Latin American Studies Association

fSPRING 2007o| VOLUME XXXVIII rum| ISSUE 2 IN THIS ISSUE

On the Profession

What LASA Can Do For Political Scientists by EVELYNE S. HUBER A Survey of Political Scientists’ Views on LASA by RAÚL MADRID El incierto rumbo de LASA by ARIEL C. ARMONY What Might LASA Do to Best Meet the Needs and Serve the Interests of Those in the Political Sciences? by SUSAN C. STOKES

Debates

Immigration Matters Don’t Panic, We are Hispanic! Migración y resistencia social by JOSÉ MANUEL VALENZUELA ARCE Crossing-back Methodologies Transnational Feminist Research on Incest in Mexico by GLORIA GONZÁLEZ-LÓPEZ Why the Immigrant Rights Struggle Compels Us to Reconceptualize Both Latin American and Latino/a Studies by WILLIAM I. ROBINSON

Political Commentary

Situación social y política de México y de Oaxaca al final del gobierno de Vicente Fox y principios del gobierno de Felipe Calderón. by SALOMÓN NAHMAD President Charles R. Hale, University of Texas, Austin [email protected]

Vice President Eric Hershberg, Simon Fraser University [email protected]

Past President Sonia E. Alvarez, University of Massachusetts, Amherst [email protected] Table of Contents Treasurer Kevin Middlebrook, University of London [email protected]

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL 1 From the President | by CHARLES R. HALE For term ending October 2007 4 From the Associate Editor | by ARTURO ARIAS José Antonio Aguilar Rivera, Centro de Docencia e Investigación Económica

ON THE PROFESSION Elizabeth Jelin, Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas 6 What LASA Can Do For Political Scientists | by EVELYNE S. HUBER Lynn Stephen, University of Oregon

8 A Survey of Political Scientists’ Views on LASA | by RAÚL MADRID For term ending April 2009 Alcida Rita Ramos, Universidade de Brasília 11 El incierto rumbo de LASA | by ARIEL C. ARMONY Guillermo Delgado, University of California/Santa Cruz 13 What Might LASA Do to Best Meet the Needs and Serve the Interests of Those in José Rabasa, University of California/Berkeley the Political Sciences? | by SUSAN C. STOKES Ex Officio Neil F. Harvey, New Mexico State University María Socorro Tabuenca Córdoba, DEBATES El Colegio de la Frontera Norte Milagros Pereyra-Rojas, University of Pittsburgh Immigration Matters Philip Oxhorn, McGill University

16 Don’t Panic, We are Hispanic! Migración y resistencia social FORUM EDITORIAL COMMITTEE by JOSÉ MANUEL VALENZUELA ARCE Editor 19 Crossing-back Methodologies: Transnational Feminist Research on Charles R. Hale, University of Texas, Austin Incest in Mexico | by GLORIA GONZÁLEZ-LÓPEZ Associate Editor 21 Why the Immigrant Rights Struggle Compels Us to Reconceptualize Both Arturo Arias, University of Redlands Latin American and Latino/a Studies | by WILLIAM I. ROBINSON Managing Editor Milagros Pereyra-Rojas, University of Pittsburgh

POLITICAL COMMENTARY LASA STAFF 24 Situación social y política de México y de Oaxaca al final del gobierno de Vicente Membership Coordinator Fox y principios del gobierno de Felipe Calderón. | by SALOMÓN NAHMAD Jenna B. Bielewicz, University of Pittsburgh

Congress Coordinator ON LASA2007 María Cecilia Q. Dancisin, University of Pittsburgh

27 Report from the Program Chairs | by NEIL HARVEY and MARÍA SOCORRO TABUENCA Communications Specialist Ian Downing, University of Pittsburgh

CALLING ALL MEMBERS Assistant Director for Institutional Advancement Sandra Klinzing, University of Pittsburgh

28 Elections 2007: Nominating Committee Slate Executive Director Milagros Pereyra-Rojas, University of Pittsburgh

NEWS FROM LASA Administrative Coordinator Israel R. Perlov, University of Pittsburgh 37 LASA Voluntary Support | by SANDY KLINZING

39 LASA Membership Report 2006 The LASA Forum is published four times a year. It is the official vehicle for conveying news about the Latin American Studies Association to its members. Articles appearing in the On the Profession and Debates sections of the Forum are commissioned by the Editorial Committee and deal with selected themes. The Committee welcomes responses to any material published in the Forum.

Opinions expressed herein are those of individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Latin American Studies Association or its officers. Direct subscriptions to the LASA Forum only, without LASA membership, are $50.00 per year.

ISSN 0890-7218 President’s Report by CHARLES R. HALE | University of Texas, Austin | [email protected]

The LASA Executive Council (EC) recently The data show how far we have come from braved Montréal’s sub-zero temperatures to LASA’s U.S.-centric beginnings, but also, attend our midterm meeting, an intense day how far we have to go. Currently, roughly and a half long session dedicated to vital 30 percent of our members live outside the Association issues. Reflecting on the past United States, of whom about 20 percent are nine months that culminated with this mid- Latin America-based. We have never had a reach our benchmark of supporting roughly term meeting, I am happy to report that the Latin America-based president. It is one 30 percent of total applications, we will need majority of my time and energy as President thing to reaffirm the principle, but quite to raise about $492,000 (25 percent more has been spent on issues of great intellectual- another to achieve full clarity about the end than our Puerto Rico goal)—while the political substance and challenges crucial to goals and the appropriate means to reach amount we currently have in hand is about Latin Americanist scholars. When, on them. What geographic distribution of our $257,000. The EC had a long and spirited occasion, I do not highlight these substantive membership do we seek? What changes in discussion about socially responsible dimensions myself, I have learned to rely organizational culture are most important in investment, in relation to management of upon the present EC—a critical, demanding, this gradual transformation toward LASA reserves and endowment funds, as energetic and highly talented group—to becoming a truly Americas-wide association well as the possibility of pursuing corporate bring them to the fore. Here is a glimpse of with a U.S. home? What kinds of relations donations. Without any attempt to convey our deliberations, followed by a comment on with our Latin American sister organizations the many complexities, I can report that the pluralism and the concerns about will best achieve complementarities and EC approved exploratory actions on both “politicization” within our Association. mutual support? Our practice of providing fronts: a more assertive move toward travel funds for significant numbers of Latin socially responsible investment of the One topic to which this EC has assigned America-based Congress participants is Association’s assets and a primary attempt to great importance is our commitment to the crucial to the overall objective of Latin attract donations from socially responsible “Latin Americanization” of LASA. While Americanization, but how sustainable are corporations. Fully aware that this latter our members surely have a range of our current fund raising strategies as both step is highly controversial, and fully positions on the meaning of this term, and general Congress attendance, and the Latin expecting it to generate intense and on the substance of this commitment, my American-based proportion of attendees constructive debate, I am very excited about sense is that most would endorse two broad continue to grow? We do not yet have firm the initiative. It is an opportunity for LASA principles (and these two certainly formed answers to these questions, but I can report to engage critically with the uneven and part of what I understood as my presidential that the EC has assigned them high priority, contradictory economic conditions in which mandate). We seek to increase the and has begun to take action. For example, we are all immersed, while also potentially percentage of Latin America-based LASA a subcommittee of the EC will design a brief fashioning creative new ways to meet our members as well as an evolutionary change survey to better understand the current Association’s pressing financial needs. I am toward an Association that more fully sources of travel funds available to Latin also deeply grateful to life member Michael encompasses the study of Latin America American participants and in May LASA Conroy, who has volunteered to work with from Latin America, thereby moving away officials will hold meetings with our the Fund Raising Committee and the EC to from an organizational culture and counterparts in Brazilian social science help us navigate this rocky terrain. More intellectual frame dominated by scholars organizations to discuss these issues in the details on this initiative will soon be from the North. To be sure, this stark context of both Montréal 2007 and Rio de available. contrast between Southern and Northern Janeiro 2009. perspectives does not always hold, given the Finally, I would like to report briefly on the great heterogeneity that both geographic Closely related to the need to increase the EC’s deliberations regarding our revitalized locations encompass. Still, the dual principle funds available for travel grants is the thorny commission on academic freedom, as well as is a reasonable point of departure, and question of corporate sponsorship. Given the related issue of a petition for LASA to indeed, it goes to the heart of why many of that attendance at the Montréal 2007 convene a fact-finding mission to investigate us find LASA to be so valuable and vital. Congress is projected to be greater than that the impact of social conflict and government of Puerto Rico, the fund raising challenge actions on Oaxacan intellectuals, academics, will be exacerbated as well. In order to

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PRESIDENT’S REPORT continued…

and cultural workers. The EC agreed that (including LASA officers, former officers, by academics on grounds that are portrayed LASA should establish a protocol for action and previous contributors to the Forum) as strictly objective or professional (and when our members’ (or would-be members’) may not agree with the views espoused, and therefore apolitical). This divergence of physical integrity or basic intellectual we have yet to hear from Latin America- opinions creates an arena in which a series freedoms are seriously and systematically based political scientists on the various issues of important debates regarding inter- curtailed. Yet closer scrutiny of this raised. It is also important to note that there subjectivity in the humanist and social seemingly clear-cut principle revealed a is considerable diversity of opinion among science research, the sociology of knowledge, welter of difficult questions and grey areas. these four. In any case, these comments help and the political economy of research can be What investigative capacities can and should to begin thinking through a series of staged. such a Committee have? Will the protocol concerns regarding LASA that have hold up over time in the face of what could circulated in less accessible channels for I contend that LASA is enriched by these be a long and steadily growing roster of some time. healthy debates, as long as one key condition cases brought forth? How broadly should can be met. This condition is big tent the principles “physical integrity” and As a further contribution to this dialogue, I pluralism, supplemented by a clear “intellectual freedom” be interpreted? Who want to reflect briefly on the question of distinction between initiatives taken under is included in the term “intellectuals”? What LASA’s alleged “politicization.” While I LASA’s name, on the one hand, and attempts measures should be taken to assure that agree with Susan Stokes that this term can to define the official LASA position, on the partisan affinities do not influence the often be a red herring, it is also clear that it other. The Otros Saberes Initiative, for application of procedures that should apply has become a catch-phrase for one example, employs the rigorous requirement across the board? We are still one step away significant (albeit a minority) current of that research agendas be conceived through from the provisional resolution of these (and discontent within LASA. I also feel a special collaborative means, but without the other similar) questions, which in turn will responsibility to address this issue because in slightest pretense that such a criterion should allow the CAF to be inaugurated. I have some members’ perceptions I may be somehow become a prescribed norm for been very impressed by how hard the EC has implicated in the problem. And while there LASA members. The same goes, worked on this task under vice president may be some misapprehension involved in presumably, for initiatives around Eric Hershberg’s leadership and I am these perceptions, they are based at least “nontraditional” knowledge producers or confident that the results will meet with the partly on positions I have defended without for efforts to connect LASA with various approval of the great majority of LASA ambivalence. Take, for example, the Otros policy, activist, or grassroots communities. members. After the CAF discussion, the EC Saberes Initiative. In part this initiative is This distinction helps us focus the healthy turned to the Oaxaca delegation petition, simply about making space for indigenous debate on alleged politicization away from and voted unanimously (one abstention) for and Afro-descendant intellectuals who are the question, “do I like, endorse, or practice approval. Efforts are now underway to woefully underrepresented in LASA—hardly this kind of intellectual work?” toward the form a delegation and plan its activities. a controversial goal. Yet, the initiative question “does this kind of intellectual work attempts to support a different conception of have a legitimate place under LASA’s big In one way or another all three of these Latin Americanist scholarship: where tent?” There will be many cases that still issues resonate with larger questions raised research agendas are conceived and carried call for a “no” in response to the latter by the four excellent comments in the “on out in a horizontal, collaborative dialogue question, and much occasion for the profession” section of this issue. I am between academic and civil society-based disagreement on where that line should be grateful to these four political scientists for intellectuals, where the latter are apt to be drawn, but my strong sense is that having taken the time to write their thoughts motivated primarily by socio-political rather refocusing the dialogue in this way will and especially appreciate the frank criticisms than academic-professional objectives. To encourage mutual tolerance of difference and they put forth. I invited these four in hopes some, the Otros Saberes Initiative may well draw attention to the high stakes associated of hearing from scholars who are highly confirm the alleged politicization of LASA; with drawing a line that essentially says: respected in the mainstream of their to others, it is both a healthy move in its “no, your approach to research does not discipline, but without any illusion that they own right, and a welcome counterweight to belong.” This argument, in turn, has three are representative of some larger body. the often unacknowledged politics of dimensions that merit further attention. Many other LASA political scientists research agendas that are defined exclusively

2 First, it is hard for the membership not to Finally, these two previous points beg the perceive a given initiative as the official question of the representative character of LASA policy, when it is taken up by the LASA’s elected leadership. Having just president, or even by the EC. Yet this is the completed the present cycle of nominations, way our Association works. Officials are resulting in a slate to be announced in this elected with the dual mandate to exercise Forum, I can affirm full confidence in our good governance and to devote special current procedures. Under the able energy to one or two projects to which we leadership of Carmen Diana Deere, the are deeply committed. As newly elected nomination committee chose a stellar slate of officials circulate on the EC, a new set of candidates, with diversity on a range of special projects emerge. By taking a long criteria that closely reflects the composition term view, and by trusting our democratic of our membership. A quick glance at past procedures, these presidential initiatives can slates reinforces this assertion: the election of be seen as further affirmations of officers every 18 months is a plebiscite of organizational pluralism, rather than as sorts on a range of issues about which LASA successive attempts to redefine the character members feel most strongly. What remains of LASA. (and what has not always happened to the extent it should) is for our membership to The second issue involves the composition of organize, to vote and to register its views our membership over time. LASA has through all means available. As long as our changed enormously over the past two internal democratic practices remain sound, decades (the rise of cultural-literary studies and our pluralist principles are rigorously and the increasing proportion of Latin defended, we can look to these debates on America-based members are two notable issues such as alleged politicization, and to trends), and with these changes come new the ongoing dialogue about where to draw distributions of perspectives on basic the boundaries of the big tent, as vital signs questions like the alleged “politicization.” of a healthy, vibrant Association that As a result it may well be that the position constructively engages our own diversity. put forth by Ariel Armony once reflected a majority sentiment within the Association, but now represents the views of a minority (the numbers that Raúl Madrid musters and the vote to relocate to Montréal are two data points that support this conjecture). If this is the case, then it becomes imperative that elected officials vigorously defend this minority perspective, making sure its proponents have their rightful space and legitimacy within the Association; at the same time, they must be encouraged to adapt to new conditions of organizational pluralism, without the pretension that a given conception of legitimate professional practice should automatically trump other beliefs.

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Associate Editor’s Report by ARTURO ARIAS | University of Redlands | [email protected]

In this edition of the Forum we feature two observamos durante la primera mitad del descent in the United States. In his eyes, the issues of major importance for LASA. The año pasado.” In his understanding, these historical, socioeconomic, political, and articles in the Debates section explore the factors require a general rethinking of social cultural forces shaping the reality of role of Latin Americans in the United States. movements in the United States, analyzed Latinos/as in the United States are the same They problematize how transnational and from the perspective and characteristics of ones shaping the lives of the 500 million transregional foci characterize research and Latin American social movements. He sees people living south of the border. Thus, to curricular interests in Latin America at transnational migrant struggles as the new consider inquiry into the reality of U.S.- present. The On the Profession section defining aspect of globalization. Professor based Latino/a populations as “Latino/a explores the present-day role of political Valenzuela Arce, a social anthropologist, is Studies” and inquiry into that reality south science within the framework of Senior Researcher at the Colegio de la of the Rio Bravo as “Latin American interdisciplinarity and the transformation of Frontera Norte in Tijuana, Mexico. Studies” seems patently absurd to him. He knowledge that has taken place in academia concludes by stating that as the peoples of in the last ten or so years. The second article, “Crossing-back Latin America on both sides of the border Methodologies: Transnational Feminist transnationalize their collective struggles, we Both debates coincide with the vision of the Research on Incest in Mexico,” by Gloria need a parallel intellectual and future of the profession as expressed by González-López, is the personal reflection of epistemological transnationalization within centers such as the Reinvention Center, a a Mexican citizen who migrated to the the academy. Professor Robinson is in the national entity focusing on education at United States and became an academic there. Department of Sociology of the University of research universities. The juxtaposition of She returned to Mexico to do research on California-Santa Barbara. contrary discourses in this issue might imply incest among Mexican families. She notes: both a questioning, and a defense, of the “In the fall 2005, I left for Mexico with a The On the Profession section begins with boundaries of traditional disciplines, their romanticized image of transnational feminist Evelyne Huber’s “What LASA Can Do for premises and methods, their knowledge research; a series of disappointments, Political Scientists.” Professor Huber system, and their values. We assume that all dilemmas, and unexpected positive maintains that LASA Congresses are more disciplines have to rethink their roles in the experiences gradually emerged as soon as I exciting than those of APSA because one can context of the fluid transformations of the immersed myself in the field.” Professor find out “what has happened lately in early 21st century, reposition themselves González-López goes on to chronicle how politics and the economy in Latin American regarding the many complex issues they are her professional and cultural legitimacy were countries, and what social scientists familiar facing, and become more flexible and far- tested by both professionals and potential with these countries think about the latest reaching at a moment when dramatic interviewees as she had to cope with identity developments.” She then proceeds to list changes in the world reposition flows of issues, leading her to explore and promote what LASA can do to enhance these knowledge. creative forms of intellectual and activist functions of the Congresses. She makes a solidarity with community-based agencies. variety of recommendations, such as more The first essay in the Debates section is Professor González-López is in the roundtables, the introduction of cross- “Don’t Panic, We Are Hispanic!”: Migración Department of Sociology, University of regional perspectives, additional resources to y resistencia social,” by José Manuel Texas at Austin. provide seed funds for collaborative research Valenzuela Arce. In this article, Professor projects in the region, and a greater effort to Valenzuela Arce argues that the enormous “Why the Immigrant Rights Struggle facilitate networking among scholars. She number of Latinos already living in the Compels Us to Reconceptualize both Latin also warns us of pitfalls such as confusing United States and transforming themselves American and Latino/a Studies,” by William area studies with cultural studies. Professor into a virtual majority by mid-century, calls I. Robinson, closes this section. Professor Huber is Morehead Alumni Professor of for an accentuation of transnational Robinson argues that if Latin America is to Political Science at the University of North processes: “Los desplazamientos al norte have any relevance in this new century, it Carolina, Chapel Hill. junto con la ofensiva antimigratoria, están must refer to all those peoples who have definiendo inéditas expresiones become inextricably bound up over the past The contribution of Professor Raúl Madrid protagonizadas por los migrantes, cuya 515 years within that matrix. This includes to the On the Profession section is entitled manifestación más contundente la the 40 million people of Latin American “A Survey of Political Scientists’ Views on

