Latin American Studies Commons^™

Brazil’S Upcoming “Mega-Events” Human Rights Legacy, Thomas Pegram

Human Rights & Human Welfare

Preparations for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games are well underway in Brazil, with local government officials in Rio de Janeiro trumpeting the “major success” of initiatives intended to address notoriously high levels of violent crime.

In an attempt to head off widespread concerns, which preceded South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 World Cup, the apparent success of initiatives such as the Police Pacification Units (PPUs) cracking down on insecurity in Rio’s shantytowns (many, such as Rocinha, close to popular tourist areas and venues for Olympic events) has been loudly hailed by local politicians and duly reported by …

A Study Of Primary Schools In The Elias Piña Province On The Dominican Haitian Border: Immigrant Haitian Access To Education In The Dominican Republic In The 2010 Post-Earthquake Era, Matthew D. Kaye

Mission & Culture Publications

The research question of the study asked "In the post 2010 earthquake, what are the conditions faced by Haitian immigrants in accessing primary public education in the Dominican Republic"? Within the context of primary education, the study takes place in the town of Comendador, the capital of the Elías Piña province in the Dominican Republic. Using a mixed methods approach, incorporating ethnographic methods and database analysis, the study documents the voices of Haitian and Dominican parents, Dominican school personnel, non-governmental organization (NGO) officials and community stakeholders. Within the construct of access, there are six areas of focus: educational policy, curriculum …

From “Iron Fist” Policies To Comprehensive Social Intervention, Claudia Heiss

Human Rights & Human Welfare

The latest effort by Brazilian authorities to control crime in Rio's favelas confronts us with several complex questions regarding democracy, the rule of law, and civil-military relations, not only in this case, but throughout Latin America. What conclusions can we derive from the military and police interventions in Rio about the state of affairs of these third-wave democracies?

Sexual Racism In A Gay Community On The U.S.-Mexico Border: Revisiting The Latin Americanization Thesis Online, Jesus Gregorio Smith

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The aim of this investigation is to examine racism in a sexual context or as it shall be defined here, sexual racism, along the border town of El Paso, TX by expanding upon Eduardo Bonilla-Silva's (2002) Latin Americanization Thesis of tri-racial stratification that posits that the U.S. will reflect a three tier racial structure with the White race on top, then an intermediary group of Honorary Whites and a Collective Black category at the bottom. This study will expand upon the Latin Americanization Thesis by examining the intersection of race/ethnicity with sexuality. Specifically, I will add to this thesis by …

Beyond Coffee Plantations : Coffee Production, Emerging Economic And Social Spaces, And The Q'Eqchi' Maya In Senahú, Guatemala, Winston Kent Scott

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This dissertation examines various aspects of economic and social consequences associated with the history of coffee production in the rural municipality of Senahú, a province located in the central Guatemalan province of Alta Verapaz that is home to one of the four major Mayan language groups in Guatemala; the Q'eqchi' Maya. In particular, the investigation is concerned with how German and other Anglo-European entrepreneurs initiated large-scale coffee production in the late 19th century and the social and economic disparities that arose with the early successes of large-scale coffee production. This examination also presents how the collective society in Senahú became …

Spaces Of Healing : Clinical Effects On Indigenous Cosmology In The Ecuadorian Amazon, Fotini Constantina Spero

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

In this paper I hope to explain the levels of power at play between the Ecuadorian State and the indigenous of the Amazon. The indigenous in Ecuador, not only in the Amazon, though that is where my work takes place, attempt to maintain their separate identities from the Ecuadorian State. The main way they do this that I will be focusing on in this paper is their utilization of witchcraft and healing practices. These practices help to maintain the relationship between the indigenous and their land. These mechanisms clash with the state agenda of remaking autonomous indigenous people into state …

Education In Juticalpa, Honduras : Analyzing Nonprofit Education's Impact On Socio-Cultural Reproduction, Eric Macias

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This Master's project explores education's impact on socio-cultural and economic reproduction in Juticalpa, Honduras. Utilizing comparative analysis, I investigate the education system in Juticalpa employing a public, private, and a nonprofit school as analytical lenses to illustrate how schools reproduce certain existing inequalities and create new ones in this city. The purpose in the following pages is three-fold. First, I conceptualize and explain the neoliberal education discourses on the need to create alternatives to public education, such as private and nonprofit education institutions. Secondly, after contextualizing these education discourses, I use social reproduction theory to investigate how schools reproduce existing …

La Mujer Detective En La Literatura Latinoamericana--Tres Ejemplos, Ornella Lepri Mazzuca

