Railroad radicals in Cold War Mexico : gender, class, and memory / Robert F. Alegre ; [foreword by] Elena Poniatowska.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Alegre, Robert F.

Series:

Mexican experience.

The Mexican experience

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Railroads--Employees--Labor unions--Mexico--History--20th century.

Railroads.

Mexico--History--20th century.

Mexico.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (300 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Lincoln, Nebraska : University of Nebraska Press, [2014]

Language Note:

English

Summary:

"An in-depth study of railroad labor activism in the context of Mexico's Cold War experience"-- Provided by publisher.

"Despite the Mexican government's projected image of prosperity and modernity in the years following World War II, workers who felt that Mexico's progress had come at their expense became increasingly discontented. From 1948 to 1958, unelected and often corrupt officials of STFRM, the railroad workers' union, collaborated with the ruling Institutionalized Revolutionary Party (PRI) to freeze wages for the rank and file. In response, members of STFRM staged a series of labor strikes in 1958 and 1959 that inspired a nationwide working-class movement. The Mexican army crushed the last strike on March 26, 1959, and union members discovered that in the context of the Cold War, exercising their constitutional right to organize and strike appeared radical, even subversive. Railroad Radicals in Cold War Mexico examines a pivotal moment in post-World War II Mexican history. This study of railroad labor activism argues that the railway strikes of the 1950's constituted the first and boldest challenge to PRI rule and marked the beginning of mass dissatisfaction with the ruling party. In addition, Robert F. Alegre gives the wives of the railroad workers a narrative place in this history by incorporating issues of gender identity in his analysis"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

""Cover ""; ""Title Page ""; ""Copyright Page ""; ""Contents ""; ""List of Illustrations""; ""Foreword""; ""Acknowledgments""; ""List of Abbreviations""; ""Map of Mexico""; ""Introduction""; ""1. "The Mexican Revolution Was Made on the Rails""; ""2. "Born into the Railway""; ""3. "Who Is Mr. Nobody?""; ""4. The "War of Position""""; ""5. Railroaded""; ""Conclusion""; ""Notes""; ""Bibliography""; ""Index""

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781496209641

1496209648

9780803248700

0803248709

OCLC:

862614690