4 LASA.” Madrid argues that “there is a In the final article of this section, “What Mexico is on the eve of a new social significant amount of disenchantment among Might LASA Do to Best Meet the Needs and confrontation of serious proportions that political scientists with LASA, particularly Serve the Interests of Those in the Political could gravely impact the international regarding what is viewed as efforts by the Sciences?,” Susan Stokes argues that, community. He draws parallels between leadership of LASA to politicize the whereas the tensions between political what happened in 1907 and what has association and marginalize social scientists and LASA are real, they are also happened in 2006-7. He sees the Oaxaca scientists.” While “it is not possible to know “(potentially) productive rather than conflict with the Asamblea Popular de to what extent the survey accurately reflects organizationally divisive.” Professor Stokes Pueblos de Oaxaca (APPO) as just the tip of the distribution of views among the touches on three sources of tension: “the the iceberg, a problem that reflects both the association’s political scientists,” Professor ‘politicization’ of the association, tensions conservative forces within the PAN Madrid finds significant meaning in the between the academic cultures in which we beginning to hegemonize that party and reactions of the respondents. For example, participate, and differences over modes of attempting to crush the PRD, at the same “half of the respondents...complained that political participation of individual time as surviving PRI forces fight among literature and cultural studies scholars scholars.” Regarding the first, she believes themselves in a vicious struggle to reposition dominated the association.” Nevertheless, that the real problem is an insufficient themselves as viable alternatives to the PAN, most respondents enjoy the Congresses, and participation within LASA structures by a in the wake of the destruction of the PRD. were impressed with the interdisciplinary subset of members. Professor Stokes believes Professor Nahmad is Investigador Titular of nature of LASA’s programs, the that LASA should strive to make this subset the CIESAS Pacífico Sur in Oaxaca. heterogeneous composition of the more engaged with the Association. As to a membership, and the higher number of second source of tension, Stokes argues that participants from Latin America in recent the tensions between academic cultures years. Professor Madrid is Associate “reflect academic-cultural and linguistic Professor of Government at the University of divisions.” She also points out the difference Texas at Austin. between mainstream political scientists’ understanding of reality and that of Ariel C. Armony’s “El incierto rumbo de language-centered scholars, for whom LASA” argues that since the approval of the “truth” is subjective and relative. Finally, Strategic Plan, LASA has become more Professor Stokes states that LASA’s politicized and has drifted “away from its membership covers the entire spectrum, from founding principles and historical roots as a the intensely political to the apolitical, and professional association to one moving that many political scientists prefer to increasingly toward partisanship and maintain a critical distance from their methodological narrowness,” because it has subjects of study. However, this does not generated “a recent tendency to steer the mean a non-willingness to participate. She association closer to a pressure group that cites William LeoGrande’s example as a advances partisan causes beyond those that mode of political participation for political deal directly with scholarship, academic scientists. Professor Susan Stokes is John S. freedom, and the right of inquiry.” Professor Saden Professor of Political Science and Armony recognizes that this frustration director of the Yale Program on Democracy comes primarily from political scientists, but at Yale University. he fears that some of them might withdraw from LASA after belonging for many years. The contribution to the Political Professor Ariel C. Armony is Katz Commentary section is Salomón Nahmad’s Distinguished Associate Professor of “Situación social y política de México y de Government and Director of Latin American Oaxaca al final del gobierno de Vicente Fox Studies at Colby College. y principios del gobierno de Felipe Calderón.” Professor Nahmad believes that

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ON THE PROFESSION

What LASA Can Do For Political Scientists by EVELYNE S. HUBER | University of North Carolina | [email protected]

When comparing LASA Congresses with view, they offer opportunities to see old processes of democratization in Latin other professional meetings of social friends and acquaintances, and to make new America with those in Eastern Europe and scientists, particularly of the APSA, I have ones. For young scholars, they make it East Asia. There has also been a vigorous been saying for a long time that LASA possible to build networks of peers and meet debate about the merits and limitations of Congresses are both more exciting and more the more established people in their field. such comparisons. Roundtables with inviting. They are more exciting, because For all of us, they enhance our international leading scholars from different regions one can find out not only what new topics scholarly networks. addressing common topics would bring new people are working on—which is also true perspectives to the discussion. Organizing for APSA meetings—but also what has What can LASA do to protect and enhance such roundtables would require initiatives happened lately in politics and the economy these functions of the Congresses? Given the from the program committee or council to in Latin American countries, and what social centrality of the information function, the reach out and invite appropriate scientists familiar with these countries think roundtable format might be used more participants. about the latest developments. It is simply frequently. Scholars could be invited to not possible for most of us to stay up with comment on major events, their causes and In order to further enhance LASA’s political dynamics in a whole number of implications (e.g. elections, large-scale information and networking functions Latin American countries on a continuing protests) or significant new approaches to additional resources would be required. I basis. Newspapers and newsletters only old problems (e.g. second round of reform of am fully aware of the longstanding efforts to convey so much information, even if we pension systems, judicial reforms, reopening build up an endowment and to increase the make the assumption that professors have of human rights cases). These roundtables travel fund, and I admire and thank all those the time to read five newspapers daily. would not require full-blown papers, so it involved in this effort. Enabling Latin Annual visits to several countries to talk to should not be difficult to get scholars to American colleagues to attend the people put a severe strain on time and participate. This might require relaxing the Congresses is central to the fulfillment of the financial resources. LASA Congresses offer rules concerning limits on participation; i.e. information and networking functions, and the opportunity to partially compensate for participation in such roundtables should not supporting graduate students from North the lack of first-hand information, by count towards the limit. and South to do the same is vital for the allowing scholars to listen to presentations future of the Association. Should the stock and to talk with colleagues from South, I would like to emphasize that I am market hit new heights and the LASA Central, and North America. suggesting that LASA build on successful Development Committee strike gold, it examples of such roundtables—I am not would be wonderful to add research support The LASA Congresses are generally also suggesting something new, just more of the to the core functions of LASA. I am inviting, both from the point of view of the best from the point of view of political thinking of programs to provide seed funds intellectual interchange and from the point scientists. This might require reallocating for collaborative research projects and to of view of socializing. In marked contrast to some time slots from traditional panels to support doctoral dissertation research in the some other professional meetings, political such roundtables. In a similar vein, I would region. Both of these programs should work scientists generally do not come to LASA to like to suggest that LASA continue with on a competitive basis, which in turn would score points, i.e. to prove to others and sessions where major new reports are require the constitution of a selection themselves how brilliant they are, but to presented and debated, such as the UNDP committee. Such a committee could easily exchange ideas about topics and real Report on La Democracia en América be appointed by the LASA Executive problems they are concerned about. They Latina, or the IDB Report on The Politics of Council, with overlapping terms paralleling come to learn and to offer their insights and Policy. those of EC members. invite feedback, and the debates center around important problems in politics more Another suggestion for the Congresses LASA of course does much more than hold so than around problems in political science. would be to broaden the horizon and the Congresses. It publishes LARR, a high The Congresses provide a forum for give and introduce a cross-regional perspective. There quality interdisciplinary journal devoted to take about real world problems and has been much fruitful work done by social research, and the LASA Forum. From the intellectual approaches to deal with them. scientists comparing development patterns in point of view of a political scientist, the From the social and professional point of Latin America with those of East Asia, or LASA Forum could be made more central to

6 the information function of the Association. The second pitfall that has to be avoided is For instance, a part of the LASA Forum to equate area studies with cultural studies. could be devoted to commentaries or debates There are different approaches to knowledge on the kinds of topics mentioned above— about countries, their language, history, and problems faced by Latin American actors. culture, and to declare one approach— These commentaries should by no means be cultural studies—as superior to all others is confined to political scientists, but, rather, to be exclusionary and to disparage the could be interdisciplinary, in the best LASA considerable accumulated knowledge of tradition. Anthropologists and sociologists social scientists who use other approaches, would have lots to say about large-scale such as structural and institutional social protests and the reopening of human approaches. To label structural and rights cases, and sociologists and economists institutional approaches as alien to or useless could weigh in on the latest round of for studying Latin American realities at best, pension reforms just as well as political and as imperialist perspectives at worst, is to scientists. The idea is to have short analytic ignore the long and venerable tradition of pieces on the major social, economic, and Latin American social science rooted in political developments that affect various historical materialism and finding one of its Latin American countries in similar or prominent expressions in the dependencia different ways. perspective.

LASA has also served as an important Let me end on a brief note that has nothing advocacy group. The Association has been to do with a political science perspective in at its best as an advocate where it has particular but will benefit political scientists remained inclusive and concentrated on along with everybody else. Given the scholarly or professional concerns, and on importance of the networking and social human rights. LASA has been an important function of the LASA Congresses, it is voice on the North American academic scene crucial to organize these in places where for the value of area studies, that is, the in- there are opportunities to sit with small depth study of different countries with their groups and talk outside of panels. This language, history, and culture, in a larger always works better when the outside is an regional and comparative context. From the option (Puerto Rico was great!) and not as point of view of political scientists, two well when the participants are confined to pitfalls have to be avoided if LASA is to one or two giant hotels in business districts continue to be taken seriously on this issue. in cool climates, without the outside, coffee First, area studies should not be contrasted shops, or small restaurants to retreat to. I with systematic, theoretically informed, fully realize that there are many variables comparative research, but, rather, their that have to be taken into account in the symbiotic relationship should be stressed. choice of a convention site, but I think it Case knowledge acquired under the umbrella helps to reflect on what participants really of area studies is a prerequisite for the want to get out of the meetings, and to advancement of comparative research and inspect the sites with an eye on their social science theory, and only theoretically suitability for these purposes. informed comparative knowledge gives us the tools to understand individual cases in their whole complexity.

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ON THE PROFESSION

A Survey of Political Scientists’ Views on LASA by RAÚL MADRID | University of Texas at Austin | [email protected]

In recent years, I have heard a growing 2) Please list the three things about LASA Half of the respondents cited the number of complaints about LASA from that you like the most: politicization of LASA as one of their main fellow political scientists. When I was asked complaints about the association. This to write a short article for the LASA Forum 3) Please list your three main complaints complaint was particularly widespread asking me among other things “to reflect about LASA: among people who expressed dissatisfaction proactively on what LASA might do to best with the association. One unsatisfied meet the needs and serve the interests of 4) What do you think LASA can do to better political scientist referred to “the ridiculous those in [my] discipline,” I decided to survey serve political scientists? lengths to which the organization goes to the members of the Latin American Political make a political point that emphasizes the Institutions Section (LAPIS) to evaluate how 5) What, if anything, should LASA do to organization’s irrelevance and extremism.” satisfied they were with LASA: what they promote inter-disciplinary dialogue and Another argued that “a certain group is 1 liked and did not like . I chose to survey a scholarship? politicizing LASA. In the name of political broad group of political scientists rather correctness, standard scholarly criteria are than simply present my own views, in large I received 31 responses to the survey in all, being cast aside.” A third complained about part because it matters much more what the although some of the respondents did not “obvious ideological tendencies that the discipline as a whole thinks of LASA than answer all of the questions. The survey’s organizers think all people should share if what I think on a personal level. respondents represent only a small only they were right-thinking.” Even some percentage of the total number of political scholars who stated that they were satisfied As we shall see, this survey found that scientists who are members of LASA. with LASA complained about the among political scientists there is Moreover, the survey was not designed to politicization of the association. One considerable disenchantment with LASA, achieve a representative sample. It is not satisfied political scientist, for example, particularly regarding what is viewed as clear whether the members of LAPIS in wrote that the organization placed “too efforts by the leadership of LASA to general, or those who responded to the much emphasis on political resolutions (and politicize the association and marginalize survey in particular, are broadly yet, LASA has yet to issue a strong social scientists. Nevertheless, most of the representative of all political scientists who resolution condemning Cuba’s lack of 2 survey’s respondents expressed satisfaction belong to LASA . Thus, it is not possible to human rights).” Another complained about with the association in spite of any criticisms know to what extent the survey accurately the “politicization of some decisions within they might have. I would like to make clear reflects the distribution of views among the LASA, especially by an agenda that seems that I did not try to influence the results of Association’s political scientists. somewhat outdated and heavily focused on this survey in any way, and I have selected Nevertheless, the survey should at least Cuba.” Some of the respondents also certain quotes for inclusion below, because provide some insights into how a select mentioned the decision to move the next they are expressive of particular points of group of political scientists feel about the LASA meeting to Montreal as an example of view held by political scientists in the association. the politicization of the Association. Association, not because I necessarily agree with them. Indeed, while I agree with some As Table 1 indicates, 52 percent of the Half the respondents also complained that of the praise and criticism of LASA respondents stated that they were satisfied literature and cultural studies scholars expressed here, I disagree with a significant with LASA, and another seven percent of the dominated the Association, and many of amount of it as well. respondents pronounced that they were very these respondents maintained that this group satisfied with the association3. A sizable had deliberately marginalized political The survey, which I sent to LAPIS members percentage of the respondents, however, scientists (and economists) from the via its listserv, contained the following stated that they were unsatisfied (28 percent) organization. One respondent referred to questions: or very unsatisfied (seven percent) with the “progressive exclusion of political LASA. And another seven percent indicated scientists and economists (e.g. [fewer] panels 1) In general, are you very satisfied, satisfied, that they were somewhere between satisfied for [the] conference).” Another mentioned unsatisfied, or very unsatisfied with the and unsatisfied. “the patently obvious and politicized efforts way that LASA is run? to eliminate political science and especially empirical research from the LASA program

8 (we are following economists toward the exit example, wrote that “the official deadline have fun.” Even dissatisfied scholars, by and door).” This complaint was also made by for turning in papers is always too early; large, had good things to say about the some people who were generally satisfied consequently, many papers are not turned in meeting, characterizing it as fun and praising with LASA. One satisfied scholar, for at all. Why can’t papers be uploaded online it for “the mixture of people from different example, stated that “I sense that social a few days before the conference?” A few fields at the conference” or because it gave science is less and less central to the scholars complained that political scientists them “the opportunity to interact…with organization. Economists seem to be nearly were not awarded enough panels and/or that scholars from Latin America and Europe extinct there, and political scientists seem to the conference organizers often added working on similar topics.” be a rare breed these days. I LIKE that we additional paper givers to their panels. In mix it up with the humanities, especially addition, a variety of respondents A number of political scientists also had history, but the marginalization of the social complained about hotel prices, and the sites praise for LASA publications, particularly sciences (probably self-imposed) is and dates of the meetings. A few people the Latin American Research Review 4 disheartening.” Another wrote: complained that LASA did not have enough (LARR) . Indeed, 34 percent of the of a presence outside of the Congresses. respondents mentioned these publications as My main complaint, by far, is that One scholar wrote that “Other than the one of the three things about LASA they like LASA is being increasingly dominated Congress and LARR [and the LASA] Forum, the most. One political scientist, for by a subjectivist group whose LASA really provides little benefit to example, stated that “LARR has served as methodological/philosophical positions members.” Others complained about “the an excellent site for publishing research (and tend to run counter to the more positivist lack of clarity about what sections may do” reading top level interdisciplinary research leanings of most political scientists. and the need “to strengthen and invigorate and book reviews) and obviously I hope the Pluralism in methods is always the sections.” current transition will not affect that.” advantageous, but I have heard from several members of the executive The vast majority of respondents also had committee that the LASA leadership positive things to say about LASA, however. The Way Forward increasingly views methodological Most of the respondents seemed to enjoy the differences as a zero-sum ‘us versus them’ Congresses. Indeed, 90 percent of the The survey respondents offered a variety of struggle, and that there exists a conscious respondents identified the meetings as one of recommendations, most of which aimed at policy of trying to diminish the presence their three favorite things about LASA. A addressing their main complaints. Those of positivist social science. I am finding number of scholars stated that they liked the concerned about the politicization of the this growing hegemony a little stifling and interdisciplinary program, the membership, organization urged LASA in the words of find it is siphoning the resources (‘Otros and the opportunity to network with one scholar to “stop the political posing.” Saberes’ project and the panel schedule scholars from different universities and Many of these scholars recommended that which is according political science a countries. One satisfied scholar wrote that LASA focus more on academic and scholarly diminishing role). s/he liked the “high level of participation by matters and avoid expending resources on scholars based in Latin America. [The] large politically charged endeavors. Those who The respondents also had complaints about number of humanities scholars is [an] argued that the social sciences were being the LASA Congresses, although these were interesting contrast with other (political marginalized recommended that LASA fewer in number. Approximately 34 percent science conferences) I attend.” Another increase the number of panels and tracks of the respondents mentioned some satisfied political scientist wrote “without allocated to the social sciences and take complaint about the Congresses, but most of question the LASA Convention is at the top other steps to encourage social scientists to these criticisms came from scholars who of the list [of the things s/he likes most about participate in the Congresses. Some scholars were satisfied with LASA and the criticisms LASA], because of the incredible mix of also recommended that LASA overhaul the were juxtaposed with praise for certain people, intellectual content, richness and procedures for selecting the nominees for key aspects of the meetings. Some respondents variety of the panels, usefulness in LASA posts. One scholar argued that LASA complained about the absenteeism of paper facilitating regional networking and should “have competitive elections. Give us givers and the limited access to the papers connections, and substantive and moral a choice between a politicized slate and a that are presented. One scholar, for concerns engaged, all with the ability also to more professional slate and let us choose.”

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MADRID continued…

Another advocated that “corporatist Several steps might be taken to address some process. It might also make sense to change representation [be] built into the governing of the complaints of some political scientists. the electoral system itself, by, for example, structure such that governing council First, I would recommend that LASA allowing more candidates to run for the representatives came from each discipline to develop a new procedure for selecting the LASA presidency/vice presidency in the first make sure that the interests of all groups are candidates for the Executive Council (EC) round and then holding a runoff between the represented and heard.” A third scholar and the presidency/vice presidency. This is top two finishers. Such measures might go argued that “political scientists need their crucial in order to allow dissident groups to far to restore confidence in the openness and own sub-organization within LASA that choose their own candidates and to fairness of the system. proportionally controls and allocates challenge the incumbent power holders more resources.” easily. The current procedure vests too Second, I would reinstate the Politics and much control of the process in the Public Policy track. According to the LASA Those who complained about certain aspects incumbent president by allowing him or her leadership, this track was eliminated in order of the annual meetings had a host of to select the chair of the nomination to encourage more interdisciplinary panels. recommendations to improve them, ranging committee who, in turn, chooses the Some political scientists, however, viewed it from finding cheaper and more accessible members of the nomination committee. This as a move to reduce the number of political locations for the Congresses to making committee then names the candidates who science panels at the Congress. Moreover, a conference papers accessible on line and stand in the elections. I would favor a number of political scientists have told me limiting the number of presenters on each system in which the LASA membership had that their research does not fit easily into any panel. The respondents were quite divided more input into the selection of candidates, of the current tracks, although there are about what, if anything, LASA should do to perhaps by allowing members who gather tracks (such as the Democratization and promote interdisciplinary dialogue and sufficient signatures to run for the EC or the Democratic Performance track) that deal scholarship, however. Some scholars argued presidency/vice presidency, or by having the with issues of central interest to the that LASA is doing quite enough already. Sections play some role in the nomination discipline. Reinstating the Politics and Others suggested that LASA might encourage interdisciplinary panels or Table 1 research projects or solicit more interdisciplinary articles in LARR or the A Survey of Political Scientists’ Views on LASA LASA Forum. NUMBER OF PEOPLE PERCENT OF ALL PEOPLE GIVING THIS RESPONSE RESPONDING TO QUESTION* In considering these recommendations, LASA should also take into account the Degree of Satisfaction with LASA preferences of members from the many other Very satisfied 2 7% disciplines that make up the Association. I Satisfied 15 52% would therefore recommend that LASA Between satisfied and unsatisfied 2 7% carry out a survey of its entire membership Unsatisfied 8 28% in order to gauge the overall level of Very unsatisfied 2 7% satisfaction with the Association and its Favorite things about LASA policies in recent years. However, even if Congresses 26 90% such a survey finds that only a minority of Publications 10 34% its members are critical of the Association and its direction, I would nevertheless Main Complaints about LASA recommend that LASA seek to address the Politicization 15 50% sources of the disenchantment of this Marginalization of social scientists 15 50% minority, lest they begin to leave the Organization of Congresses 10 34% organization en masse. * The total number of people responding varied slightly for each question.

