STONE CENTER FOR LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES

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Stone Center for Latin American Studies

Maya Language Goes Multimedia

In Guatemala this past July 2007, the six-week summer intensive Kaqchikel Maya program organized by Judith Maxwell, professor of anthropology, and sponsored by the Stone Center for Latin American Studies at Tulane teamed up with the Innovative Learning Center to produce the first of four instructional CD-ROMs to teach introductory Kaqchikel Maya language. This year's group of students attending the intensive institute received the CD-ROM to accompany their experience with the language and culture of the Maya. Check out the full story here.

Richard Greenleaf Chair in Latin American Studies, Spring 2007 - Arturo Arias
by Hilary Smith

The Stone Center for Latin American Studies and Tulane University are honored to have Arturo Arias join their faculty during the Spring 2007 semester. Arias holds the Richard E. Greenleaf Distinguished Chair in Latin American Studies and is currently teaching two courses in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, “Revolution and Dissidence” and “Mayan Literature and Literature about Maya”. 

Arias is the Director of Latin American Studies at the University of Redlands in California. He co-wrote the screenplay for the film El Norte (1984) noting his collaboration on this project as one of his most important and influential achievements because the film is one of the first cultural productions that helped make Mayas visible in the Western world. He is the author of six novels: Después de las Bombas (1979), Itzam Na (1981), Jaguar en Llamas (1989), Los caminos de Paxil (1991), Cascabel (1998), and Sopa de Caracol (2002). He was honored with the Casa de las Américas Prize for Itzam Na and the Anna Seghers Award for Jaguar en Llamas. Arias is a specialist on ethnic issues and subaltern identity, both of which are central themes appearing in his fiction and his academic studies. He has published two books of literary criticism La identidad de la palabra (1998) and Gestos Ceremoniales (1998) which deal with 20th Century Guatemalan fiction and contemporary Central American fiction, respectively. His academic work is also highlighted by his publication of the critical edition of Miguel Ángel Asturias’ Mulata de Tal as well as an edited volume, The Rigoberta Menchú Controversy, dealing with the recent polemic about Rigoberta Menchú’s testimonial, Me llamo Rigoberta Menchú y así me nació la conciencia. Commenting on the book, Arias noted, “The book played a crucial role in stemming the conservative Eurocentric white-supremacist tide that attempted to sully the trajectory of the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, which represented the most important development in the history of indigenous peoples in the Americas since the 16th century. The book made a major contribution to stopping the hemorrhage and prevented Ms. Menchú’s trajectory from being derailed.” Arias also served as the President of the Latin American Studies Association from 2001-2003.

Arias arrived at Tulane through a connection with Maureen Shea, Associate Professor of Spanish in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Laughing, Shea remembers the scene from the conference in Puerto Rico: “We were all out having fun on the dance floor at LASA and I looked over at him and asked, ‘Arturo, do you want to come to Tulane for a semester?’” Arias remembers his response, explaining, “Being Central American, thinking of Katrina, and of the need to manifest one's solidarity with all places that suffer any kind of setback at any given time, I immediately said yes.” Also speaking of his desire to accept the position at Tulane, Arias stated, “I felt it was my duty to do so, just as people came from all over the world to Central America both in the wake of the earthquakes of the 1970s, and of the civil wars, during the 1980s and 1990s. When you come from a place where selfless people have gone to offer their help at risk of their own lives and welfare, and you have any sort of ethical principles, you always feel that it is your duty to do likewise when tragedy strikes elsewhere.”

Shea commented on the attraction of having Arias spend a semester at Tulane noting that he is one of very few prominent and widely respected critics and theorists of Central America who is himself Central American. A specialist on Guatemala in particular, Arias is involved in cultural and social issues and intellectual debates surrounding the region as a whole. Since the departure of Central-Americanist Because of the departure of Central-Americanist Nicasio Urbina, Shea was excited by the prospect of being joined again by another academic who could draw more attention to and emphasize the study of Central American literature, bringing it back as a prominent focus in the department. Of Arias, Shea noted, “Arturo is unique because of his excellent ability to forge a coherent view of not only Guatemala but also Central America as a whole. He has a broad vision of Central American literature in general—of where it has been and where it is going.”

