Since 2006, the Caravan of Central American Mothers travels across Mexico to look for their children who have disappeared in this nation while trying to reach the U.S. illegally. Their search...Show moreSince 2006, the Caravan of Central American Mothers travels across Mexico to look for their children who have disappeared in this nation while trying to reach the U.S. illegally. Their search became a battle against the systematic disappearance of migrants in transit and the massive violation of their human rights which are currently taking place in Mexico, in the indifference of the State and the society. By conducting a close cultural analysis of the symbolic practices used by the Caravan during its protests, this thesis argues that the Caravan’s mobilization of their motherhood, which intertwines with commemorative and dignifying acts, is a powerful tool aimed at humanizing the experience of illegal migrants and fostering respect for them and their rights. This is particularly relevant in a context in which structural and cultural violence feed into each other contributing to dehumanize the figure of the illegal migrant.Show less
In 2007, President Rafael Correa proposed the unique idea to refrain from oil extraction in one of the most biologically diverse areas of the world and home to indigenous groups, the ITT block of...Show moreIn 2007, President Rafael Correa proposed the unique idea to refrain from oil extraction in one of the most biologically diverse areas of the world and home to indigenous groups, the ITT block of the Yasuní National Park. It was seen to be building on the concept of Buen Vivir, following a new pathway towards a new vision of society and development. However, in 2013, it all came tumbling down when President Correa decided to terminate the historic initiative. The paradoxical position of the government, both responsible for the implementation and dependent on exploitation for its finance has often been part of the discussions surrounding the initiative. This thesis provides a critical discourse analysis of the official political speeches of Rafael Correa in order to allow for a new understanding of how the Yasuní-ITT initiative failed. This thesis aims to explore the development strategy of Rafael Correa by analysing how is Buen Vivir appropriated in the official political discourse with regards to the Yasuní-ITT initiative.Show less
This thesis analyses how prolific musicians of the time Gilberto Gil and Criolo have provided social and political commentary on behalf of traditionally marginalised communities in Brazil, and in...Show moreThis thesis analyses how prolific musicians of the time Gilberto Gil and Criolo have provided social and political commentary on behalf of traditionally marginalised communities in Brazil, and in what way they have been able to provide such commentaries.Show less
In this thesis an examination of feminist abortion campaigns in Chile is given, with a specific focus on the portrayal of women in the campaigns constructed by different feminist organisations. By...Show moreIn this thesis an examination of feminist abortion campaigns in Chile is given, with a specific focus on the portrayal of women in the campaigns constructed by different feminist organisations. By looking at various specific aspects of campaign videos, conclusions are made whether the organisations try to conform to the traditional idea of women in Chile, or whether they try to confront this.Show less
Since 1990s new tango trends have developed in Buenos Aires, remarkably after the crisis in 2001. Meanwhile, due to neoliberalism, polarisation is increasing in the Argentinean society with...Show moreSince 1990s new tango trends have developed in Buenos Aires, remarkably after the crisis in 2001. Meanwhile, due to neoliberalism, polarisation is increasing in the Argentinean society with individualistic traits. In need for a stronger sense of collectivism, local communities in the capital city are gathering people together in local bars making music. One of these music styles is worldwide-known and tourist-exploited tango genre. This thesis will analyse the narratives created by a contemporary tango band, Amores Tangos, to understand the process and significance of these music trends in Buenos Aires.Show less
Mexico’s black population remains socially and legally invisible and continues to exist at the fringes of Mexican society. The marginalization and negation of Afro-Mexicans is deeply rooted in the...Show moreMexico’s black population remains socially and legally invisible and continues to exist at the fringes of Mexican society. The marginalization and negation of Afro-Mexicans is deeply rooted in the country’s history and is most significantly manifested in the exclusion of blackness from the collective national identity discourse (Quecha 156). Apart from the oppression suffered by black people under the racist colonial system, Afro-descendants were completely excluded in the construction of the racial identity discourse of ‘Mestizaje’; emerging in the course of the Mexican revolution and the formation of the Mexican nation state at the start of the 20th century (Martínez-Echazábal 33).Show less
The new era of tourism in Cuba draws parallels to features that characterized tourism in pre-revolutionary Cuba. The socialist state regained its tourists’ paradise status whereby nearly every...Show moreThe new era of tourism in Cuba draws parallels to features that characterized tourism in pre-revolutionary Cuba. The socialist state regained its tourists’ paradise status whereby nearly every aspect of the island was procurable to foreign visitors. One of the elements commodified under this new wave of tourism is the black woman’s body and sexuality. With the turn of the 1990s, the exploitation of black female bodies reemerged in order to market an imagined and sexualized image of Cuba to foreign tourists that seek a primitive representation of the island.Show less