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study analyzes the representation of women detectives in three Hispano-American novels. In the last three decades women detectives started to introduce themselves inside predominantly male literary models. Nevertheless, while there is an abundance of figures, both feminine and tough, in the Anglo-American and Spanish literature, women detectives appear later in time in the Hispano-American detective novels. An examination of the Latin-American context will evaluate the causes of this initial sporadic appearance of the women detectives. In relation to the works presented in this dissertation, the social function of the women detectives is explored and it is determined whether they …

A Postcolonial Comparative Study Of Secondary Education And Its Ideological Implications For West Indian Communities In Puerto Limon, Costa Rica ; Bluefields, Nicaragua ; And Old Providence Island, Colombia, Raquel Sanmiguel

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The present study sets out to identify the ideological implications that the current national systems of secondary education have for West Indians who ended up living in the “"buffer zone"” between Latin American and Anglophone Caribbean histories: Raizales in Old Providence Island, Colombia; Afrolimonenses in Limón, Costa Rica, and Creoles in Bluefields, Nicaragua. The axis of examination is the school curriculum both as practice and as a set of pre-determined content and goals that teachers have to follow. It is a critical analysis of the ideologies that inform education, supported by an inquiry into the historical and cultural factors that …

Childrearing In The Discourse Of Friars And Nahaus In Early Colonial Central Mexico, Nadia Marín-Guadarrama

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This dissertation illustrates the terms in which indigenous' conceptions of childrearing and childhoods were discussed and depicted in a Mesoamerican setting of the XVI Century. During this early colonial period, Nahuas from Central Mexico realized that Spanish colonizers were interested in learning about and transforming even the most intimate aspects of their lives, including the meaning of a girl and a boy of different ages, and the practices of childrearing. In the process, friars and Nahuas had agreements or experienced contradictions regarding how girls or boys should be raised. The analysis is based on ethnographic, ecclesiastic, and civil documents written …

The Cuban Ripple Effect: Writing Cubanidad In The Diaspora, Isabel Valiela

Spanish Faculty Publications

The article, inspired by Antonio Benítez-Rojo’s postmodern work on Caribbean identity, The Repeating Island, applies the metaphor of a ripple effect to the writers of the Cuban Diaspora. These are writers who have left Cuba after the Cuban Revolution, but who belong to different generations, have left at different times, have established themselves in different countries, and write in different languages on themes unique to their particular experiences and interests. Yet, they share a Cuban identity based on the experience of displacement from their place of origin. Their collective trajectory resembles the ripple effect in water, which expands and changes …

Porfirismo During The Mexican Revolution: Exile And The Politics Of Representation, 1910-1920, Nancy Alexandra Aguirre

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This work broadens the narrative of the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920) by incorporating the perspective of the supporters of dictators Porfirio Dí­az and Victoriano Huerta. I focus specifically on urban professional "Porfiristas," examining the changes and continuities in their identity over the course of the revolution. Identity formation is the central theme of this study, and I rely on memoirs, newspapers, government documents, and oral history interviews in order to analyze the motivations of Porfiristas as they fought to sustain their worldview during a decade of global conflict.

My study draws upon the frameworks of post-colonialism, feminist theory, cultural studies, migration/diaspora …

El Movimiento: A Brief Analysis Of The Role Of Core Activists In The Development Of A Unified Social Movement In Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Luis Diaz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis attempts to solve the question of why, despite the efforts of many social activists, there is not a unified social movement in Ciudad Juárez, México. My hypothesis is that social activists who are able to distinguish between a collective project and a personal project are more likely to create a successful social movement than those who tie their public identity with their personal identity. The reason seems to be that individuals who do not make this distinction are not able or willing to create networks beyond their ideologies, as well as beyond their personal direct influence and control, …

The Rhetoric Of Construction: A Comparative Case Study Of The Language Of The U.S. - Mexico And Israel - Palestine Border Walls, Jesse Adam Kapenga

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This research examines the language and rhetoric of fear used to justify the walls and fences built by the American government along the U.S. - Mexico border, and by the Israeli government around the Occupied Palestinian Territories. It focuses specifically on the rhetoric used by the head of government of each country (the American president and the Israeli prime minister) during the years 2001-2011 to explain and justify the construction of a physical barrier as a measure of national defense and self-preservation.