10 ON THE PROFESSION

El incierto rumbo de LASA

by ARIEL C. ARMONY | Colby College | [email protected]

Public Policy track would be a relatively It is important to place this contribution in its be amply debated. In this spirit, let me focus costless way to address these concerns, and proper context. Along with other political on two of the most important concerns raised might serve as an effective goodwill gesture. scientists, I received an invitation from LASA by some LASA members. President Charles Hale to write a brief piece for The most difficult issue to address may be the Forum on the role of interdisciplinary the issue of politicization. Whereas some dialogue and scholarship in Latin American Politicization of the Association members clearly want LASA to take political studies and the best ways by which LASA can stands, others believe that LASA should be contribute to maximize this dialogue and the A number of members have expressed their strictly a professional organization. quality of scholarship. disagreement with LASA’s increasing political Nevertheless, even on this issue a engagement. This concern was primarily compromise might be found by limiting the I interpret Hale’s invitation as a healthy triggered by LASA’s 2003-06 Strategic Plan, organization’s stances to those issues that response to a growing concern among which contained several sections calling for an centrally involve academic freedom and/or members of LASA about the gradual drift of increased political role of the Association. A participation in the association. In order to the Association away from its founding point of particular concern was the Plan’s find such a compromise, however, we need principles and historical roots as a professional proposal “to increase political relations with to have dialogue and we need to have better association to one moving increasingly toward new or emerging social actors” [emphasis information on the preferences of all of partisanship and methodological narrowness. added]. LASA’s members. Frustration with LASA seems to come Indeed, an important contingent of members, primarily from political scientists. However, based on the conversations I have had, consider Endnotes disenchantment is evident to me in other social that LASA has been drifting in the direction of science disciplines as well and in sectors of the political partisanship, a trend that threatens 1 I chose LAPIS both because I have been a humanities. While voices of discontent have LASA’s status as an academic, professional member of the Section off and on for the last been louder among a sizable group of members association. No one questions the right of the half dozen years, and because, to my with a background of active involvement in the Association to vote and publish resolutions on knowledge, it has largest number of political Association, my sense is that many members pressing matters. These formal declarations, scientists within LASA. LAPIS had 281 perceive some problematic trends in LASA. which state specific views on public policy members included on its listserv at the time I carried out the survey. matters, are agreed to by a vote at the business Recent developments in LASA are significant meeting. This is the accepted procedure. What 2 It may be that people who were dissatisfied because they can, potentially, alter its some members question is a recent tendency to with LASA were more likely to respond to the fundamental character. It is important to stress steer the association closer to a pressure group survey in order to voice their discontent, but it that these changes have not originated under that advances partisan causes beyond those that is also possible that people with critical views the current leadership, but began at least four deal directly with scholarship, academic felt uncomfortable expressing their criticisms years ago. If the gap between the Association’s freedom, and the right of inquiry. even though I promised that I would keep the leadership and part of the membership deepens, identity of the respondents confidential. I am afraid that we will witness growing A group of members, most of them political disaffection, particularly among members who scientists, articulated these concerns in a letter 3 One of the respondents whom I have classified here as very satisfied actually said s/he was have devoted significant time to LASA without dated May 27, 2003 to the LASA president at between satisfied and very satisfied. seeking any personal rewards. Unfortunately, a the time. They wrote: possible outcome of this process could be a 4 The author of this article (and administrator of decision by some of the very members who “Each member of LASA has countless the survey) was Associate Editor of LARR from have supported the Association for decades, opportunities to become engaged politically if mid-2004 until January 2007. It is not clear and nurtured it through thick and thin to he or she chooses. Members can join political how many of the respondents knew this, but it withdraw from the Association. parties, pressure groups, and voluntary conceivably could have affected their responses associations of many kinds to push for the sorts to the survey. Therefore, I commend Hale for opening this of political changes that they may favor, and space. These are important issues that should they can join other groups to oppose changes

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ARMONY continued…

being advocated by others. LASA members can Preference for Certain Intellectual and theoretical approaches. There is excellent even join or form associations of other scholars Methodological Positions scholarship, within and outside Latin American who might wish to lobby for a political studies, that addresses the problem of de- position. But, LASA itself is a pluralistic The Strategic Plan includes remarks concerning centering social science research. A number of association of scholars and students; it is not a a presumed distance that separates some these studies employ a combination of pressure group, nor is it a political party.” academic work from historically “conventional” perspectives that bring new underrepresented groups. According to this insights into our understanding of processes If we take seriously the institutional roots of document, the voices of underprivileged groups that structure social and political hierarchies. our association, it is clear that the purpose of are not taken seriously by many LASA In fact, some of this research has been LASA is not to function as a political actor, not members, because they are seldom articulated published by the flagship journal of the even as a think tank (as the Strategic Plan in abstract theoretical language. This assertion American Political Science Association, a envisioned as part of LASA’s transformation). has been received with substantial concern by publication not known for its predilection for The Constitution and By-Laws of LASA, many members. The basis for this concern is a subaltern-oriented scholarship. adopted and approved in 1966, state that sense that LASA might be questioning the work of political scientists, economists, and other “The purposes of the Association are to scholars employing positivist methodological LASA’s Present and Its Future provide a professional organization that will approaches, criticizing these approaches for foster the concerns of all scholars interested in being detached from the subaltern. It is Our association is in a strong position to Latin American studies and will encourage disturbing that the perception exists, and that continue growing in size, scope, and influence. more effective training, teaching, and research the number of people holding this view seems Now that the acrimonious debates about the in connection with such studies, and will to have grown in the last few years. relevance of area studies are over, the field of provide both a forum and an instrument for Latin American studies has reemerged with dealing with matters of common interest to the Some of the recent debates sponsored by the significant vitality. The auspicious development scholarly professions and to individuals Forum suggest a trend toward hegemonic of research on topics such as subnational concerned with Latin American studies.” thought. For instance, the emphasis given to politics, citizenship rights, and transnational some strains of scholarship, such as politically flows and movements creates great The goal of LASA is to serve as a professional engaged or action-oriented research, seems to opportunities for our field. It is time to recover vehicle for scholars and non-scholars alike. confirm a push to give these approaches the intellectual leadership that Latin American The decision to improve mechanisms for the preeminence over others. Indeed, one cannot studies enjoyed during the period of democratic participation of social actors outside academia, help noticing that some of the “debates” in the transitions. As an association that promotes especially those based in Latin America and Forum present mostly similar perspectives. sound academic scholarship and broad-ranging representing historically marginalized While the transformation of the Forum into a debates, LASA can play a key role in helping to populations, is very positive. However, such an vehicle for stimulating intellectual interaction incubate new theoretical and empirical ideas, effort of incorporation should be framed within between Congresses is to be applauded, these relevant for understanding Latin America and the professional purposes of the association. are signs that debate on critical topics, such as beyond. research methodology, is becoming one- While it is vital to innovate, politicization— dimensional. It may well be the case that this is One of the most significant changes of recent expressed as direct involvement in promoting no fault of the editors, and that they have tried years has been the incorporation to LASA of partisan causes or particular groups—risks to stimulate contributions from all quarters. numerous colleagues residing in Latin America. steering LASA away from its roots. In these Rather, it may be that many political scientists LASA should engage in a continuous search for difficult times, professional associations such as have chosen to invest their intellectual energies innovative ways to make the dialogue between LASA must secure their role as a respected elsewhere because of their flagging interest in North and South more fluid and horizontal. source of intellectual debate and research. the nature and quality of these debates. The “Otros Saberes” initiative is a promising Politicization not only weakens the public component of this agenda because, among image of LASA, but it is also potentially self- An agenda of “de-centering” Latin American other reasons, it values grassroots knowledge, destructive because it can undermine pluralism studies should not be pursued at the expense of incorporates “non-scientific” styles of within the Association. the exclusion of some methodological and communication, and challenges hierarchical

12 ON THE PROFESSION

What Might LASA Do to Best Meet the Needs and Serve the Interests of Those in the Political Sciences?

by SUSAN C. STOKES | Yale University | [email protected]

ways of validating knowledge. Regrettably, this The tensions that have arisen between insufficient participation—a common initiative has raised skepticism among many political scientists and LASA are real, problem in membership organizations. A LASA members, who perceive it as a interesting, and (potentially) productive subset of members that is highly motivated mechanism to implement a political rather than rather than organizationally divisive. LASA to shift the organization in some direction a scholarly agenda. should take actions that allow us to can do so; and even individual members productively explore the important questions have full freedom to get involved in One may argue that, today, any critical that the organization faces, and to avoid organizational decision-making. The appraisal that refers to the Strategic Plan is getting bogged down in unproductive problem, instead, is that many of us care outdated because the plan was presented to the debates. Political scientists in LASA should about LASA but don’t have the time or membership for feedback several years ago and recognize that this is a multi-disciplinary incentives to make its governance or a revised mission statement developed by the organization which will, inevitably, have a decisions a high priority. But it doesn’t take planning group was approved by the members different character from the disciplinary much time or initiative to become offended themselves. This is a valid point. However, organizations in which we take part. In by a decision which appears, to the relatively decisions ratified by elections cannot lead to the these comments I touch on three sources of uninvolved (fairly or not), to have been exclusion or marginalization of members, tension between political scientists and taken by a small cabal. The point is not to whether they represent a minority or not. In LASA: the “politicization” of the scold most of us who are not deeply addition, as it happens with any policy, the Association; tensions among the academic involved, but to challenge LASA to find process of implementation opens new areas for cultures in which we participate; and easier ways for us to participate. The recent debate and contestation. This is part of the differences over modes of political shift to email votes on resolutions is a big democratic process. The problems that I have participation of individual scholars. step in the right direction. outlined in this contribution remind us that participation is crucial. “Politicization” of LASA Tensions among Academic Cultures It is vital to discuss how LASA can continue to serve its academic mission and develop a broad The “politicization” of LASA is a concern of Some of the tensions between political consensual agenda that supports values such as some of my political-science colleagues. Yet, scientists and LASA reflect academic-cultural human rights and rational debate. Finding a phrased in this way, I believe this is a red and linguistic divisions. (These divisions are proper convergence between innovation and herring. Most of us would reject the idea frequently referred to as “methodological,” preservation of the Association’s roots is a that LASA should never involve itself in but are in fact broader than that term significant challenge. It is thus essential that the political issues. Since its founding in 1966, suggests.) Many (though obviously not all) leadership of LASA reassure its members that the Association has dealt with crucial political scientists who are members of this is a professional association, committed to questions of politics and U.S. policy which LASA belong to academic communities in the principles recognized four decades ago. have had a direct impact on our members or which it is assumed that there is a reality LASA should open more venues to address the about which many members felt deeply. “out there” in which the objects of study disenchantment of many of its members. This Consider the situation—not so unreal—in reside; that good research means explaining dialogue is a welcomed step. One or more which members of the Association were things causally; and that there is—indeed panels at the Montreal Congress could offer a jailed or tortured because of their research. should be—a certain separation of researcher venue to continue this dialogue. It is crucial Surely LASA would have to speak out, as it from object of research. In a more narrowly that leaders and membership alike find has in the past. So the question for most is methodological sense, many also believe that mechanisms to bridge differences so as to chart not whether the Association should adopt quantitative measures and formal models are a promising future for LASA without alienating political stances, but which ones? And do useful tools in the process of explanation. or marginalizing anyone. our internal rules and procedures produce These stances would also be held by the sufficiently democratic and participative typical economist and by not a few responses to this question? sociologists. They are not undisputed in political science today. Indeed, there have My sense is that the problem here is not one been interesting and productive criticisms of of insufficient internal democracy, but of them, whether in the form of the perestroika

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STOKES continued…

movement in the American Political Science studies. We look in vain to recent LASA the roles of public intellectuals that some of Association or the reconsideration of the communications for a reflection of, and us may wish to take on, to “speak truth to 1 value of qualitative research. reflections on, this experience. power.” In so doing, he echoes the view, accepted by many mainstream political My impression from reading through the Language is a part of culture, and LASA scientists, that there is a “there out there,” LASA Forum over the past few years is that members are separated by linguistic divides and argues for the political importance of those who control its editorial content are as well. Ironically for an association that is this stance: fairly oblivious to the academic culture of multi-lingual—note that there will be four mainstream social science that I’ve just official conference languages in Montreal— No knowledge is absolute, of course, sketched. Arturo Escobar’s account of the even those of us who share the same native and knowledge of complex social history of scholarly paradigms informing languages use terms that others of us do not phenomena is always partial and (and challenging) Latin American studies understand. The problem of technical and mediated by point of view. But neither goes from liberalism and Marxism in the jargon-ridden prose in academic writing is is knowledge entirely relative, as some 1960s and 1970s to “hyphenations of these well known and perhaps irresolvable; the recently popular epistemologies in the two paradigms” in the 1970s and 1980s. problem that LASA needs to work hard to social sciences would have us believe. “In the 1980s and 1990s, a third mitigate is that our jargon-laden prose Truth is not just a point of view.4 paradigm—post-structuralism, as a language sometimes infects our organizational and meaning-based social theory” arose. communications. The Call for Papers for “Today, combinations of these three the 2007 Congress left many of us scratching Communicating Across Disciplines paradigms are practiced by many our heads. The word “de-centering,” scholars…with one paradigm usually which appears scattered throughout LASA LASA is by definition a multi-disciplinary predominating in a given discipline or in the documents in recent years, means little to association. The great benefit of LASA work of particular authors.”2 most political scientists, especially those Congresses is that they allow people who are outside of political theory (this includes most asking similar questions but from different Mainstream political science is written out of of us who are also LASA members). “Re- disciplinary perspectives to learn from one this condensed history. Missing is another visioning” is not in the dictionary—does it another. Political scientists, for instance, are major force that challenged Latin American mean reviewing, re-envisioning, revising? I trying to understand why the left has risen to studies, and area studies more broadly, in the know what a border is, and I know what an power in many Latin American countries 1990s: the challenge of rational choice order is, but what is a (b)order?3 Perhaps and what the implications are of this rise. theory and of the new institutionalism. even many colleagues for whom these terms We will benefit greatly from the perspectives These scholarly developments pushed us to are more familiar would disagree with one that anthropologists, sociologists, historians, discover general causal relations that another about what was being said. The and literary scholars bring to these operated across all regional settings. To examples are in themselves harmless, but questions. offer just one example: if presidentialism when many people read prose that appears increased the probability of military eccentric and inscrutable, a feeling of For such cross-fertilization to occur, of intervention, the challenge went, one should alienation creeps in. course, we need to be able to understand therefore study presidentialism (and its each other; this goes back to the last alternatives), as well as coups everywhere in (Of course, political scientists also often complaint. We should all strive to make the world. Not all Latin Americanist write in ways that are inscrutable to LASA Congresses jargon-free zones. Not political scientists accepted the precepts of members of other tribes; I hope to avoid the only do we often not understand the work this challenge; others might agree in theory “everyone-has-an-accent-except-me” fallacy.) of our colleagues from other disciplines, our but find the trade-offs, in a loss of attitudes toward it tend to vary between understanding of processes and historical It would be unfair to assume that LASA has condescension and disdain. These opinions context, too costly. But the point is that been univocal in its methodological stances. are almost invariably the product of these scholarly developments influenced William Leogrande, in his 2006 Martin ignorance, seasoned with a bit of many of us, buffeted all of us, and Diskin Memorial Lecture, encourages us, defensiveness. I have two degrees in questioned the paradigm of Latin American perhaps in our scholarship but especially in anthropology, but, if pressed to produce an

14 opinion of current anthropological research, social sciences holds inherent political Endnotes I might fall back on outdated and inaccurate implications—is empowering or stereotypes about anthropologists and their disempowering—in and of itself. 1 See, for instance, Henry E. Brady and David methods. Others’ views of political science Collier, eds., Rethinking Social Inquiry: Diverse are similarly ill-informed. The ambitious It seems obvious that our membership will Tools, Shared Standards, Rowman and among us might try to immerse ourselves in fall across a broad range, from the apolitical Littlefield, 2004. the methods and findings of non-proximate to the intensely political. Many LASA 2 LASA Forum 37(2), Spring 2006, p. 12. disciplines, but for the rest, some humility members feel no tug toward politics. and tolerance would help a multi- Among those of us who do, the tug often 3 The term (b)order appears twice in LASA disciplinary organization withstand the pulls us in opposite directions. Some are Forum 37(2):1. stresses of increased specialization. committed to introducing political considerations and efforts for social change 4 LASA Forum 37(3):7. Cross-disciplinary ignorance becomes an into all aspects of research. But a third organizational problem when those option, one that may be preferable to many 5 LASA Forum 37(3), Summer 2006, p.1. responsible for Congress programs, who political scientists, is to maintain a certain may be well intentioned but not well versed analytical distance from our subjects of on recent developments in other disciplines, study, without giving up entirely on political reconfigure panels and tracks to the point involvement. That is, to become public that whole sets of members fail to recognize intellectuals on a parallel track to our roles a niche for their work in the program. I as scholars. Public intellectual is perhaps doubt that my political-science colleagues too grandiose; again I recommend William want a mini-APSA conference lodged within LeoGrande’s Diskin lecture, which lays out the LASA Congress; to limit ourselves to simple and helpful steps toward making a such an event would be to miss some real difference (developing relationships with opportunities for cross-fertilization. The organizations that lobby the U.S. answer, I believe, is to include on program government on relevant policy areas, writing committees people who will pull toward letters to the editor, and the like). more traditional disciplinary categories along with others who will pull toward more novel Certainly LASA is an organization large configurations. enough for all types: the apolitical, the activist, the public intellectual. Charlie Hale’s recent reiteration of a big-tent The Activist Researcher and philosophy for LASA, for instance, and his the Public Intellectual respectfulness toward the minority that opposed moving the 2007 Congress to A complaint voiced by some political Montreal, are welcome signs.5 scientists (and perhaps not exclusively by them) is that they feel that LASA is hectoring the membership to make politics part of our practice of doing research. This is another aspect of the “politicization” that many have complained about. Some political-science colleagues believe that the official LASA view is that their research is top-down and elitist, biased, and impervious to subaltern voices or perspectives. I don’t believe that any method popular in today’s humanities or