This paper seeks to identify and expand the discussion on the implementation of fair trade and food sovereignty strategies within the context of the Nicaraguan coffee industry. These strategies...Show moreThis paper seeks to identify and expand the discussion on the implementation of fair trade and food sovereignty strategies within the context of the Nicaraguan coffee industry. These strategies have been proposed within the academic debate as complementary, therefore, this paper explores in how far this proposal has been considered in terms of both historically contextual challenges, as well as theoretical challenges presented by each strategy. The theoretical framework of food regimes, and of the corporate food regime as an extension, is utilised in order to present the various actors and ideological backgrounds relevant to this discussion. Additionally, this paper outlines the global and national contexts of coffee production in order to place any findings in its appropriate context. Lastly, the theoretical issues found through the aforementioned discussion is explored within the case study of the ‘Food and Nutrition Sovereignty and Security Law’ or law 693. This paper proposes that future expansion on this topic consider more closely the following dimensions of the debate: historical legacies of revolution; universalist approaches within the two strategies; the absence of food sovereignty institutionalisation within the academic debate; and the failure to seriously accept the trend of corporatisation of fair trade.Show less
This thesis focuses on the authenticity of Cuban music and compares the internal and external perception of this music. It does this by studying both several Cuban music groups, albums and songs...Show moreThis thesis focuses on the authenticity of Cuban music and compares the internal and external perception of this music. It does this by studying both several Cuban music groups, albums and songs such as Buena Vista Social Club and La Charanga Habanera. This thesis will make its argument in three chapters. The first chapter studies and critically analyzes the BVSC album and documentary in order to discuss foreign perceptions of Cuba. It compares BVSC to a similar music project named ‘Black August Hip-Hip Collective (BAHHC), which was made during the same time and was also founded by an American. The main argument of this chapter is that the foreign perception of Cuba is incorrect and biased. The second chapter examines the internal view of Cuba. It studies and critically analyzes a Cuban music group named ‘La Charange Habanera’, who released an album in the same year as BVSC, and is quite famous within Cuba. This chapter will then compare La Charanga Habanera to both the BVSC and the BAHHC projects. The main argument of this chapter is that the internal view on Cuba differs largely than the foreign perception. The last chapter will compare all three music projects and albums and will attempt to investigate and understand the extent to which all three projects can be seen as ‘authentic’ Cuban music. It will argue that the BVSC is authentic, despite its Euro centrism, the BAHHC less so and La Charanga Habanera is most authentic. The conclusion will provide an answer to the research question and will provide a further discussion on the material that has been debated throughout the paper.Show less
After the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro installed an anti-western, one-party communist system. In Castro’s 'Speech to Intellectuals' in 1961 he spoke the famous words: “within the Revolution,...Show moreAfter the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro installed an anti-western, one-party communist system. In Castro’s 'Speech to Intellectuals' in 1961 he spoke the famous words: “within the Revolution, everything goes; outside the Revolution, nothing”. In the cultural sector this meant that artists, intellectuals, and writers had the freedom to express themselves, as long as it was in line with Castro’s ideology. I will look at the effect of this statement in the art world, taking the performance Tatlin’s Whisper #6 and its re-staging #YoTambienExijo by the Cuban artist Tania Bruguera as case studies. This thesis concludes that Cuban culture is used for two extremes: as political propaganda by Castro and as tool for political critique by Bruguera.Show less
Domestic servants a ubiquitous feature of Latin American society, they are fully embedded in everyday life and seem invisible in real life and even in visual media. Recently, there has been an...Show moreDomestic servants a ubiquitous feature of Latin American society, they are fully embedded in everyday life and seem invisible in real life and even in visual media. Recently, there has been an increase in the representation of lower classes on screen and domestic servants have more representation, even though it is limited. The attention on the previously ignored is a shift from traditional values and breaks social taboos. The movies La Nana (Sebastian Silva, Chile, 2009) and Que Horas Ela Volta? (Anna Muylaert, Brazil, 2015) focus on these invisible characters and the traditional social oppression of the maid. This thesis provides a cultural study on film narrative and style, covering class, gender and ethnicity differences on the maids in a comparison of La Nana and Que Horas Ela Volta?. These movies aim to present class division in Chile and Brazil with the maid as narrative and make the maid visible. However, this thesis argues that maids are a little visible with their presence in movies, but unheard. The hypothesis is that the movies address the social oppression of domestic servants and although the new identity-forming of lower classes is somewhat broken through, the maid remains a largely invisible, ambiguous, and unrepresented character.Show less
