literal Territories Palmer, Gabrielle and Pierce, Donna (1993), Cambios: The Spirit of Transformation in Spanish Colonial Art Giffords, Gloria Fraser (revised ed. 1992), Mexican Folk Retablos Gossen, Gary H. (ed.) (1993), South and Meso-American Native Spirituality: From the Cult of the Feathered Serpent to the Theology of Liberation Gilbert, Alan (1994), The Latin American City Thomas-Hope, Elizabeth M. (1992) Explanation in Caribbean Migration     

La Marcha Violenta? Railroads and Land in 19th‐century Mexico

The impact of railroad development on land tenure and use in 19th‐century Mexico has long been central to interpretations of Mexico's rural history, in particular of the grievances culminating in the Revolution (1910–20). The prevailing interpretation, that railroads displaced Mexican peasants and smallholders from the land, has intuitive appeal but lacks empirical support. This article treats the question of the railroads' impact by studying the terms of the railroads' acquisition of land in southern Mexico. It argues that railroads failed to displace owners and occupants of the land, despite the governments's new laws and handpicked agents intended to oust recalcitrant residents with minimal delay and expense.     

Measuring Skulls: Race and Science in Vicente Riva Palacio's México a través de los siglos

This article discusses the use of the term 'race' as a corpus of racial theories sustained by scientific knowledge of biological human evolution in late nineteenth-century Mexico. It also explores how scientific and political discourses have constructed equivalent notions of race and national subjects, and how racial thought is imbedded in nation-building processes within the context of knowledge and social differentials in Mexico's national history. This is carried out through an examination of the second chapter of the second volume of Mexico a través de los siglos (Mexico Throughout the Centuries), by Mexican historian Vicente Riva Palacio (1832–1896), seen through the perspective of cultural history.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Arturo Valenzuela and Juan Linz (eds.) THE FAILURE OF PRESIDENTIAL DEMOCRACY. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins Orin Starn, Carlos Iván DeGregori, and Robin Kirk (eds.) THE PERU READER: HISTORY, CULTURE, POLITICS. Durham, NC: Donald E. Schulz and Edward J. Williams (eds.)