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DEBATES

Immigration Matters

Don’t Panic, We are Hispanic! de la mitad de sus habitantes (226 millones) tres décadas, los desplazamientos derivados Migración y resistencia social viven en condiciones de pobreza y hay 95 de las violencias han sido conspicuos, millones de indigentes, al mismo tiempo que especialmente durante los regímenes by JOSÉ MANUEL VALENZUELA ARCE en México, 25 personas concentran ingresos militares en Brasil, Chile, Uruguay y El Colegio de la Frontera Norte superiores a 25 millones de mexicanos. En Argentina. De igual forma, durante los años [email protected] la mayoría de los países latinoamericanos setenta y ochenta, cientos de miles de crecen los niveles de pobreza, así como los centroamericanos se vieron obligadas a salir niveles de vulnerabilidad social, mientras de sus países huyendo de la violencia y la Los desplazados de la tierra que, en el año 2000, la malnutrición muerte generada por los gobiernos afectaba a 55 millones de latinoamericanos y dictatoriales de El Salvador, Guatemala y la Para mediados de este siglo, habrá más de caribeños, siendo los países más afectados Nicaragua Somosista. cien millones de latinos y latinas en Estados Haití, Nicaragua, República Dominicana, Unidos, cifra similar a la actual población de Guatemala, Bolivia y Venezuela. En la actualidad, las formas de violencia México. Este escenario implica una política se combinan con otras expresiones acentuación de los procesos transnacionales A la información proporcionada, podemos de violencia social, como ocurre con el y un importante fortalecimiento de las añadir la existencia de bajas tasas de narcotráfico, propiciando el desplazamiento comunidades internacionales, además de crecimiento económico, que siete de cada de cerca de 4 millones de colombianos, por significativas transformaciones en los nueve empleos se generan en la señalar el caso más impactante, aunque en ámbitos socioculturales latinoamericanos y informalidad, o que nuestras economías no otras comunidades latinoamericanas también estadunidenses. Los desplazamientos al están generando los empleos que requiere la se generan múltiples migraciones vinculadas norte junto con la ofensiva antimigratoria población que ingresa al mercado de trabajo. a la violencia del narcotráfico. Estos están definiendo inéditas expresiones Sólo incorporando este escenario podemos desplazamientos generan una de las formas protagonizadas por los migrantes, cuya entender el papel central del desplazamiento extremas de vulnerabilidad social, donde la manifestación más contundente la como opción disponible para millones de gente “se tiene que ir”, muchas veces sin observamos durante la primera mitad del latinoamericanos que han sido expropiados poder despedirse. En ocasiones, el año pasado. Estos elementos requieren que de la posibilidad de conformar trayectoria de desplazamiento forzado confronta peores ubiquemos de manera general los escenarios vida digna en sus propios países. Por si escenarios como la desaparición o la muerte. previsibles de estos movimientos en el fuera poco, los bajos salarios y la contexto de las condiciones que definen las precarización laboral se añaden como Los desplazados por motivos económicos trayectorias de vida de los países pobres factores que inciden en los desplazamientos constituyen una importante realidad de los caracterizados por el incremento de la latinoamericanos. escenarios latinoamericanos. Generalmente desigualdad social. estos migrantes son sobre explotados en Junto a la pobreza y precarización de la otros países latinoamericanos o en Estados Los escenarios globales muestran de manera población latinoamericana, la violencia y los Unidos y en Europa, pues se ven expuestos a contundente las condiciones que conforman imaginarios de miedo participan de manera mayores condiciones de vulnerabilidad, el soporte social del proceso migratorio y, en importante en la decisión de muchas recibiendo pagos inferiores a los que particular, de los desplazados por el miedo y personas que optan por dejar sus lugares de perciben otros trabajadores y viviendo en la pobreza. Entre los pilares que definen origen, así, los desplazados del miedo se condiciones de indefensión social y riesgo de estos soportes, tenemos que la mitad de la suman a los desplazados de la pobreza, deportación. Pagan impuestos sin recibir población mundial sobrevive con menos de conformando los rasgos definitorios de la servicios sociales y están expuestos al dos dólares diarios, al mismo tiempo que migración latinoamericana, africana y, en racismo o la discriminación. una quinta parte lo hace con menos de un general, de las regiones pobres. En los dólar al día. Este proceso ocurre al mismo escenarios latinoamericanos de las últimas En muchos casos, el desplazamiento se tiempo que unos cuantos resultan cuatro décadas, la violencia ha tenido un interrumpe por la detención, lo cual acentúa favorecidos por un modelo económico que papel importante en la decisión de dejar el las condiciones de vulnerabilidad de los produce una inmoral concentración de la sitio de origen, abandonar el terruño y los migrantes frente a los organismos policíacos, riqueza. Tan sólo en América Latina, cerca entornos entrañables. Desde hace más de la gendarmería o los agentes migratorios.

16 En otros, el viaje termina con la muerte, pagos por debajo de lo establecido para Don’t Panic, We Are Hispanic! como ha ocurrido con cerca de 4,000 trabajadores con documentos legales, migrantes que han perdido la vida en la invisibilización social, temor ante el riesgo de Entre las muchas lecciones que se pueden frontera México-Estados Unidos desde el ser deportado, limitación o inexistencia de extraer de las impresionantes movilizaciones inicio de la Operación Guardián en 1994 y derechos ciudadanos, problemas para contra la ley del congresista republicano F. el incremento del riesgo en el recorrido. asegurar servicios educativos y de salud para James Sensenbrenner (propuesta HR4437) los hijos. A todo esto, se añade la que convocaron a millones de personas en A pesar de las vicisitudes y avatares de la manipulación de la migración bajo el las calles estadunideses, destacan las migración indocumentada, la población de argumento de que ellos generan los siguientes: origen latinoamericano crece en Estados problemas económicos, el desempleo, la Unidos, país que necesita de esta fuerza de inseguridad o, la división política y cultural En primer lugar, la capacidad expresiva de trabajo pero mantiene un doble juego que de los Estados Unidos. Este es un viejo los inmigrantes que hicieron retroceder de incrementa las ganancias de los empleadores argumento conservador recuperado por manera coyuntural, los rasgos más agresivos y participa como elemento de presión en el Samuel Huntington, conocido profesor de de la ley, especialmente lo referido a la ajedrez político, (re)produciendo la Harvard. Desde una perspectiva criminalización de los migrantes vulnerabilidad social y la sobre explotación asimilacionista decimonónica, Huntington indocumentados (cerca de 11 o 12 millones) de los migrantes. ha vuelto a plantear la condición unívoca y y de quienes les ayuden de alguna manera, monocultural que sentencia la desaparición así como la intención de construir el tercer Según datos censales estadounidenses, la de todas las culturas en una cultura muro fronterizo. Destaca la capacidad de población latinoamericana en Estados dominante, destacando que sólo existe un convocatoria demostrada en las Unidos representa 12.6 por ciento de la sueño en la sociedad estadounidense, el manifestaciones, que fueron de enorme población total de 282.1 millones y, de “sueño americano”, creado por la población contundencia, movilizando a millones de acuerdo con estimaciones recientes de la angloprotestante y que los personas: Más de medio millón en Los Oficina del Censo, para mediados del mexicoamericanos sólo compartirán ese Ángeles, 50,000 en Denver, 3,000 en presente siglo, cerca de la cuarta parte de la sueño si sueñan en inglés. Charlotte, 4,000 en Sacramento, 200,000 en población total de Estados Unidos será de Chicago, 30,000 en Milwaukee, 80,000 en origen “hispano”, lo cual significa más de De cara a los escenarios de pobreza Atlanta, 20,000 en Phoenix, 30,000 en cien millones de personas, cifra similar a la latinoamericana, el incremento en la Washington, y muchos otros en San población actual de la República Mexicana desigualdad en la distribución del ingreso, la Francisco, Tucson, Kansas City y otras (se estima que 420 millones de personas no generación de los empleos que requiere la ciudades. (Véase David Brooks, vivirán en Estados Unidos, de los cuales población que ingresa al mercado de trabajo, “Megamarcha en Los Angeles”, La Jornada, 102.6 millones serán de origen hispano). el fortalecimiento de los imaginarios de Portada, Domingo 26 de Marzo de 2006.) riesgo vinculados a la violencia, podemos La vulnerabilidad de los trabajadores considerar que la pobreza y vulnerabilidad En segundo lugar se encuentra su integración migrantes incluye tres escenarios que se latinoamericana seguirán presionando para plural que logró la participación de diversos complementan. Inicia con condiciones de que muchos latinoamericanos decidan dejar sectores que se involucraron como pobreza y carencias que influyen en la sus lugares de origen, fortaleciendo la organizadores y convocantes, tales como decisión de emigrar (en otros casos son las condición de que los 3,100 Kilómetros de organizaciones de paisanos, iglesia católica condiciones de inseguridad o de riesgo las frontera común entre México y Estados (el cardenal Roger Mahoney de Los Ángeles, que obligan a irse), posteriormente se Unidos, son también la frontera el Padre Luis Ángel Nieto, de la Iglesia de la encuentran los problemas y riesgos del latinoamericana de la pobreza y la Placita Olvera), sindicatos, frentes indígenas camino, las agresiones, las incomodidades, y, desigualdad. (Frente Indígena de Organizaciones en ocasiones los ataques físicos o la muerte. Binacionales (FIOB), MAYAVISION), Finalmente se encuentra un escenario de decenas de miles de jóvenes, estudiantes, vulnerabilidad social definido por la comunicadores radiales y espacios condición indocumentada, la cual implica periodísticos en español, como La Opinión aceptar los peores empleos, abusos laborales, de Los Angeles. Las movilizaciones

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también tuvieron el apoyo de artistas y de discursos anti-migrantes y grupos como socioafectivo conformado desde las redes de algunos políticos como Antonio Villaraigosa, White Power, Metal Militia, Wake up relaciones familiares y comunitarias. Alcalde de Los Ángeles, o Rob Blagojevich, Washington, Ku Klux Klan, Skin Heads, Finalmente, la lucha de los migrantes se Gobernador de Illinois. Junto a la Light up The Border, American Border inscribe como parte de la misma lucha pluralidad de organizaciones participantes, Patrol, Ranch Rescue, pierden visibilidad contra la vulnerabilidad, la precarización y el vale la pena considerar la transformación frente al nuevo protagonismo de Los empobrecimiento de la gran mayoría de los del propio perfil de los migrantes Minuteman Project, con sus estrategias habitantes del planeta. indocumentados, que, como ocurre con los públicas de reclutamiento de prosélitos para mexicanos, que han incrementado el peso capturar inmigrantes, y sus actividades de Uno de los aspectos centrales que subyace urbano, letrado, femenino y con mayor vigilancia armada. También en Arizona, el a las manifestaciones que realizaron los capacidad de vinculación social a través de Sheriff de Maricopa, Joe Arpaio, junto con migrantes y sectores solidarios en 2006, los medios de transporte o de los recursos cerca de trescientos agentes y voluntarios corresponde a la condición límite que mediáticos y electrónicos. civiles, patrullan la frontera cazando conlleva la pérdida del proyecto de vida. Los indocumentados, en una cruzada para migrantes son desplazados por la pobreza o Es notable la dimensión horizontal de las ajustar cuentas con los migrantes que cruzan la violencia, desplazados de sus sitios de redes de organizaciones involucradas en las por lo que el define como su territorio. origen de donde deben salir buscando marchas, que no se corresponden con la Justo en este condado ha entrado en vigor oportunidades de vida digna canceladas en dimensión vertical de las organizaciones que una ley llamada “anticoyotes”, que penaliza sus lugares de origen. Son desplazados en el lideraron movimientos previos, conformados a los indocumentados que pagan para que lugar de destino donde deben habitar en desde posiciones etnoclasistas. Estas les crucen a Estados Unidos. Producto de intersticios subrepticios donde se les niegan movilizaciones ya son consideradas como las esta ley antimigrante, Juan Villa destaca el derechos ciudadanos. La propuesta de mayores de manifestación latina de la hecho inédito derivado de esta ley, donde en reforma migratoria HR4437, conllevaba un historia estadunidense. Resulta necesario la cárcel de Maricopa han encarcelado a 350 nuevo desplazamiento que los regresaría a destacar que, pese a los discursos que migrantes, quienes enfrentaran juicios debido la situación original de indefensión y criminalizan a los migrantes, no se presentó a que se auto culparon de haber pagado pobreza. Por ello desencadenó reacciones ningún acto violento o delictivo, ni para que algún coyote les ayudara a cruzar decididas de quienes han dejado su trabajo y enfrentamientos, ni desmanes. la frontera. una parte importante de sus vidas en Estados Unidos. Al igual que los jóvenes franceses Esta condición fue explícitamente destacada que reaccionaron contra la Ley del primer por los manifestantes, quienes coreaban: …y si nos echan, nos regresamos empleo, los migrantes indocumentados “¡No somos criminales ni terroristas!”, expresan la expresión de la vulnerabilidad “¡Don´t panic, we are hispanic!”, “¡El que De manera creciente, la lucha de los extrema y la expropiación de la esperanza no brinque es migra!”, “¡Aquí estamos y no migrantes incorpora aspectos que rompen la producida por el capitalismo global nos vamos y si nos echan nos regresamos!”. condición referida al estado nacional, como contemporáneo. ocurre con la ciudadanía transnacional, el Desde hace varios años, la disputa respeto de los derechos humanos migratoria se ha sido una pieza importante independientemente de la condición en el tablero político electoral como se ha migratoria, la transformación de los marcos podido observar de manera conspicua con la político-electorales, donde crece el esfuerzo manipulación del fenómeno migratorio con por captar los votos de los paisanos en el fines de reelección por parte del ex exterior, las nuevas adscripciones en marcos Gobernador de California Pete Wilson, o la socioculturales transnacionales, su peso incorporación de los efectivos de la Guardia económico en las comunidades de origen, el Nacional en el patrullaje fronterizo y en el papel creciente de las remesas y la necesidad levantamiento de un nuevo muro de 1125 de romper su condición fetichizada, pues las Kilómetros. Al mismo tiempo, las remesas no son sólo dinero que cruza las perspectivas supremacistas actualizan sus fronteras, sino un soporte emocional y

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Crossing-back Methodologies Why incest in Mexican society? The professional expertise. I truly understood Transnational Feminist Research on incestous relationships of the Mexican and appreciated their interest in making sure Incest in Mexico immigrant women and men I interviewed for that I was qualified to do research on such a my previous project touched me deeply. I sensitive topic in Mexico. While the by GLORIA GONZÁLEZ-LÓPEZ originally intended to work with Mexican legitimacy was tested and finally received the University of Texas at Austin immigrants for this project, but the approval, I became “la investigadora de [email protected] invisibility of sociological research on this Texas, who used to be from here.” topic in Mexico became clearly evident as I In Fall of 2006, I went back home to advanced my research, while also listening to Many times I also felt like the representative immerse myself in the field to collect my a group of activist friends working on of some kind of intellectual maquiladora, data as part of my second project as a related issues and concerns in Ciudad Juárez. some kind of intellectual invader who was in sociologist who studies sexuality with In our informal conversations, they Mexico in order to practice some form of populations of Mexican origin. In this highlighted the urgent need to do this kind exploitation: interview people, get and transnational research journey, I went back of research in Mexico. They kept organize the data, and then disappear to go to Mexico after migrating to the U.S. motivating me to pursue it for a long time. back North. I received complaints from southwest with a licenciatura en psicología More than two years have passed since then. activists (who eventually became close in hand. I eventually mastered my still Today I reflect about the different lessons friends) about researchers from Mexico and accented English, completed a Ph.D. in and challenges this project has offered me as from the United States who have been in sociology, and began to conduct research a feminist and a sociologist. Mexico to conduct research. Reportedly, with Mexicans on the U.S. side of la these investigators got their projects going, frontera. Since I came in 1986, I have gone In the fall 2005, I left for Mexico with a received local support, but they never heard back to Mexico regularly for short visits to romanticized image of transnational feminist back from them after they finished them. my family. However, this was the first time I research; a series of disappointments, Before I was asked about what I could give went back to conduct sexuality research, dilemmas, and unexpected positive in return for their priceless help, I openly inspired by feminist and community-based experiences gradually emerged as soon as I talked to them about what would help them perspectives and ideologies. immersed myself in the field. Going back to feel reciprocated for all the support they work with community-based agencies helped were offering me. I told them I identified In this ongoing research project, I study the me reconnect with different regions that myself as an intellectual activist, and talked sociology of incest in Mexican society, while have changed since I have been gone— about my commitment to challenge any paying special attention to the sexual and changes that were not easily perceived form of exploitation. romantic histories of 60 adult women and during my previous short visits. And while men who have experienced sex within the those changes took place, I also evolved. I These experiences have invited me to explore context of the family during their childhood went back to these different locations and promote creative forms of intellectual or adolescence. I collected these histories (including my hometown of Monterrey) and activist solidarity with these community- through individual tape-recorded interviews while having to explain myself repeatedly, “I based agencies. In the places where I have conducted during the 2005-06 academic year am from here but I migrated to the United conducted my work, I have also offered and Fall 2006. I also interviewed States 20 years ago.” Some people kept seminars and workshops on feminist- professionals who work with these reminding me of something that had been in informed research dealing with gender and populations, such as activists, attorneys, my mind all along: “How much do you society, and feminist psychotherapies, which psychotherapists, and priests. Conducting know about these issues locally and I learned more than ten years ago as part of my fieldwork in highly industrialized nationally? Things have changed, for how my training as a couple and family therapist. locations in Mexico (i.e., Ciudad Juárez, long you have been gone? 20 years?! You are These presentations took place at the Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey), I definitely a gringa.” My professional and community-based agencies where I identified have worked mainly with activists and cultural legitimacy was tested by some and interviewed my informants. In these community organizers, some of whom have professionals and potential interviewees who meetings, I also had informal conversations been my friends for a long time, and who kept asking me questions designed to about other research topics, including also work with these particular populations. measure my cultural literacy and informal dialogues on my preliminary

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findings. In these conversations, I became never did stop. If I was so progressive, what The day before I returned from Mexico City self-critical and open to others’ criticism was I doing living in “the land of the to Austin, nostalgia embraced the process of when my preconceived ideas or training were enemy”? How have I resolved this professional awareness and transformation I perhaps too Western and non-representative contradiction? I kept thinking about the had experienced. I paid a visit to of their own social realities. After all, in this ways I have been able to learn to explain Coyolxauhqui, a soothing reflection of the project I am also incorporating issues myself not only to myself, but also to others image of myself in this process and the identified as crucial by my informants, as in the United States and to some iconic reminder of my gratitude to Anzaldúa. well as by the clinicians and activists professionals back in Mexico. As I approached the entrance to the Templo working with these populations and involved Mayor, I heard someone say, “Is that you, communities. As I went through this experience, these Gloria? What are you doing in Mexico?” A feminist metholodologies of crossing-back chicana friend, a professor who had gone While I dealt with these issues in some unfolded intellectually stimulating South during the summer, greeted me at the locations, in others, I experienced the opportunities for professional and personal entrance to the museum. We were both opposite. In some places, I became la development. In the process, I kept surprised by the coincidence, but the doctora de Austin, “the expert” who was exploring ways to organize and grow from encounter was a good way to wrap up the qualified to give voice to women’s local these challenges and lessons. In my mind, I experience in a meaningful way; “la problems. At times, I experienced deep kept going back to the archives of coincidencia fue para cerrar con broche de discomfort after realizing that I had being Anzalduan concepts and theorizing on the oro,” as my mother would say. She also invited to participate at special events multiple dimensions of the borderlands. My reminded me of the ways in which my addressing the issues affecting women mestiza consciousness, now on the Mexican emotional and cultural uprootedness, locally, while local feminists—who were far side, organized my migration-back anguish, and distress, experienced after more qualified than me on these topics—had experience. My professional self discovered migrating 20 years ago, became well-healed been excluded from these conversations. the multiple layers of permanent transition scars, symbolic reminders of the yet Through these experiences, I soon learned lacking clear boundaries. The quintessential uncovered lessons and challenges as a about the many conflicts and internal state of consciousness identified as nepantla, feminist and a sociologist going back and divisions historically experienced by activists that long ago had explained my life as an forth to do research. Many are the countless and other intellectuals within their local, immigrant, was now experiencing a more retos y lecciones of doing research while regional, and national groups. While mature and much less distressing yet parallel crossing-back, I keep reminding myself, as I keeping myself on the margins of sensitive or dimension of the very same process. No make plans to go back to the field to unresolved tensions, I also kept myself as matter on what side of the border I find continue nurturing the modest research I humble and respectful as possible, and very myself, Anzaldúa’s quitessential nepantla had conduct in the Americas without borders, in receptive to all community contacts. become that state of consciousness that the always-changing borderlands. identified and “normalized” a feeling of This project also invited me to explore some permanent displacement and a sense of being of the issues and concerns with regard to my always-in-transition, lacking rigid boundaries own internalized intellectual colonization. and frontiers. The meaningful conversations “What does a Mexican feminist do in the I had with some of my beloved chicana United States, and in Texas, la tierra de friends as a graduate student and at some Bush?!” I was confronted in this manner by point as a professor, kept coming back to me some professionals who eventually became thorughout the entire process. Being in the good friends. In these conversations, as well borderless inellectual borderlands meant as in my presentations and workshops, I professional expansion in an act of “spiritual became aware of how hyper-vigilant I have activism” or interconnectedness with become as I monitor myself regarding informants and professionals, including the ideologies, theories, and concepts used to honest and committed activists who have articulate ideas I wanted to share with these taught me so much as I conducted my data professionals and activists. These reflections collection for a year and a half.

