Nationalist myths and ethnic identities : indigenous intellectuals and the Mexican state / Natividad Gutiérrez.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Gutiérrez, Natividad, 1959-

Gutiâerrez, Natividad, Author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Indians of Mexico--Intellectual life.

Indians of Mexico.

Indians of Mexico--Ethnic identity.

Indians of Mexico--Government relations.

Ethnicity--Mexico.

Ethnicity.

Nationalism--Mexico.

Nationalism.

Indians of Mexico--Intellectual life--Mexico.

Indians of Mexico--Ethnic identity--Mexico.

Mexico--Politics and government.

Mexico.

Mexico--Ethnic relations.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xvii, 242 p. ) maps ;

Place of Publication:

Lincoln [Neb.] : University of Nebraska Press, c1999.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This timely study examines the processes by which modern states are created within multiethnic societies. How are national identities forged from countries made up of peoples with different and often conflicting cultures, languages, and histories? How successful is this process? What is lost and gained from the emergence of national identities?Natividad Gutierrez examines the development of the modern Mexican state to address these difficult questions. She describes how Mexican national identity has been and is being created and evaluates the effectiveness of that process of state-building. Her investigation is distinguished by a critical consideration of cross-cultural theories of nationalism and the illuminating use of a broad range of data from Mexican culture and history, including interviews with contemporary indigenous intellectuals and students, an analysis of public-school textbooks, and information gathered from indigenous organizations. Gutierrez argues that the modern Mexican state is buttressed by pervasive nationalist myths of foundation, descent, and heroism. These myths expressed and reinforced through the manipulation of symbols, public education, and political discourse downplay separate ethnic identities and work together to articulate an overriding nationalist ideology.The ideology girding the Mexican state has not been entirely successful, however. This study reveals that indigenous intellectuals and students are troubled by the relationship between their nationalist and ethnic identities and are increasingly questioning official policies of integration."

Contents:

Theories of Nationalism Revisited

The Composition of the Educated Indigenous Elite

The Historical Transformation of Indian Identity

The Nation Made by the Educational System

Textbooks and National Identity

Mexicanization or the Plurality of Mexico

The Emergence of Indigenous Intellectuals and Their Responses to National Identity

National Myths as Seen by Indians

Civic Heroes of Liberalism

Indian Women Writers

Indian Intellectuals after the Chiapas Conflict.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. [213]-232) and index.

ISBN:

0-585-31059-9