The New Mexican Migration: Remembering Violence, Connecting, And Living In The Third Space, Uriel G. Posada

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The concept of identity has become a topic of discussion in the last few decades, especially with the growing immigration across several countries. Countries such as the United States and Canada are receiving people who arrive from different parts of the world and who are changing the composition of these countries. In this thesis I explore how a group of Mexican journalists are adjusting their identity as they live in countries outside of Mexico. Five of the journalists are now living in the United States, and one of them is in Canada. They were forced to leave Mexico after they …

The Third World War: American Hegemony In Latin America And The Overthrow Of Salvador Allende, Samuel Mitchell

CMC Senior Theses

Why has the United States frequently intervened in the affairs of Latin American governments? How have the motivations changed over time, and how have they stayed the same? Are American Presidents more motivated by economic or political threats to hegemony? What methods has the United States used to maintain its dominance over the Western Hemisphere, and how have they changed?

This paper seeks to address all of these questions, using a full historical examination as well as the case study of Salvador Allende's Chile. Drawing upon numerous scholars' work as well as individual research and investigation, this paper seeks to …

Mexican-Americans In Los Angeles: Strengthening Their Ethnic Identity Through Chivas Usa, Stephanie Goldberger

CMC Senior Theses

A large Mexican-American population already exists in Los Angeles and, with each generation, it continues to rise. This Mexican-American community has maintained its connection to its heritage by playing and watching soccer, Mexico’s top watched sport. In this thesis, I analyze how Major League Soccer's Chivas USA serves as an outlet through which many Mexicans in Los Angeles have developed their ethnic identities. Since the early twentieth century, Mexicans in Los Angeles have created separate residential communities and sports organizations to strengthen their connections with one another.

To appeal to Mexican-Americans, Chivas USA has branded itself closely to its sister …

Making Peace Or Pacifying?, Therese O'Donnell

Human Rights & Human Welfare

Notions of a culture of impunity surrounding the violence perpetrated by the Brazilian police have lingered ever since the largely unsuccessful prosecutions of those suspected to be involved in the notorious Candelária massacre of 1993. Eight young people, six of whom were under eighteen, were killed by an adult group comprised of several members of the police. Despite the security forces coming under increasing scrutiny ever since, the 2005 Concluding Observations of the Human Rights Committee on Brazil's Periodic Report made disheartening reading. The Committee expressed its continuing concerns regarding the widespread use of excessive force by Brazilian law enforcement …

January Roundtable: Crime And Human Rights In Brazil: The Police Pacification Units, Introduction, Claudia Fuentes Julio

Human Rights & Human Welfare

An annotation of:

“Brazil slum raids impress, but what's the impact?” By Bradley Brooks. Huffington Post, November 14, 2011.

The Impact Of Cross-Cultural Transition On Intercultural Relationships Using A Strengths-Based Approach, Kristen Naylor Calderon

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the ways in which intercultural relationships are affected by cross-cultural transition through the lens of the female experience. Specifically, this research examined (1) in what ways women felt that cross-cultural transition impacted their relationship, especially with regards to cultural values and male-female role taking; and (2) what kinds of benefits women experienced in their relationships as a result of moving across cultures with their partner. A total of 15 non-Chilean women in intercultural relationships with Chilean men were interviewed; all women had lived with their partners in her home country and then moved together to Chile.

Results …

The Indigenous Movement And The Struggle For Political Representation In Bolivia, Angelica T. Nieves

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The theme of ethnic identity in politics is gaining importance in countries such as Bolivia, where people recently elected their first indigenous President. The Indigenous movement has been able to incorporate themselves in the state apparatus and have produced new political policies and constitutional instruments. They represent an alternative to the "white" political elites who governed them for many decades. This study analyzes the dynamics within the Indigenous social movement in Bolivia and how they reinforced a composite vision of a participatory democratic society through political representation. The results of this participation (and, moreover, political representation) can be seen in …

Painting Puertorriqueñidad: The Jíbaro As A Symbol Of Creole Nationalism In Puerto Rican Art Before And After 1898, Jeffrey L. Boe

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the three decades surrounding the Spanish-American war (1880-1910), three prominent Puerto Rican artists, Francisco Oller (1833-1917), Manuel E. Jordan (1853-1919), and Ramón Frade (1875-1954) created a group of paintings depicting "el jíbaro," the rural Puerto Rican farm worker, in a way that can be appropriately labeled "nationalistic." Using a set of motifs involving clothes, customs, domestic architecture and agricultural practices unique to rural Puerto Rico, they contributed to the imagination of a communal identity for creoles at the turn of the century. ("Creole" here refers to individuals of Spanish heritage, born on the island of Puerto Rico.) …