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Why the Immigrant Rights Struggle “Latin American Studies,” let us recall, across the United States that involved Compels Us to Reconceptualize Both emerged in U.S. universities as an object of millions of immigrants and their allies in Latin American and Latino/a Studies Cold War “area studies.” The knowledge that Spring 2006.2 The immediate trigger was the was supposed to be generated by these “area introduction in the U.S. Congress of anti- by WILLIAM I. ROBINSON studies” would help guide U.S. foreign policy immigrant legislation, but, more broadly, the University of California-Santa Barbara and resolve problems of stability, development protests represented the unleashing of pent- [email protected] and integration of these areas into the post- up anger and repudiation of what has been World War II capitalist world order. What deepening exploitation and an escalation of What is Latin America? Who is a Latin use did the powers that be, and their organic anti-immigrant repression and racism. American? To what do “Latin American intellectuals, have for integrated, world- Dominant groups and the state were terrified Studies” and “Latino/a Studies” refer? To historic knowledge of Latino/a population in by the mass mobilizations and they what ought they refer? These are not new the United States? “Latino/a Studies” responded with a wave of repression, questions. But they are in my view all the emerged from a very distinct dynamic, that of including stepping up raids, deportations, more pressing in light of the transnational struggles to establish in the North American and anti-immigrant hysteria. What is the processes sweeping the Western Hemisphere academy ethnic, racial, diaspora, anti-colonial larger backdrop to these developments? and the world as globalization proceeds. and multicultural studies in the wake of the These processes compel us to reconceptualize civil rights movement and other popular, The latter decades of the 20th century began Latin American as well as Latino/a Studies. national, and radical movements in the United a period of massive new migrations Among the most salient of these processes are States and around the world. But much of worldwide, generated by the forces of a worldwide upsurge in transnational Latino/a studies became swept up in a nation- capitalist globalization. A low-end estimate migration as global capitalism reorganizes state framework of inquiry and more by the United Nations placed the number of economies, labor markets, and social parochial and disabling U.S. race/ethnic immigrant workers in 2005 at some 200 hierarchies in every locale in accordance with relations paradigms. million by the new century, double the its logic of integrated transnational amount of 25 years earlier. During the 1980s accumulation. Today, more than ever, the historical, eight million Latin American emigrants socioeconomic, political, and cultural forces arrived in the United States, nearly equal to We know that Latin America—both the and dynamics shaping the reality of Latinos/as the total figure of European immigrants who name itself and the reality which is purported in the United States are the same ones that arrived on U.S. shores during the first to denote—is itself an invention. If that shape the lives of the 500 million people decades of the 20th century, making of Latin invention is going to have any relevance in living south of the Rio Bravo. To consider America the principal origin of migration this new century beyond a “colonial matrix inquiry into the reality of U.S.-based Latino/a into the United States. This wave of of power,” to use Walter Mignolo’s phrase,1 it populations as “Latino/a Studies” and inquiry outmigration from socially and economically must refer to all those peoples who have into that reality south of the Rio Bravo as devastated communities in the Hemisphere become inextricably bound up over the past “Latin American Studies” is patently absurd. accelerated in the 1990s, and in the first 515 years within that matrix. This includes But it is more than that: it is epistemologically decade of the new century, as globalization the 40 million people of Latin American bankrupt and politically disempowering. It and neo-liberalism ravaged the region, descent in the United States, some 20 million renders invisible to “Latin American Studies” displacing millions and generating a social of them immigrants. Immigrant communities the 40 million Latinos/as in the United States disaster of unprecedented magnitude.3 in this country, as elsewhere around the and cuts them off from the larger reality in world, are increasingly transnational which their lives are grounded at a time when The same capitalist globalization that triggers communities. The patterns of assimilation our struggles and fates are more than ever this mass migration also generates an into a particular nation that corresponded to shaped by our engagement with global-level escalating demand for immigrant labor. The an earlier era in the global system have given processes and structures. division of the global labor force into citizens way to ongoing bi- and multi-directional and non-citizens, immigrant and native flows of people and culture, and to the rise of These Latino/a and other immigrant workers, is a major new axis of inequality. truly transnational social structures. communities took the political stage by storm The maintenance and strengthening of state with unprecedented mass demonstrations controls over transnational labor creates the

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conditions for “immigrant labor” as a a general “Latinization” of the economy. counter-hegemony and of instability, as distinct category of labor in relation to Latino/a immigrants have massively swelled immigrant labor in Paris showed to be in the capital, replacing earlier direct colonial and the lower rungs of the U.S. workforce, often late 2005, uprising in that European capital racial caste controls over labor worldwide. displacing African American and white ethnic against racism and marginality. Most transnational immigrant workers laborers. They provide much of the labor for become inserted into segmented labor hotels, restaurants, construction, janitorial The preferred solution for capital and its markets as low-paid, low-status laborers and house cleaning, child care, domestic political representatives are “guest worker” under unstable and precarious work service, gardening and landscaping, programs that would convert immigrants conditions without the political or labor hairdressing, delivery, meat and poultry into a quasi-indentured labor force, alongside rights accorded to citizens. They are packing, food processing, light campaigns to criminalize Latino/a immigrants racialized to the extent that cultural and manufacturing, retail, and so on. and to militarize their control. The state physical markers can be used—or must lift national borders for capital, but constructed—to demarcate these workers. Now more than ever, employers and the state must reinforce these same national Class, race, national borders and must sustain a vast exploitable labor pool boundaries in its immigrant policies. In its transnational processes all come together to that exists under precarious conditions, that ideological activities, it must generate a generate explosive relations of exploitation does not enjoy the civil, political, and labor nationalist hysteria by propagating such and oppression, as well as new forms of rights of citizens, that face language barriers images as “out of control borders” and resistance. and a hostile cultural and ideological “invasions of illegal immigrants,” given the environment, and that is flexible and special oppression and dehumanization Repression and xenophobia against disposable through deportation. It is the involved in extracting their labor power. immigrants from Third World countries, of condition of deportable they wish to create course, is ingrained in both U.S. and Western or preserve, since that condition assures the The migrant labor phenomenon will continue history. As indirect mechanisms have replaced state the ability to super-exploit with to expand along with global capitalism. Just colonialism in the mobilization of racialized impunity, and to dispose of without as capitalism has no control over its labor pools, states assume a gatekeeper consequences, should this labor pool become implacable expansion as a system, it cannot function4 to regulate the flow of labor for the unruly or unnecessary. Hence, a reserve do away in its new globalist stage with capitalist economy. U.S. immigration army of immigrant labor must remain just transnational labor. Immigrant labor pools enforcement agencies undertake revolving that— immigrant labor, and, therefore, that can be super exploited economically, door practices—opening and shutting the flow undocumented. Sustaining this reserve army marginalized and disenfranchised politically, of immigration in accordance with the needs of immigrant labor means creating—and driven into the shadows, and deported when of capital accumulation during distinct reproducing—the division of workers into necessary, are the very epitome of capital’s periods. Immigrants are sucked up when their immigrants and citizens. naked domination in the age of global labor is needed, and then spit out when they capitalism. Therefore, bound up with the become superfluous or potentially destabilizing This requires contradictory practices on the immigrant debate in the United States is the to the system. part of the state. From the vantage points of entire political economy of global capitalism dominant group interests the dilemma is how in the Western Hemisphere, the same political But these gatekeeper functions become more to deal with the new “barbarians” at Rome’s economy that is now being sharply contested complex—and contradictory—as door. This contradictory situation helps throughout Latin America with the surge in transnational capital comes to be increasingly explain the frightening escalation of mass popular struggles and the turn to the dependent on immigrant labor. Latino/a hostilities and repression against Latino/a Left. The struggle for immigrant rights in the immigrant labor became structurally immigrants. The system needs Latino United States is, thus, part and parcel of this embedded in the North American economy immigrant labor, yet the presence of that resistance to neo-liberalism, intimately by the turn of the 21st century. Although labor scares dominant groups and privileged, connected to the larger Latin American—and immigrant labor sustains U.S. and Canadian generally white, strata. Political and worldwide—struggle for social justice. agriculture, by the 1990s the majority of economic elites fear a rising tide of Latino Latino/a immigrants were absorbed by immigrants will lead to a loss of cultural and No wonder protests and boycotts took place industry, construction, and services as part of political control, becoming a source of throughout Latin America on May Day 2006

22 in solidarity with Latino immigrants in the transnationalization in the academy. This Endnotes United States. The immigrant rights group would start with acknowledgment that that I am involved with, the Los Angeles- “Latin American Studies” must include the 1 Walter D. Mignolo, The Idea of Latin America, based March 25 Coalition, which played a reality of Latino/s in the United States and Blackwell, 2005. key role in organizing the Spring 2006 other transnational processes that go beyond 2 mobilizations, sent several delegations to the geographic map of Latin America, and William I. Robinson, “Aquí Estamos y no Nos Vamos!: Global Capitalist and the Struggle for Mexico in 2006 to show solidarity with those that “Latino/a Studies” is but a component Immigrant Rights,” Race and Class. 48(2). protesting electoral fraud, and with the of a more expansive historical and struggle in Oaxaca. It is also lobbying Latin contemporary domain beyond U.S. 3 On these topics, see William I. Robinson, American governments and social movements race/ethnic and cultural studies. This, of Global Capitalism and Latin America, Johns to brandish as their own the banner of the course, is just the beginning. We need to Hopkins, forthcoming. immigrant rights struggle in the United States. develop a global perspective across all fields and disciplines in the social sciences and 4 Joseph Nevins, Operation Gatekeeper: The Rise As the peoples of Latin America on both humanities as we rethink what it means to of the “Illegal Alien” and the Making of the sides of the Rio Bravo transnationalize their study/engage particular regions, peoples, U.S.-Mexico Boundary. Routledge, 2002. collective struggles we need a parallel cultures, and histories in the global system. intellectual and epistemological

What a difference a Fulbright makes Fulbright Scholar Program Grants for 2008-2009 Now Available The Fulbright Scholar Program offers research and lecturing opportunities to scholars and other professionals in 21 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean in virtually any discipline. Grant lengths range from three to nine months. Grantees include university faculty at any career level, independent scholars and professionals. Bolivia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela offer full-time research options. Detailed award descriptions, eligibility requirements and online application are available at www.cies.org. Contact Carol Robles with questions at [email protected]. Application deadline is August 1, 2007.

Council for International Exchange of Scholars 3007 Tilden Street, NW, Suite 5L Washington, DC 20008-3009 Tel: 202.686.7877 • Fax: 202.362.3442 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.cies.org

The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

23 lasaforum SPRING 2007 : VOLUME XXXVIII : ISSUE 2

POLITICAL COMMENTARY

Situación social y política de México y de Oaxaca al final del gobierno de Vicente Fox y principios del gobierno de Felipe Calderón. by SALOMÓN NAHMAD | CIESAS Pacífico Sur | [email protected]

Después de 45 años de haber concluido mis confrontaciones y rivalidades sociales. que refleja no sólo la orientación estudios de antropólogo, he podido Dicho gobierno panista representó a las ultraconservadora del nuevo gobierno sino constatar que, desde el punto de vista fuerzas más conservadoras y evoca las luchas incluso una tendencia de corte fascista histórico, la vida social de México no ha del siglo XIX en las cuales similares fuerzas dentro del mismo PAN.7 sido una evolución pacífica o contínua. Por se apoderaron de México y se apoyaron en el contrario, siempre han existido fuerzas la jerarquía de la iglesia católica para que, En el nacimiento de dicho partido, nos internas y externas que provocan con alianzas internacionales, intentaran comenta Jorge Alonso en un artículo confrontaciones debido a las contradicciones instaurar un gobierno imperial dependiente próximo a aparecer, “hubo muchos inherentes al dilema de construir un México de Austria. Benito Juárez, el primer admiradores de esas formas políticas de incluyente y justo. A pesar de la revolución presidente indígena de América Latina, fascismo, y en no pocos panistas ha que estalló el 20 de noviembre de 1910, las derrotó a dichos conservadores en ese prevalecido esa tendencia hasta nuestros desigualdades, la marginación y la extrema entonces. A pesar de las grandes conquistas días. Arendt advirtió que las soluciones pobreza no han logrado superarse. A sólo logradas por la Revolución de 1910 en la totalitarias surgían donde parecía imposible tres años de celebrarse los 100 años de este cual los obreros y campesinos mexicanos, y aliviar la miseria económica, política y social gran evento revolucionario tengo la sobre todo los pueblos mesoamericanos de un modo digno del ser humano”1. En mi impresión, y casi la sensación, de que originarios de este enorme territorio, vida profesional nunca habíamos vivido una nuevamente se dará una confrontación grave lograron avances significativos para experiencia como la que se está viviendo en y de gran impacto en la sociedad mexicana, reivindicar sus derechos sobre la tierra, sus este momento. El caso de Oaxaca de 2006 con graves consecuencias internacionales. derechos laborales y el mantenimiento de la con el movimiento de la Asamblea Popular No se trata de realizar profecías. Sin soberanía nacional sobre los recursos de Pueblos de Oaxaca (APPO)3 es, desde mi embargo, no cabe duda de que los hechos naturales tales como el petróleo, el rápido punto de vista, sólo la punta del iceberg de más relevantes del año 2006 se asemejan a la avance de la economía neoliberal una profunda grieta en la sociedad mexicana situación de 1907. En aquel año, el globalizadora erosionó las mismas a partir que está llevando a una gran polarización. Gobierno de Porfirio Díaz reprimió de los ochentas. La misma no sólo es extremadamente violentamente a los trabajadores de la peligrosa de por sí, sino que podría estallar industria textil en Orizaba y Río Blanco, Es por ello que en el año 2006 se volvieron a en poco tiempo en un gran conflicto Veracruz. Con la misma saña reprimió en la vivir episodios de una época supuestamente nacional. frontera norte a los trabajadores mineros de superada (que para los que en los años 40 y Cananea, Sonora. Por similares fechas el 50 del siglo pasado éramos jóvenes, estaban El papel de las fuerzas más retrógradas y mismo gobierno reprimió a los mayas del en la conciencia histórica y no en la vida conservadoras del México del siglo XIX se estado de Quintana Roo, que se cotidiana). Hoy se vive la represión de los está activando con la movilización de la mantuvieron por más de 50 años en guerra mineros en Michoacán, de los trabajadores iglesia y de los grandes capitalistas con el gobierno federal y con el del estado de de la educación en Oaxaca, de los pueblos (banqueros, industriales, inversionistas Yucatán. También los eventos de hoy nos indígenas en Chiapas, en Oaxaca y en otros extranjeros con el apoyo de los Estados recuerdan la gran ofensiva contra la tribu estados, y de los campesinos de Atenco en el Unidos), quienes están confrontando en el yaqui de Sonora y su expulsión hacia Valle estado de México. El fraude electoral que se siglo XXI a las fuerzas que ya hicieron Nacional, Oaxaca, localizado a más de 3 mil cometió en 1910 contra Francisco I. Madero cambiar a México en gran parte del siglo kilómetros de distancia de su territorio. se volvió a repetir, primero contra XX. Hoy pretenden el retorno a un sistema Cuahutemoc Cárdenas, y después contra de gobierno católico-civil-militar y la entrega El escenario actual puede parecerse Manuel López Obrador. La entrega de de los recursos estratégicos a las fuerzas enormemente al de la época de Porfirio Díaz poderes del gobierno de Fox al gobierno de ultraconservadoras que se están desquitando debido a que el supuesto nuevo gobierno Calderón se tuvo que dar en un contexto de por los cambios que provocó la revolución “democrático” del presidente Fox postulado alta violencia y de conflicto nunca antes mexicana en el siglo XX. Estas tendencias se por el Partido Acción Nacional (PAN), quien visto en la historia moderna de México. La expresan en los hijos de los cristeros y de los ofreció un cambio de fondo en la vida represión contra el movimiento popular de neofascistas como Carlos Abascal (hijo del política y social, sólo logró acrecentar las Oaxaca, evidencia un terrorismo de estado fundador del Sinarquismo mexicano) que

24 hoy gobiernan desde el PAN y desde el Ortiz. Ellos han enfrentado entre sí a Desde mi punto de vista, esta es la grave mismo gobierno federal. diversos grupos, y dicha confrontación está confrontación que hoy se vive en Oaxaca y permitiendo que, a nivel nacional, las fuerzas en gran parte de México. Es una ilusión de El caso de Oaxaca es la expresión de este ultraconservadoras intenten eliminar al democracia partidista totalmente resurgimiento de las fuerzas conservadoras candidato opositor Gabino Cué manipulada por las fuerzas en contra de las fuerzas progresistas de Monteagudo, quien fue apoyado ultraconservadoras.6 México. Las demandas de los 16 pueblos originalmente por el Partido Acción indígenas4 de Oaxaca y del magisterio Nacional (PAN), Convergencia y el Partido El país entero atraviesa por una situación oaxaqueño expresan una lucha por un de la Revolución Democrática (PRD), y inédita desde años atrás. La situación que desarrollo equilibrado y justo que permita quien perdió supuestamente, como en el caso vivimos en Oaxaca a mi entender es grave, y un nivel de vida más igualitario entre los de López Obrador, por un pequeño margen ha fracturado profundamente a la sociedad habitantes del país. Su meta es hacer de votos. A estos personajes no les interesa oaxaqueña,5 de por sí ya quebrantada por el desaparecer la pobreza en que viven cerca de resolver el conflicto. Por lo menos tres ex- colonialismo interno, y que hoy se traduce 15 millones de indígenas en más de 15 gobernadores son ahora integrantes del en una disputa por el poder entre las mismas estados, quienes se sostienen con un ingreso Congreso de la Unión, como diputados clases dominantes. Éstas han movilizado, sin diario de uno ó dos dólares por familia, federales o senadores, y hasta el momento embargo, a la población más pobre, para apoyados por programas gubernamentales ninguno ha intervenido para buscar una luchar unos contra otros. Esto puede diseñados por las fuerzas de la caridad solución. El ex-candidato Gabino Cué ganó generar una incipiente guerra civil, como la pública como el programa en las elecciones del 2 de julio del 2006 la que vivimos el segundo semestre del año OPORTUNIDADES, que no es más que un senaduría de la república junto con la pasado, y como la que puede suceder el 2 de barniz para soslayar el conflicto social. Las mayoría de las diputaciones federales al PRI. agosto del 2007 con las elecciones para la evidentes desigualdades han provocado y Hoy, dicho senador se perfila como el cámara de diputados local, y para las generado movimientos alzados de la candidato a suceder a Ulises Ruiz, sea por la presidencias municipales que se rigen por población, como el que se está viviendo en vía electoral o bien por el revocamiento de partidos políticos. El ambiente que se Oaxaca. El gobierno federal y el estatal sólo este gobernador. respira en Oaxaca es mucho más violento lo atienden con medidas paliativas y con que el de Chiapas en los años noventa con el sistemas de control social y de represión. En los 90 días del actual gobierno federal no levantamiento Zapatista. se vislumbran nuevos cambios de políticas El conflicto en Oaxaca también tiene su públicas, fuera del fortalecimiento de las No existe una congruencia ideológica entre origen en la rivalidad entre los grupos de fuerzas policíacas y militares para reprimir a los participantes en la contienda electoral y poder al interior del PRI, como sucedió en la población inconforme con las condiciones entre quienes han gobernado Oaxaca en los los años ochenta, cuando el grupo de vida que está viviendo, y que se últimos sexenios, porque cada grupo busca neoconservador encabezado por Miguel de manifiestan en movimientos sociales resolver sus aspiraciones políticas por su la Madrid y Carlos Salinas de Gortari amplios. De la misma manera, las fuerzas cuenta y son capaces de cambiar de partido, impuso agresivamente el modelo neoliberal más conservadoras del PRI, en alianza con el como lo hizo Diódoro Carrasco, quien fuera por encima de otras tendencias. En Oaxaca PAN, mantienen por la fuerza, y en contra gobernador priísta y ahora es diputado del los priístas se han enfrentado entre sí a la vez de la opinión pública y de la ciudadanía PAN a nivel federal y quien apoyó al que se han negado a cederle una cuota de oaxaqueña, a un gobernador que ha sido gobierno de Felipe Calderón. poder a las fuerzas progresistas encabezadas considerado un represor. El mismo ha por el magisterio, la fuerza laboral más violado los derechos humanos de los Lo que distingue este conflicto es que se importante del estado que se mantiene con el habitantes de Oaxaca, provocando la muerte mantiene un acuerdo tácito entre el gobierno nivel de industrialización más bajo de de cerca de 20 opositores y cientos de del estado y el gobierno federal tanto para México. Estas fuerzas priístas están encarcelados. Hasta finales de febrero, dividir y fracturar al magisterio de la sección encabezadas por Pedro Vásquez Colmenares, permanecen en la cárcel 64 miembros de la 22, al crear una nueva sección 59 del Heladio Ramírez López, Diódoro Carrasco APPO. Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Altamirano, José Murat Casab y Ulises Ruiz Educación (SNTE), como para mediatizar a

25 lasaforum SPRING 2007 : VOLUME XXXVIII : ISSUE 2

NAHMAD continued…

la APPO,9 al llevarlos a la búsqueda del Endnotes poder en la próxima elección del 2 de agosto del presente año2. De esta manera tenemos a 1 Alonso, Jorge, El nuevo fascismo mexicano, la población dividida y confrontada en dos Inédito, 2007. corrientes políticas que al final van a 2 demoler la posición histórica de Oaxaca Alonso Criollo, Alberto, “El movimiento popular y el proceso electoral” en noticias, como una sociedad liberal y progresista Viernes 26 de enero de 2007, Núm. 10797, identificada con Benito Juárez, para Oaxaca, México. encausarla en pocos años hacia el PAN, en un proceso de conquista de los gobiernos 3 Bellinghausen, Hermann, “El movimiento estatales y municipales. Varias popular de Oaxaca, inexplicable sin la organizaciones eclesiales de base han presencia indígena” en La Jornada, Jueves 17 expresado que se proponen tomar el poder de agosto de 2006, México. desde las micro-comunidades hasta los 4 municipios y el estado. Esta estrategia ha Esteva, Gustavo, “Negar la negación” en surtido gran efecto en los estados del norte noticias, martes 30 de enero de 2007, núm. 10801, Oaxaca, México. de México, y hoy avanza apresuradamente a la conquista de los estados más indígenas 5 Gómez Ramírez, Víctor Manuel, como Yucatán, Campeche, Chiapas, “Contradicciones en el movimiento popular Quintana Roo, Oaxaca y Guerrero. Si bien oaxaqueño” en noticias, sábado 10 de febrero se esperaba un cambio democrático que de 2007, Oaxaca, México. permitiera a los partidos políticos asumir el poder, hoy la orientación se perfila más bien 6 López Bárcenas, Francisco, “Escenarios de la hacia el empoderamiento a largo plazo de confrontación política en Oaxaca” en La estas fuerzas ultraconservadoras que Jornada, jueves 17 de agosto de 2006. México. gobiernan México. 7 Martínez, Víctor Raúl, “El terrorismo de estado” en noticias, sábado 27 de enero de Marzo de 2007 2007, Oaxaca, México.

8 Nahmad, Salomón, “Conflicto de Oaxaca podría irradiar al País” en noticias, Jueves 28 de septiembre del 2006, Oaxaca, México.

______“Entre la realidad y la ficción” en El Imparcial, Lunes 11 de noviembre de 2006, Oaxaca, México.

______“Grupos de poder en Oaxaca y la crisis magisterial 2006” ponencia presentada en Foro Académico Oaxaca: Ingobernabilidad y las demandas por una nueva sociedad, CIESAS, Septiembre de 2006, México.

9 Vergara, Rosalía; Gil Olmos, José y Pedro Matías, “La APPO por dentro” en revista proceso, no. 1566.

26 ON LASA2007

Report from the Program Chairs by NEIL HARVEY | New Mexico State University, Las Cruces | [email protected] and MARÍA SOCORRO TABUENCA | El Colegio de la Frontera Norte | [email protected]

Entre el 22 y el 25 de enero nos reunimos con el staff de LASA en Pittsburgh para Target Dates for LASA2007 armar el programa del Congreso. Fue una experiencia muy interesante pues May 11, 2007 Deadline to submit changes/corrections for Program Book combinamos la metodología que utilizaron las codirectoras del programa anterior, las May 30, 2007 Notification of travel grant requests sugerencias de María Cecilia Dancicin y de Milagros Pereyra, con un método propio que decidimos sería el que nos ayudaría a avanzar June 15, 2007 Pre-registration deadline con mayor efectividad. Durante esos días estuvimos también en contacto con Charlie June 15, 2007 Deadline for canceling pre-registration without penalty Hale, Presidente de LASA, para asegurarnos que el programa tuviera la coherencia que August 1, 2007 Deadline to submit electronic paper for conference proceedings buscábamos. Finalmente, el 25 en la noche Information for this area tuvimos listo el borrador final. to be provided by Mariace El 26 por la mañana nos trasladamos a Montréal a la reunión del Comité Ejecutivo. En esa reunión presentamos el programa armado y algunas cifras importantes como el número de solicitantes al Congreso, el porcentaje de paneles en los diferentes circuitos (tracks), y el índice de rechazo. Recibimos algunas sugerencias del Comité Travel to Latin America Ejecutivo con respecto a este último punto y volvimos a nuestras ciudades de origen con Bolivia • Colombia • Mexico la encomienda de hacer algunas de las Nicaragua•Venezuela revisiones solicitadas. Una vez hechas las revisiones respectivas, nos comunicamos con CustomizedDelegationsandStudyToursfor: el Secretariado de LASA a fin de que la Educators, Religious Groups, Advocacy Organizations, membresía pudiera recibir los avisos de Alternative Spring/Summer Breaks. aceptación o de rechazo correspondientes.

Finalmente concluimos acordando que ha Freetrade,militarization,immigration... sido una experiencia de lo más interesante y que agradecemos el apoyo que hasta hoy se hear the true story first-hand. nos ha brindado. FREE travelfororganizerswith10paidparticipants. www.witnessforpeace.org CONTACT Ken Crowley at 202-547-6112 or [email protected]

WitnessforPeaceisanonprofitgrassrootsorganization, dedicated to nonviolence and working to change U.S. government policiesandcorporatepracticesinLatinAmerica.

27 lasaforum SPRING 2007 : VOLUME XXXVIII : ISSUE 2

CALLING ALL MEMBERS Elections 2007 Nominating Committee Slate

The LASA Nominating Committee presents The Candidates Puerto Ricans in the United States: A the following slate of candidates for vice Contemporary Portrait (with C.E. Santiago); president and members of the Executive Edna Acosta-Belén is Distinguished Professor “Adiós, Borinquen querida”; The Puerto Council (EC). The winning candidate for of Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Rican Diaspora, Its History, and vice president will serve in that capacity Latino Studies, and Women’s Studies at the Contributions (with M. Benítez et al.); The from November 1, 2007 to April 30, 2009 University at Albany, SUNY. She is also Puerto Rican Woman: Perspectives on and as president from May 1, 2009 until Director of the Center for Latino, Latin Culture, History, and Society, La mujer en la October 31, 2010. The three winning American, and Caribbean Studies (CELAC); sociedad puertorriqueña; The Hispanic candidates for EC membership will serve a a former Chair of the Department of Latin Experience in the United States (with B.R. three-year term beginning November 1, 2007. American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latino Sjostrom); Researching Women in Latin Studies; and editor and co-founder of the America and the Caribbean (with C.E. Bose); Latino(a) Research Review, a journal that Women in the Latin American Development Nominees for Vice President: focuses on the transnational connections Process (with C.E. Bose); and The Way It between the U.S. Latino(a) populations and Was and Other Writings by Jesús Colón Edna Acosta-Belén their Latin American and Caribbean (with V. Sánchez Korrol). In addition, she University at Albany, SUNY countries of origin. Dr. Acosta-Belén is a has over 50 articles published in a variety of John Coatsworth former President of the Puerto Rican Studies refereed journals and edited volumes. A Columbia University Association (PRSA, 2001-2003) and also promoter of gender studies, she has been an served as Vice President (1999-2000) of this organizer and participant in several feminist organization. She was Chair of the LASA encuentros in Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and Nominees for Executive Council: XVIII Congress Program Committee in at the University at Albany that have Atlanta (1994) and has co-chaired LASA’s involved scholars and activists from several Florence Babb Task Force on Women (1988-1991), Latino other Latin American and Caribbean University of Florida Studies Section (1997-1998), and Gender countries, the United States, as well as other Jonathan Hartlyn and Feminist Studies Section (2000-2001). regions of the world. She developed and co- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill She also served on LASA’s Development directed three major projects funded by the Committee (1995-97), LASA’s Executive Ford Foundation to internationalize women’s Yolanda Martínez-San Miguel Director Search Committee, and the Puerto studies with a focus on Latin American and University of Pennsylvania Rico Congress Advisory Committee (2005- the Caribbean, Africa, and Eastern Europe, Silvio Torres-Saillant 2006). She received her Ph.D. from and to incorporate the study of women into Syracuse University Columbia University. Her specialty areas are the area and ethnic studies curriculum. She Hispanic Caribbean and U.S. Latino cultural also has written extensively about the Teresa Valdes studies and literature; and feminist and intersections between area, ethnic, and Center for the Study and Development postcolonial studies. She has been a women’s studies and has been a promoter of of Women (CEDEM) postdoctoral fellow at Princeton and Yale a transnational hemispheric approach to the Deborah Yashar Universities, and a Visiting Professor at study of the Latin American and Caribbean Princeton University Cornell University. She has received regions and their (im)migrant Latino(a) numerous grants and fellowships from the populations in the United States. For over a Ford Foundation, the National Endowment decade, she was part of a team of scholars for the Humanities, the U.S. Department of who collaborated with the University of Education, the U.S. Information Agency, and Houston’s Recovering the U.S. Hispanic the Southern Fellowship Fund, among Literary Heritage. Dr. Acosta-Belén was others. She is serving or has served on the born and raised in Puerto Rico, but has lived Editorial Boards of the journals Signs, in the United States for almost four decades. Meridians, The Americas Review, Centro Journal, and Ethnic Explorations. Among Dr. Acosta-Belén’s book publications are:

28 Acosta-Belén Statement globalization is only a new term to refer to meaningful work that scholars and activists For many years LASA has been fortunate to processes that have been shaping the lives of have been carrying out since the creation of choose the kind of leadership that strives to peoples and nations for many centuries, its this esteemed organization. A great deal of be responsive to the multiplicity of interests impact is consistently felt in more this work has made a difference for the and disciplinary and interdisciplinary immediate, discernible, and profound ways, academy and for the communities of the approaches of its diverse membership. Most and there is an unavoidable convergence of Americas, but in the process we also need a recently, this has included engaging the pressing conditions and issues that fall more embedded awareness of the mutual organization in a stimulating and promising beyond the competence or capacity of any interdependence as knowledge producers process of “decentering” the field in order to single discipline or field to address, in and learners that should continue to be make it more attuned to the different or seeking and articulating alternative solutions nurtured among U.S.-based scholars and alternative forms of knowledge and and policies. Critical environmental and activists, and those based in Latin America, experiences that are being produced in Latin human rights issues, unrestrained the Caribbean or other countries. America and the Caribbean, not only by manipulations of labor and capital that often those privileged to be part of the academy, exacerbate socioeconomic and gender John H. Coatsworth recently left Harvard but also by those learning from a variety of inequalities, unfettered worldwide migration University for Columbia, where he is lived experiences and practices. At a time flows and population displacements from professor of history and international public when contemporary globalization processes developing countries to metropolitan centers, affairs, and director of Columbia’s Institute continue to impinge on and change the lives and new modes of social organizing and for Latin American Studies. He is the author of many peoples and nations around the collective action are only a few of the themes or editor of seven books and many scholarly globe—often in unforeseen or unimaginable that are opening up new opportunities for articles on Latin American economic and ways—it becomes increasingly difficult (and area studies scholars to join together and international history. He is a former perhaps even shortsighted) for producers of focus their expertise around specific issues president of the American Historical knowledge to remain solely within the that transcend the populations of our Association. At Harvard, he served as the confines of their own disciplinary or particular geographic areas of interest and founding Director of the David Rockefeller geographic area studies training in order to connect us to a wider global community. Center for Latin American Studies from its address the myriad of challenging What better place than LASA for this sort of creation in 1994 until 2006. He chaired the interrelated issues faced by a more collaboration, comparative work, and ACLS/SSRC Joint Committee on Latin interdependent human community. As a networking opportunities to continue being American Studies from 1985 to 1990. He product of interdisciplinary Latin American cultivated and promoted! In more local served twice on the LASA Executive Council Studies training, and after many years of my organizational terms, I see a need for LASA and as LASA Treasurer. He is a member of own involvement in what were once fledging to intensify its efforts in forging a more the Council on Foreign Relations, the Board (and for a long time considered) “marginal” welcoming environment for students by of Directors of the Tinker Foundation, and interdisciplinary fields (e.g., women’s studies, spearheading initiatives that further numerous professional associations. Puerto Rican/Latino Studies), it is now the encourage and facilitate their Congress Coatsworth received his BA degree in case that these, as well as other non- participation. Mentoring younger History from Wesleyan University (1963) traditional areas, have been contributing to generations of engaged scholars and activists, and his MA (1967) and Ph.D. (1972) some of the most stimulating and innovative and contributing to their continuous degrees in Economic History from the knowledge about the populations of our presence, successful career development, and University of Wisconsin, Madison. He hemisphere. Thus, I continue to envision integration into the professions, are goals taught at the University of Chicago from networks of scholars and activists pooling that we should continue to pursue more 1969 until he joined the Harvard faculty in their perspectives and resources across the proactively. Of course, for those of us who 1992. His other academic posts have confines of their disciplinary boundaries and have witnessed the evolution of LASA over included visiting professorships at El Colegio sites of knowledge coming together to share three decades and have been privileged to de México, the Universidad Nacional their professional expertise and practical learn a great deal from leaders and Autónoma de México, the National experiences in addressing some of the new colleagues who preceded us, it is of University of Buenos Aires, the Instituto problems and challenges posed by the paramount importance to encourage a new Torcuato di Tella in Buenos Aires, and the professed era of globalization. While crop of students to give continuity to the Instituto Ortega y Gassett in Madrid. He