Mas And The Indigenous People Of Bolivia, Maral Shoaei

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the past several decades, social movements have spread all across Latin America, sparking hope for change. This thesis analyzes the well-organized mobilizations of the indigenous people of Bolivia and how they have been able to incorporate themselves in state apparatuses, including the election of its first indigenous president, Evo Morales of the Movement towards Socialism (MAS) party. The case studied her provides insight into the processes if how political representation was achieved by Bolivia's indigenous people who were for centuries excluded from the political, social and economic arena. It also analyzes the outcomes of Morales' policy changes from 2006 …

Latino/A Lgbtq Migrations, Sarah V. Rodriguez

Master's Theses

Despite Latin America’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) movement’s recent ground-breaking political achievements, wide spread social acceptance of LGBTQ individuals is not evident in every institution, nor in every part of the region. For some, migration to the U.S. is the solution for escaping the strict social constructs of the region. Of the many studies focusing on the LGBTQ individuals, limited research examines the Latino/a segment of the LGBTQ population. The study explores the motivations behind migration as well as the resettlement process of those immigrating to the San Francisco Bay Area from Latin America, focusing on the …

Fundamental Rights In Latin America A Comparative Study Addressing Human Rights Violations In Venezuela, Colombia, And Argentina, Maria Eugenia Rios

HIM 1990-2015

Over the last few decades the importance of human rights has increased considerably in international relations. With globalization and democratization, more states and individuals develop concerns about the fundamental rights every human is entitled to; regardless of sex, religion and ethnicity. Latin American countries began obtaining their independence over 200 years ago while progressing into becoming working democracies. Yet, they have been plagued by oscillating authoritarian regimes and social conflicts that constrain and inhibit their hopeful development. The majority of the Latin American states have reached a point where further positive growth was expected; yet human violations have taken a …

Adult Children Of Immigrant Entrepreneurs: Memories And Influences, Nga-Wing Anjela Wong, Paul Watanabe, Michael Liu

Institute for Asian American Studies Publications

Probing the changing makeup of American college campuses, Adult Children of Immigrant Entrepreneurs: Memories and Influences offers unparalleled insight into the journeys of today’s graduate students born to immigrant entrepreneur parents.

Through interviews with 40 graduate students attending Massachusetts colleges from across the country, Adult Children of Immigrant Entrepreneurs unearths the unique challenges, skills and propensities engendered by growing up in a household where at least one parent ran a business. It also reveals that the students feel a deep-seated desire to give back to the immigrant communities into which they were born and which helped to mold their identities.

The Latino Population Of New York City, 1990—2010, Laird W. Bergad

Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies

Introduction: This report examines demographic and socioeconomic factors concerning the Latino population of New York City between 1990 and 2010.

Methods: Data on Latinos and other racial/ethnic groups were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, reorganized for public use by the Minnesota Population Center, University of Minnesota, IPUMSusa. Cases in the dataset were weighted and analyzed to produce population estimates.

Results: The City’s Latino population continued its steady increase from 1.7 million people and 24% of the total population in 1990 to nearly 2.4 million and 29% of all New Yorkers in 2010. Within the Latino population …

Cuban Medical Internationalism: A Case For International Solidarity In Foreign Policy Decision Making, Eric James Fiske

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Since the beginning of the Revolutionary government in Cuba, a comprehensive foreign policy involving medical personal and equipment has been implemented worldwide. Known as medical internationalism, thousands of doctors have been sent to developed and less developed nations in the spirit of solidarity and humanitarian aid. Even more, thousands of students have been given free medical education in Cuba at its world renowned university, the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM). Often, no monetary or direct political gain is made by Cuba and the doctors simply receive their normal government salary. While the success of Cuba's medical internationalism is well …

Shaping Topographies Of Home: A Political Ecology Of Migration, Carylanna Kathryn Taylor

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Even from afar, transnational migrants influence how their households and communities of origin use natural resources. This study depicts the circulation of people, funds, and ideas within transnational families that extend from a Honduran village to the United States. Developing a "political ecology of migration" approach, I show how these circulations can reshape resource use practices and the socio-economic and bio-physical topographies of emigrants' former homes. The project advances anthropological thought by linking rich literatures on political ecology and transnationalism through a multi-method ethnography of transnational families. The study is also relevant to emigrants, community members, and practitioners interested in …

The Finance–Growth Link Revisited And The Role Of Institutions As A Source Of Finance In Latin America, Luisa Blanco

School of Public Policy Working Papers

In a panel framework that includes 18 countries, this paper studies the short and long run effect of financial development on economic growth and the determinants of financial development in Latin America. Financial development shows a positive effect on economic growth in the long run, but a negative effect in the short run for the full sample. When the sample is divided by income levels, this result holds only for the high income group. For the low income group, financial development has no significant effect on economic growth in the short run or in the long run. In the analysis …