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has served on the editorial boards of practical challenges we face as scholars and suspended the laws of physics. It is still numerous scholarly journals including the citizens. The Congresses, together with the impossible to do empirical research (or heal American Historical Review, the Journal of LASA sections, committees, publications, patients or negotiate a treaty) in more than Economic History, and the Hispanic and special projects, also create one place, with its unique language and American Historical Review and as well as opportunities for scholarly collaboration culture, at a time. Even in fields where social science and history journals published within and across disciplines and between abstract modeling has acquired a well- in Britain, Germany, Mexico, Peru, and scholars based in the United States and those deserved prestige, testing models (and even Spain. Professor Coatsworth’s most recent who work in Latin America and elsewhere. much of the inspiration that inspires their book is The Cambridge Economic History These vital activities contribute significantly design) depends crucially on advances in the of Latin America (2 vols., Cambridge to advances in many fields of knowledge and kind of knowledge that LASA members University Press, 2006), edited with Victor to the professional development of produce. As president, I would renew Bulmer-Thomas and Roberto Cortes Conde. thousands of teachers and scholars. As efforts to entice more of our colleagues in His research and publications have focused president, I would work to expand the the model building and quantitative human on comparative economic, social, and LASA endowment devoted to supporting sciences to participate in LASA Congresses. international history of Latin America, Latin American participation in LASA Given the significance of the Internet, I especially Mexico, Central America, and the Congresses and other activities. The would work to expand LASA’s electronic Caribbean. Other recent books include The decision to move LASA 2007 to Montreal to publishing capabilities, focused initially on United States and Central America: The make it possible for Cuban colleagues to papers related to each Congress’s overall Clients and the Colossus (New York: attend, exchange ideas, and participate fully theme. LASA has been a uniquely Twayne, 1994); Latin America and the also demonstrates LASA’s commitment to consistent voice of reason on issues of in World Economy Since 1800 (Cambridge: the principles of academic freedom and open inter-American relations. Repeated disasters Harvard University Press, 1998), edited with debate. LASA should continue to work to and failures attributable to U.S. policies have Alan M. Taylor; Culturas Encontradas: lift the intellectual embargo on U.S. scholars imposed heavy human and material costs on Cuba y los Estados Unidos edited with that limit and distort relations with our many Latin American societies. Since LASA Rafael Hernández and published jointly by Cuban colleagues. LASA’s commitment to is a U.S.-based organization, it seems the David Rockefeller Center and Cuba’s academic freedom and civil liberties is reasonable to me that the organization has Juan Marinello Center in 2001. Professor especially significant now, when a hyper- made it a point to express its concern Coatsworth was awarded the John Simon inflated “war on terror” has begun to erode whenever U.S. policy turned especially ugly Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship in civil liberties in the United States and is or stupid, even when the authors of such 1986, served as Senior Fulbright Lecturer making it more difficult, at times even policies prove to be predictably three times (for appointments in Argentina impossible, for foreign students and scholars unresponsive. The consolidation of and Mexico), and has received research and to enter the United States. LASA’s principles democracy over the past two decades has led institutional grants from public agencies and have also and quite appropriately led it to governments with priorities better aligned to private foundations in the United States and express solidarity with colleagues voter preferences and pledged to confront elsewhere. He has also acted as consultant experiencing persecution wherever they may the region’s notorious inequality and poverty for program design or review to numerous be. As president, I would use my experience while restoring economic growth. It would U.S. universities and private foundations. In developing academic exchange and study be a tragedy if the United States reverted to 2005, he was elected to membership in the abroad programs with Cuba to help LASA’s Cold War policies that treated such American Academy of Arts and Sciences. longstanding campaign to end restrictions on governments as potential enemies. As travel to Cuba and on the travel of Cuban president, I would look for ways that LASA’s Coatsworth Statement scholars to the United States. LASA’s vitality members can be more consistently informed LASA plays a vital role in encouraging strengthens area, regional and international and mobilized to improve the quality of U.S. research, teaching, professional development, studies in all their forms. LASA members policymaking toward Latin America. and civic engagement. Its Congresses bring debate the meanings of these terms and the us together, enrich our understanding of this utility of the diverse perspectives they imply. vast region in all its diversity, and help to But we all understand that the ubiquity of focus attention on the intellectual and English and the Internet has not yet

30 Florence E. Babb is the Vada Allen Yeomans of Latin American Anthropology (1999- would wish to see continued emphasis on Professor of Women’s Studies at the 2004), and is a past Chair (2000-2001) and issues of race, gender, and indigenous University of Florida, where she is also Program Editor of the LASA Section on identity, even as we become more cognizant Affiliate Professor of Anthropology and Lesbian and Gay Issues. She won the Elsa of urbanization and cosmopolitanism. Latin American Studies. She serves on the Chaney Prize for her paper presented at the While we must remain critical of the forces Advisory Council and is Coordinator for the 2001 LASA Congress. She served as a of neoliberalism and globalization, we Gender Specialization in the Center for Latin member of the 2006 Martin Diskin should take heart in the social movements American Studies. She studied at Tufts Memorial Lecture selection committee. and currents of change that are under way. University (BA Anthropology and French) She was a member of the Area Advisory As a cultural anthropologist who has played and the State University of New York at Committee for Latin America: Andean an active part in Latin American Studies Buffalo (MA, PhD Anthropology) and has Countries / Central America, Council for programs at several universities, I would like taught at Colgate University (1979-1982) International Exchange of Scholars to emphasize accountability to the peoples and the University of Iowa (1982-2004), (Fulbright Program) (1992-1994) and of the who are the subjects of our research and where she held joint appointments in Latin America Advisory Panel for CIES, teaching. LASA can be supportive of Anthropology and Women’s Studies. At Fulbright Senior Scholar Program (1999- progressive currents through the Iowa, she served terms as chair of the two 2001). She has received research awards association’s selection of Congress locations departments as well as of programs in from the Fulbright Foundation (1990-1991), and its efforts to build a strong membership international studies, including Latin the Wenner-Gren Foundation for base throughout Latin America. We can American Studies. Babb is the author of Anthropological Research (1991-1992), and consider ways to draw younger members Between Field and Cooking Pot: The the Ford Foundation (2001), and she was a and those from less-represented areas, and to Political Economy of Marketwomen in Peru Resident Scholar at the Rockefeller support the work of public intellectuals (1989, second edition 1998) and After Foundation’s Bellagio Center in Italy (2003). whose reach extends well beyond the Revolution: Mapping Gender and Cultural Babb has served as a member of the academy. LASA has an outstanding record Politics in Neoliberal Nicaragua (2001), Committee on Minority Issues in of accomplishment as an association and I both with University of Texas Press. Her Anthropology (2002-2005) and currently she would welcome the challenge of building on articles have appeared in many journals, is President of the Association for Feminist this strong record. including American Anthropologist, Cultural Anthropology (2005-2007). Anthropology, American Ethnologist, Jonathan Hartlyn is Professor of Political Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Babb Statement Science at the University of North Carolina Power, Ethnology, Journal of Latin At a time when Latin America is at Chapel Hill (UNC). He has served as American Anthropology, Latin American experiencing a political sea change, LASA’s Director of UNC’s Institute of Latin Research Review, and GLQ. She has co- broad membership across the Americas is American Studies and of the Carolina-Duke edited special issues of Latin American poised to play an increasingly important role Consortium in Latin American Studies, Perspectives on Gender and Same-Sex Desire in engaged scholarly work. I would be which has been a joint NRC Title VI Center (with James Green, 2002) and on Youth, honored to serve on the Executive Council since 1991. He has also served as Chair of Culture and Politics (with Jon Wolseth, in with others who are committed to building UNC’s Department of Political Science. preparation) and Critique of Anthropology on LASA’s long tradition of research and Born in Peru and reared in Latin America on Autonomy in an Age of Globalization: activism. Among the areas that I would like (including pre-revolutionary Cuba and The Vision of June Nash (with Lynn to address through service on the EC are Mexico), he received his Ph.D. at Yale Stephen, 2005). Babb’s current book enhancing relations with counterpart University (1981) and taught at Vanderbilt project, Touring Revolution, Fashioning associations at the international level and University from 1981 to 1988. He is the Nations, focuses on the cultural impact of Latin Americanist sections of disciplinary author of The Politics of Coalition Rule in tourism in post-revolutionary and post- organizations in the Americas. I would like Colombia (Cambridge University Press, conflict areas, including Nicaragua, Cuba, to see LASA embrace the Americas as a 1988); La política del régimen de coalición: Peru, and Mexico. She has served on the whole, with greater attention to Latinos/as La experiencia del Frente Nacional en editorial boards of Latin American in the United States and transnational, Colombia, 1993) and of The Struggle for Perspectives (1992-present) and the Journal diasporic populations more broadly. I Democratic Politics in the Dominican

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Republic (UNC Press, 1998; Spanish Comparative Democratization section of the commitment to Latin American and translation forthcoming 2007). He is the co- American Political Science Association Caribbean studies. I would particularly like author (with Manuel Antonio Garretón, (2005-2007). He has served as a program to apply myself to finding more ways for Marcelo Cavarozzi, Peter Cleaves and Gary reviewer for the Instituto de Estudios LASA to foster interdisciplinary dialogue Gereffi) of Latin America in the Twenty First Políticos y Relaciones Internacionales and collaborative research regionally and Century: Toward a New Socio-Political (IEPRI), Universidad Nacional de Colombia; inter-regionally as well as within and across Matrix (North-South Center and Lynne the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y disciplinary lines. As a Center Director and Rienner Press, 2003; América Latina en el Maestra (Dominican Republic); the board member, I have helped structure siglo XXI: Hacia una nueva matriz Departmento de Ciencia Política, programs and working groups to encourage sociopolítica, 2004 and Portuguese Universidad de Los Andes (Bogotá, interdisciplinary dialogue, and recognize its translation forthcoming 2007). He has co- Colombia); and the Center for Latin benefits and challenges. In my research, I edited three books: Latin American Political American and Iberian Studies, Vanderbilt discovered early on the joys of collaborative Economy (with Samuel Morley), 1986; The University, among others. He has been on scholarship, and I have co-edited three United States and Latin American in the the Advisory Council of LASA’s Colombia books, authored another with four 1990s: Beyond the Cold War (with Lars Section, as well as a member of the selection colleagues (!), and co-authored numerous Schoultz and Augusto Varas), 1992; and comittee for LASA’s Premio Iberoamericano articles. I would seek to bring this Democracy in Developing Countries: Latin (for the best book published in Spanish or collaborative spirit to the LASA Council, as America, 2nd edition (with Larry Diamond Portuguese). In 2000, he received UNC’s it continues to reach out to under- and Juan Linz), 1999. He has authored or Johnston Award for Teaching Excellence. represented disciplines while encouraging an co-authored articles in journals, including in His current research includes four appropriate balance across disciplinary Asian Journal of Latin American Studies, collaborative projects: analyzing the nature concerns. LASA could do more to Comparative Political Studies, Current of the gap between intentions and outcomes encourage inter-regional work with Africa, History, Estudios Jurídicos, Journal of in contemporary constitutional reforms in Asia and Eastern Europe; as a first step it Democracy, Journal of Interamerican Studies Latin America; critically examining the could join with other regional associations to and World Affairs, Latin American Research quality of electoral processes in Latin seek foundation support for collaborative Review, Revista Opinão Pública, and Studies America; examining the evolution of citizen inter-regional projects. I would also like to in Comparative International Development. evaluation of government institutions, work with others in further strengthening And, he has contributed chapters to government performance and women in LASA as an organization which can better numerous edited books, including politics in the Dominican Republic through meet the needs of all of its current members Cambridge History of Latin America; the use of surveys and other data; and while reaching out to new members and Democracia y Reestructuración Económica completing an edited volume in Spanish advocating for core academic and human en América Latina; Cambio Político en el applying the concept of the matriz socio- rights values. The establishment of the Caribe; Democratic Governance and Social política to five country case studies in the LASA Sections has been an important Inequality; Miradas Desencadenantes: Los region. innovation. It may be appropriate now to Estudios de Género en la República take a step back and examine ways in which Dominicana al Inicio del Tercer Milenio; and Hartlyn Statement LASA as an association can find ways to Electoral Authoritarianism: The Dynamics I am honored to be nominated to serve on facilitate their daily management, invigorate of Unfree Competition. He serves on the the Executive Council of LASA. I have been their on-going activities, and encourage editorial boards of América Latina Hoy, a regular participant at LASA Congresses cross-fertilization across Sections to ensure Anuario Social y Político de América Latina since 1979. For me, the value of the they don’t ultimately serve more to fragment y el Caribe, Journal of Latin American Congresses lies in the extraordinary mix of the association than to strengthen it. To Studies, and Latin American Politics and people, intellectual content, richness and remain a vigorous association, LASA must Society. He is on the Academic Advisory variety of the panels, centrality in facilitating constantly examine its success in Comittee of the Washington Office on Latin regional networking and connections, and incorporating the Latin American studies America (WOLA), the Executive Comittee of substantive and moral concerns engaged, all, community in its broadest sense, including the Asociación Latinoamericana de Ciencia crucially, with the ability also to have fun. I not just college and university-based Política (ALACIP), and is Chair of the would bring to LASA a decades-long scholars. Given continuing financial

32 limitations that face many colleagues in are not “migrating subjects” themselves, but “coloniality of diasporas” as a theoretical Latin America and the Caribbean, LASA are experiencing both massive emigration framework to study literary works by Aimé must continue to find ways to facilitate their and immigration to and from their places of Césaire, Frantz Fanon, Luis Muñoz Marín continuing participation in LASA and foster origin. Another objective of this project is to and Piri Thomas. Honors and Awards their professional development. identify some of the most significant cultural include the Ford Foundation Pre-doctoral manifestations—such as literature, cinema, (1990-1995), Dissertation (1995-1996) and Yolanda Martínez-San Miguel, Associate graffiti, music, and graphic arts—that Post-doctoral Fellowships (1999-2000), and Professor of Romance Languages. (B.A. incorporate migration into their definition of a Research Grant for the Bellagio Study and University of Puerto Rico, 1989; M.A. national and Caribbean identities, to explore Conference Center entitled Collaborative Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley the limits of some of the theoretical Writing on Translocal Flows in the Americas 1991, 1996). Martínez-San Miguel was categories produced within Regional, (co-authored with Marcial Godoy-Anativia) born in Santurce, Puerto Rico. Her areas of Migration and Cultural Studies in the United and sponsored by the Rockefeller research and teaching include: Colonial States. Professor Martínez-San Miguel has Foundation and the Program on Latin Latin American discourses and also edited with Mabel Moraña the America and the Caribbean, Social Science contemporary Caribbean and Latino compilation of essays “Nictimene sacrílega: Research Council (October 20-27, 2004). narratives; colonial and postcolonial theory, homenaje a Georgina Sabat de Rivers” migration and cultural studies. She has been (México: Iberoamericana and Claustro de Martínez-San Miguel Statement a faculty member at the University of Puerto Sor Juana 2003). She has published articles Since I became a member of LASA in 1991, Rico (1996-1997): Princeton University in Revista de Crítica Literaria I have valued the interdisciplinary dialogues (1997-2000); Rutgers, the State University of Latinoamericana, Revista Iberoamericana, promoted by the association in its New Jersey (2000-2003); and the University Posdata, Nómada, Revista de Ciencias publications and in its Congrsses. The of Pennsylvania (2003-present). Professor Sociales, Journal of Caribbean Literatures, conceptualization of Latin American culture Martínez-San Miguel is author of two Centro Journal, Colonial Latin American has traditionally been a common area of books. Saberes americanos: subalternidad y Review, and Debate Feminista. Martínez- research in the humanities and the social epistemología en los escritos de Sor Juana San Miguel just finished her third book sciences. In the last twenty years, however, (Pittsburgh: Instituto Internacional de project entitled “From Lack to Excess: the intersections between these two Literatura Iberoamericana, 1999) is the first ‘Minor’ Readings of Latin American disciplines have produced a new generation book-length analysis of the constitution of Colonial Discourse.” This book analyzes the of scholars who combine the empirical data an epistemological subjectivity in the works narrative and rhetorical structures of Latin of the social sciences with the discursive of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. This critical American colonial texts by establishing a analysis of literary studies, in order to reading explores three specific dimensions in dialogue with studies on minority discourse, conceptualize cultural productions as part of the constitution of a cognitive subject: her minor literatures, and colonial and a social, cultural, artistic, and political feminine condition, the colonial context in postcolonial theory. The manuscript continuum. Latin American Studies, which knowledge was produced, and the includes analysis of texts by Hernán Cortés, Migration Studies, Comparative Literature, emergence of a “Creole” perspective during Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, the Inca Spanish, English, History, Anthropology, the second half of the seventeenth century. Garcilaso de la Vega, Carlos de Sigüenza y Sociology, Latino and Cultural Studies have Caribe Two Ways: cultura de la migración Góngora and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. She all been home departments or programs in en el Caribe insular hispánico (Ediciones is working on a fourth book manuscript which “culture” is analyzed and Callejón, 2003) focuses on the entitled “Coloniality of Diasporas: reconceptualized from this interdisciplinary representation of displacement and the Rethinking Ethnic Minorities in a perspective. LASA has been crucial in the reconfiguration of a contemporary Comparative Context.” This project configuration of an academic community Caribbean identity in Cuba, the Dominican proposes a comparative study of Martinique that includes scholars based in the United Republic, Puerto Rico and Caribbean and Puerto Rico to explore two cases of States and Latin America. Humanistic enclaves in New York City. This study is an internal migration between former/actual studies and research within the United States attempt to assess what impact this metropolis and colonies. Using Aníbal have been traditionally conceived as an displacement of the “national” has had on Quijano’s notion of the “coloniality of extension of Lucien Goldman’s classical the reformulation of those subjectivities that power,” Martínez-San Miguel proposes model known as the “sociology of

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literature,” while in Latin American and University as the Wilbur Marvin Visiting author publications include An Intellectual Caribbean Studies this interdisciplinary Scholar affiliated with the David Rockefeller History of the Caribbean (Palgrave 2006), El dialogue between the social sciences and the Center for Latin American Studies. He has retorno de las yolas: Ensayos sobre diáspora, humanities has been a vital characteristic of sat on the boards of the New York Council democracia y dominicanidad (Ediciones the most prominent scholarship in the field for the Humanities, the Inter-University Librería La Trinitaria/Editora Manatí 1999), (Fernando Ortiz, Gilberto Freyre, Frantz Program for Latino Research, the and Caribbean Poetics: Toward an Aesthetic Fanon, Darcy Ribeiro, Antonio Cornejo Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary of West Indian Literature (Cambridge Polar, Néstor García Canclini, Stuart Hall, Heritage Project, the Dominican-American University Press, 1997). A native of the Nelly Richard, Beatriz Sarlo, Walter National Roundtable, the New York State Dominican Republic, Torres-Saillant came to Mignolo, among others). This critical Council on the Arts, Ollantay Center for the the United States in 1973, subsequently difference informs not only how research Arts, the Latin American Writers Institute, settling in the Dominican enclave of fields are conceived, but also how scholars the Mexico, Central America, and Caribbean Washington Heights, in northern are formed. I am interested in broadening Committee of the Fulbright Scholars Manhattan, where he participated actively in and fostering the intersections between the Program, the MLA Committee on the community activism for over fifteen years. social sciences and the humanities in the Literatures of People of Color in the United study of cultural representation in Latin States and Canada, the MLA Delegate Torres-Saillant Statement America and the Caribbean. We should Assembly, and the American Social History A certain view of blackness may affect the address how these disciplines are Project, among others. He has served on the study of Hispaniola. I once frequented a epistemologically constructed in Latin editorial boards of Callaloo, the Latino (a) college where the Afro-American faculty America and the United States. How do Research Review, Brújula/Compass, among asserted their primacy over Haiti, and their Latin American and U.S. Latino critics read other serial publications. He is Associate Latin American counterparts claimed the each other? How do their questions and Editor of Latino Studies and was one of the Dominican Republic. Monolingual training, methodologies overlap or diverge? These Senior Editors of the Oxford Encyclopedia legacies of fragmentation, and enduring disciplinary distinctions are central to how of Latinos and Latinas in the United States. biases that devalue heritages partition the we approach a field, and how we use its He is the Guest Editor of the spring 2007 hemisphere, discouraging our having a methodology in transnational intellectual issue of Review: Literature and Arts in the tolerably well-informed idea of the whole. contexts. I would like LASA to provide a Americas. The author of numerous journal Brazil may appear off limits to Latin space to analyze the implications of how essays, book chapters, and magazine articles, Americanists unsensitized to the multiplicity Latin American Cultural Studies is Torres-Saillant has published widely on of tongues spoken in the region. Indigenous articulated or imagined in the United States Caribbean, Dominican, Latino, and Latin voices will seldom reach beyond their vis-à-vis different institutions in Latin American topics, with a focus on cultural immediate communities if not dignified with America or the Caribbean. If elected to history, race and ethnicity, diasporic identity, translation into Spanish or Portuguese. The LASA’s Executive Council, I would also like and intellectual history. He has lectured educated in the hemisphere thus deprive to foster debates that promote paradigm widely in the United States and abroad, and ourselves of the wisdom of entire shifts among disciplines in the in 2005 he was decorated with the Order of civilizations, cultural prejudice and linguistic conceptualization of Latin American Merit of Duarte, Sanchez y Mella conferred limitations robbing us of it. Equally cultures. by the government of the Dominican troubling, a student may graduate from the Republic. He has co-edited the collections University of the West Indies without Silvio Torres-Saillant, Associate Professor of Desde la Orilla: hacia una nacionalidad sin knowing about José Martí, as George English and Director of the Latino-Latin desalojos (Santo Domingo 2004), The Lamming once noted with sadness. We American Studies Program at Syracuse Challenge of Public Higher Education in the recognize connection and interdependence University, was the founding Director of the Hispanic Caribbean (Princeton 2004), and between populations in Latin America and CUNY Dominican Studies Institute at City Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary in U.S. Hispanic settlements while sensing College of the City University of New York, Heritage, Vol. 4. (Houston 2002). With their apartness: their seamlessness where he served in the Hostos Community sociologist Ramona Hernández, he co- interrupted by migration to an alien land, College faculty until 2000. He spent authored The Dominican Americans emergence of minoritized identities, and academic year 2005-2006 at Harvard (Greenwood 1998). His book-length, single- cultural changes stemming from diminished

34 contact with lands of origin. Pan- University (Santiago) and has been a Tinker UNIFEM, UNFPA, IADB, World Bank, hemispheric paradigms typically gain Larocque Visiting Professor at Columbia JICA) and Chilean ministries (Women’s ascendancy in the profession due to scholarly University (New York, 1986). She studied Affairs, Health, Education, Housing), she desire and our viewing borderlessness as an Sociology at the Catholic University (Chile) also has been member of two national inevitable result of the fierce force of and is a Social Sciences Ph.D. candidate at governmental commissions: the Citizen globalizing, capitalist dynamics. But we the Buenos Aires University, Argentina. A Council for the Strengthening of Civil have yet to develop clearly explicable human rights activist, imprisoned by the Society (Rapporteur, 2000) and the notions of the precise continuities existing dictatorship, she became a leader of the Commission for the Analysis and Proposals between the Latino and Latin American Women’s Movement and contributed to the on Sexual Education (2004). Author of experiences. We lack a coherent discourse to development of its political agenda—later Venid, Benditas de mi Padre. Las speak efficiently about the socio-cultural and institutionalized by the first democratic Pobladoras, sus Rutinas y sus Sueños intellectual link of Caribbean societies with government. Member of the Sociology (FLACSO, 1988); De lo social a lo político. their respective diasporas in the United Group of the National Council for Science La acción de las mujeres latinoamericanas States. If granted the honor of serving on and Technology (Chile) and the Editorial (FLACSO-LOM, 2000); co-author of the LASA Executive Council, I would hope Committee of the Latin American Research Mujeres que sueñan: Las organizaciones de to contribute to ongoing efforts to articulate Review (México), she received in 2003 the pobladoras en Chile 1973-1989 with M. viable ways of tackling the challenge of “Elena Caffarena” Award given by the Weinstein (FLACSO, 1993); El poder en la seeing the Americas as a difficult totality government of Chile in the category pareja, la sexualidad y la reproducción. with inter- and intra-regional complexities “Woman Researcher in Science and Mujeres de Santiago with J. Gysling and C. and a perplexing rapport of diasporas and Education”. She coordinated the regional Benavente (FLACSO, 1999); El Indice de native lands. I expect my experience as a project “Latin American Women in Compromiso Cumplido-ICC. Un Comparatist, a Caribbeanist, a timid Latin Numbers” in 19 countries (1990-1995) that instrumento para el control ciudadano de la Americanist, an advocate of Latino Studies, led to the publication of 17 national studies equidad de género with a group of and a student of diasporic formations to and a comparative volume (translated to researchers (two volumes for Chile and other serve me in such an endeavor. I envision a English). For the first time in Latin America, countries and a comparative volume, time when the numerous culture areas within an integral vision of the situation of women FLACSO, 2001 and 2005); Puertas adentro. our region will become equally visible to compared to that of men was achieved and Mujeres, vulnerabilidades y riesgo frente al scholars. I envision scholars trained to many countries used their volume to prepare VIH/SIDA with C. Dides, A. Márquez and recognize the reality of the phenomena that national reports to regional forums. She K. Barrales (FLACSO–MINSAL (Chilean have split the hemisphere into distinct later led the regional project “The Index of Health Ministry), 2006). Editor of geographies of knowledge with contours Fulfilled Commitments” that published a Masculinidad/es. Poder y crisis with J. tenuous enough to interlace with adjacent “Social Watch Instrument for Women” in 18 Olavaria (Ediciones de las Mujeres Nº 24, geographies and steady enough to render the countries (1997-2004) and developed gender ISIS Internacional, 1997); Masculinidades y interlacing toilsome. indicators for the follow-up of the Beijing equidad de género en América Latina y el Platform for Action and the Cairo Caribe with J. Olavaria (FLACSO-UNFPA, Teresa Valdes is currently a senior researcher Programme of Action (ICPD). She is 1998); Familia y vida privada: of the Center for the Study and Development currently part of the international project ¿transformaciones, tensiones, resistencias o of Women (CEDEM) in Santiago, Chile. For “Introducing Gender and Sexualities in the nuevos sentidos? with X. Valdés 25 years, she was a researcher and professor Academic Curricula” (Colegio de México) (FLACSO–CEDEM–UNFPA, 2005). at the Latin American Faculty for Social and the Latin American Center for Sexuality Sciences (FLACSO) in Chile, where she also and Human Rights (Brasil). She is currently Valdes Statement has been Deputy Director (1996-2001) as preparing two books of the Index of I feel committed to pursue the strategy well as the founder and coordinator of the Fulfilled Commitments project and adopted by the actual directive of LASA Gender Studies Area (1993-2006). She is coordinating a Social Observatory of toward the strengthening of dialogue and also a visiting professor at the Stanford President Bachelet’s Commitments with collaboration among academic researchers in University´s Program in Chile (since 1995), Gender and Social Equity. A consultant for the Americas regarding Latin America and teaches at the Alberto Hurtado Jesuit international organizations (UNDP, the study of its profile, especially in the

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NOMINATING COMMITTEE SLATE continued…

prevalent moment of great transformations Deborah J. Yashar is Associate Professor of Yashar Statement and political and social opportunities in our Politics and International Affairs and Professor Yashar has been a member of region. The presence and leadership Director of the Program in Latin American LASA since 1992, during which time she has capacity of new actors on the political scene Studies at Princeton University. She is the joined the editorial board of LARR (2006), who emerged from the social processes of author of various articles and chapters on served on the nominations committee (2003- the last decades, as well as the redefinition of democracy, citizenship, indigenous 2004), and participated as a member of the the national and regional development movements, collective action, and Ford-LASA Special Projects Fund agendas, summon social scientists to a globalization. She has also written two Committee (2001). She was also an elected rapprochement and a comprehension that go books: Demanding Democracy: Reform and council member (1998-2001) of the New beyond simple visions and stereotypes—a Reaction in Costa Rica and Guatemala England Council of Latin American Studies. concern that calls for a renewal in the (Stanford University Press, 1997); and If elected to the LASA council, Yashar would discussions around leftisms, indigenism, Contesting Citizenship in Latin America: advocate to further expand opportunities for feminism, popular movements and The Rise of Indigenous Movements and the travel and participation by Latin American populisms as a necessary agenda. I believe Postliberal Challenge (Cambridge University scholars at LASA; would vote for Congress in the richness of LASA as an academic and Press, 2005). The latter received the 2006 venues that are politically accessible and political forum able to nurture the role and best book award from the New England financially affordable to our international commitment of the social sciences with the Council on Latin American Studies membership; and would continue to support possibility to build societies that guarantee (NECLAS) and the 2006 Mattei Dogan the creation of political task forces to the full validity of human rights and social Honorable Mention, awarded by the Society address pressing political issues. Yashar and gender justice, in the framework of a for Comparative Research. She is currently would also support the formation of globalization that tightens human bonds as writing a book, tentatively entitled Violence, research task forces to tackle more long-term well as economic and politic dependencies. Citizenship, and Security in Post- issues of academic and political interest to At the same time, I am deeply interested by Authoritarian Latin America, which sets out the region; themes would be proposed by the the contribution of LASA to the unfolding to explain both the contemporary rise in LASA community but examples for and elaboration of history and memory violent crime and the uneven record of Latin consideration might include international processes that may further these new America’s third wave democracies to secure task forces on enduring inequalities; understandings, together with fortifying a the rule of law. She is on the editorial violence; citizenship, mobilization, and wide array of social actors. Finally, I would boards of Latin American Research Review, representation; the new Latin American like to bring closer and invigorate the bonds World Politics, and Studies in Comparative left(?); revisiting empire; migration and between Latin American academicians and International Development, as well as diaspora; etc. These research task forces besides the institutional spaces that are more the international advisory board for Latin would be designed to promote academic traditionally linked to LASA, in order to pay American and Caribbean Ethnic Studies. As collaboration and to sustain agenda-setting attention to the great transformations a whole, Yashar’s work addresses broad scholarly exchange in the 18 months undergone by universities as well as to the social science debates about Latin America between LASA Congresses. emergence of new academic spaces and while drawing heavily on work from networks that seek to attend local needs. It political science, sociology, economics, is also very important that all the history, and anthropology. If elected, she components of this praxis be gathered in the would bring this commitment to best possible manner by the Latin American interdisciplinary conversations to the table. Research Review.

Please watch your email inboxes for instructions on how to vote. All voting is electronic.

36 NEWS FROM LASA

LASA Voluntary Support by SANDY KLINZING

Our biggest news is that LASA has five new LASA Travel Fund: Maria Lagos Life Members! Our warmest thanks to Ligia Aldana Erick Langer Florence Babb, Rosario Espinal, Kevin Robert Andolina Ramón Larrauri Torroella Middlebrook, Manuel Pastor and Marianne Arturo Arias Fragano Ledgister Schmink. Their Life Memberships not only Cynthia Arnson Elizabeth Leeds signal their commitment to the mission of George Avelino Filho William LeoGrande the Association, but also contribute to the Daniel Balderston Eloise Linger preparation of future scholars through James Bass Enid Logan support of the LASA Endowment. Over Carlos Batista Ryan Long the years all five have served in several LeGrace Benson Andres Malamud leadership positions in LASA, generously Berenice Bento Luciano Martinez contributing their time to serve as Section Michelle Bigenho Dina Maria Martins Ferreira officers and/or members of the Executive Kirk Bowman Daniel Mato Council. Thank you for your continuing Viviane Brachet-Marquez Cynthia McClintock support and dedication to the Association! Luiz Roberto Cairo Kathryn McKnight Gloria Alicia Caudillo Félix Teresa Meade LASA is working diligently to secure funding Deb Cohen Mariselle Melendez for the 2007 Congress. Thanks to your Rudi Colloredo-Mansfeld Tommie Sue Montgomery-Abrahams support of the Endowment, the Association Carmen Milagros Concepción Rodríguez Marietta Morrissey is able to fund a substantial number of travel Lucia Helena Costigan Mercedes Niño-Murcia grants. The remainder of what is required, Héctor Cruz-Feliciano Mary O’Connor however, comes from member and friend Allan Dawson Maria Rosa Olivera-Williams contributions to the Travel Fund, the Student Rut Diamint Carlos Pereda Fund, and the new Indigenous and Afro- Ariel Dorfman Milagros Pereyra-Rojas descendent Fund. A thank-you to all who James Dunkerley Eric Perramond continue to generously support these critical Ricardo Ffrench-Davis Thomas Perreault funds. (For information on how you too can Bryan Thomas Froehle Alexandra Pita González make a contribution, please refer to the end Claudia Galindo Lara Juan Poblete of this report.) Ana Garcia Chichester Nancy Postero Leo Garofalo Daniel Premo We gratefully recognize these donors since David Garrett Martha Rees our last report in the summer, 2006 issue of Donald Gaylord Graciela Riquelme the Forum. Daniel Goldstein Bryan Roberts Carlos Eduardo Gomes Siqueira Kenneth Roberts Laura Graham Reinaldo Roman Luis Eduardo Gruner Enrique Sacerio-Garí Matthew Gutmann Ciro Sandoval Nora Hamilton Linda Seligmann John Hammond Barbara Sjostrom Shareen Hertel Russell Smith Jose Infante Daniela Spenser Billie Jean Isbell Marcia Stephenson Jane Jaquette Rafael Tarrago Karen Kampwirth Clark Taylor Terry Karl Angela Thompson Maria Teresa Miceli Kerbauy Susana Torres Lucille Kerr Miren Uriarte

37 lasaforum SPRING 2007 : VOLUME XXXVIII : ISSUE 2

Ivani Vassoler-Froelich Gabriela Ramos Jane Henrici Oscar Vazquez Dierdra Reber Consuelo Hernández Heather Williams Martha Rees Ana Maria Kerekes Derek Williams Kenneth Roberts Norma Klahn Patrick Wilson Fernando Rosenberg Chuck Kleymeyer Ann Zulawski Elizabeth Russ Ramón Larrauri Torroella Joseph Scarpaci Fragano Ledgister LASA Student Fund: Virginia Snodgrass Enid Logan Moises Arce Natalia Sobrevilla Perea Lois Lorentzen Arturo Arias Mary Tacy Teresa Losada Katia Bezerra Rafael Tarrago Kathryn McKnight Kirk Bowman Victor Uribe-Uran Mauro Neves Junior Aurora Camacho De Schmidt Angel Viera Tirado Vivian Newdick Célica Cánovas Marmo Alberto Villanueva Liisa North Manuel Angel Castillo García Ivonne Vizcarra Bordi Karl Offen Cecilia Cervantes Derek Williams Thomas Perreault Serena Cosgrove Coletta Youngers Nancy Postero Lucia Helena Costigan Michele Zebich-Knos Miguel Ramirez Héctor Cruz-Feliciano Joanne Rappaport Allan Dawson Indigenous and Martha Rees Susan Deeds Afro-descendent Fund: Mariolga Reyes Carmen Diana Deere Ligia Aldana Kenneth Roberts Rut Diamint Robert Andolina Ivette Romero-Cesareo James Dunkerley Arturo Arias Ciro Sandoval Suzanne Fiederlein Maria Ines Arratia Arthur Schmidt Mayra Fortes Thomas Bamat Linda Seligmann Bryan Thomas Froehle James Bass Rachel Sieder David Garrett Linda Belote John Soluri Jorge Gil-Mendieta Mario Blaser Ronald Waterbury Andrea Goldstein Merle Bowen Derek Williams Carlos Eduardo Gomes Siqueira Jefferson Boyer Patrick Wilson Matthew Gutmann Bruce Calder Kristina Wirtz Neil Harvey Rudi Colloredo-Mansfeld Stephanie Wood Jose Infante Stuart Day Ranald Woodaman Lucille Kerr Jonathan Fox Kevin Yelvington Gwen Kirkpatrick Leo Garofalo Ramón Larrauri Torroella Chris Gilbreth General Endowment Fund: Fragano Ledgister John Gledhill Karen Atkison Eloise Linger Carlos Eduardo Gomes Siqueira Werner Baer Bernardo Lins Matthew Gutmann Helga Baitenmann Enid Logan René Harder Horst James Bass Ryan Long Regina Harrison Kirk Bowman Gustavo Lopez Angel Sarah Hautzinger Philip Brenner Brian Loveman Antonio Marquet Montiel Yolanda Martinez-San Miguel Irma Méndez de Hoyos Tommie Sue Montgomery-Abrahams Support at any level is most appreciated. Mauro Neves Junior Please see for information. Liisa North Maria Rosa Olivera-Williams You may also contact LASA Voluntary Support at 412-648-1907 to learn Eric Perramond more about contributions to the Association and to find out about Thomas Perreault special opportunities such as Life Memberships and memorial gifts, Roque Planas Juan Poblete or to discuss a bequest. Susan Quinlan Cynthia Radding

38 NEWS FROM LASA

Donald Castro LASA Membership Report 2006 Roberto Cespedes Ruffinelli Lucia Helena Costigan Laura Del Alizal Arriaga Laura Enriquez Elisa Facio Bryan Thomas Froehle Maura Fuchs Howard Handelman Sarah Hautzinger Jane Henrici Individual Memberships Yoshiaki Hisamatsu Total memberships 5613 (22 percent increase over 2005) Terry Karl Lucille Kerr A. Douglas Kincaid New members 1428 Masao Kinoshita Renewed from 2005 3116 (68 percent renewal rate) Sayuri Kuwabara Renewed lapsed members 1069 Ramón Larrauri Torroella Fragano Ledgister Member type: Eudora Loh Traditional members 2205 James Loucky Student members 970 John Loughney Life Members 67 Concepcion Martinez-Maske Joint Members 241 Mariselle Melendez Member residency: Milagros Pereyra-Rojas U.S. residents 3891 (69 percent of the membership) Eric Perramond Latin American residents 825 (15 percent of the membership) Peter Ranis Bryan Roberts Other Non-U.S. residents 896 (16 percent of the membership) David Robinson Three-year memberships initiated in 2006 165 Sarah Schoellkopf Yuriko Takahashi Major disciplines represented: George Vickers Literature 891 William Waters Political Science 839 History 779 Humanities Endowment Fund: Anthropology 538 Joseph Arbena Sociology 427 Deb Cohen Latin American Studies 282 Lucia Helena Costigan Economics 176 Verónica De la Torre Cultural Studies 127 Ricardo Ffrench-Davis International Relations 111 William Garner Education 105 Laura Graham Nils Jacobsen Lucille Kerr Institutional Memberships John Landreau Total memberships 99 (3 percent increase over 2005) Ramón Larrauri Torroella New members 8 Linda Ledford-Miller Renewed from 2005 69 Fragano Ledgister Catherine Lugar Renewed lapsed members 22 Marianella Machado Institution location Dina Maria Martins Ferreira United States 82 Ana Ramírez Barreto Latin America 6 Kathleen Ross Other Non-U.S. 11 Víctor Zúñiga

39 http://lanic.utexas.edu/project/laoap/

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