Since arriving in New Orleans, Arias has had positive experiences both at Tulane and in the community: “I loved Mardi Gras, of course, and I have felt very much at home at Tulane. The Spanish and Portuguese department is a wonderful, tightly-knit, friendly department where people work hard and party hard just like I do myself. I am convinced that it is one of the best departments in the country, and it is very young. If it stays together, it will leave a long wake in the future. The Stone Center is equally magnificent. The personnel are all warm, friendly, helpful, and they are always available and smiling, willing to make things easier in every possible way. It could not be any better. And then, you go out on weekends like we did with some colleagues from the Spanish Department to places like Tipitina's to listen to musicians like Ivan Neville, and you can’t help but think you are on top of the world.”  

Gibson attends Arts and Humanities Conference
by Hilary Smith

On January 12-15, 2007 Latin American Studies M.A. candidate Annie Gibson attended the 5th Annual Hawaii International Conference of the Arts and Humanities in Honolulu. The goal of the conference is to provide an opportunity for academicians and professionals from various arts and humanities related fields from all over the world to come together and learn from each other. Gibson’s paper, entitled “Capoeira: Ritualized Resistance in a World Upside Down,” focused on implications of ritual in capoeira. Gibson commented, “I spoke specifically about how capoeira songs are used to pass down oral history, assert an alternate religious world view, and provide an outlet for active resistance for a group who was often left voiceless. The paper highlights of lyrics, rhythm, and the interplay between music and movement can be an expression of an alternate social world.”

LAGO Hosts Election Roundtable
by Hilary Smith
 
Friday, February 9th the Latin American Graduate Organization hosted a roundtable discussion on recent Latin American elections in Mexico, Central America, Brazil, Ecuador and Peru. Guest panelists were Ludovico Feoli, Political Science Ph.D. candidate; James Huck, Assistant Director of the Stone Center for Latin American Studies; Mauro Porto, Assistant Professor of Communication; Donna Lee Van Cott, Associate Professor of Political Science; and Justin Wolfe, Assistant Professor of History. Held in the Stone Center’s Greenleaf Conference Room, the discussion addressed election context, neo-populism, local politics, the role of the media, regional integration, and election fairness.

Tulane Students Attend ILASSA
by Hilary Smith
 
On February 1-3, 2007 thirteen Tulane graduate and undergraduate students traveled to Austin, Texas to attend the 27th annual student conference on Latin America hosted by The University of Texas at Austin’s  Institute of Latin American Studies Student Association. Held at the university’s Thompson Conference Center, the conference is the oldest student-run academic conference on Latin America in the world.

Brazilian social activist, Anderson Sá, delivered the conference’s opening address. A former drug trafficker turned social revolutionary in Rio de Janeiro’s most feared slum, Sá was the subject of the recent critically acclaimed documentary, Favela Rising. The film chronicles the rise of Sá’s AfroReggae music movement and shows how the music and culture of Brazil’s underclass transform into a catalyst for grassroots social change. 

The conference closed with an address by Oscar Olivera who has, for the past decade, been among the most respected leaders and voices of Bolivia’s dynamic social movements. A former shoe-factory worker, Olivera has been at the center of many popular struggles to resist the privatization of natural resources, to ensure that all Bolivians have access to basic needs, and to deepen democracy by developing mechanisms for local autonomy. In 2000, Olivera emerged as the leader of the people of Cochabamba’s successful resistance to the privatization of the city’s water supply.

Nearly 100 undergraduate and graduate students from the U.S., as well as Canada, Bolivia, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Puerto Rico, and Europe presented their research. Student research varied in academic discipline and subject, but included such topics as remittances and the economics of immigration, national identity, social movements, and indigenous rights. Discussion moderated by UT faculty and doctoral candidates follows each student presentation.

Tulane student participants and research topics are listed below:

Christina Abreo, “Guatemala’s Bilingual Intercultural Education System and Indigenous
Political Participation”

Sarah Bailey, “Democratic Devotion: The Role of Printing in the Rise of the Cult of Guadalupe”

Marcelle Beaulieu, “Rowdy Cowboys and Masked Indigenas: Citizenship and Autonomy in
Contemporary Social Movements”

Derek Burdette, “Changing Context, Changing Meaning: A Study of Processional Sculpture in
the Corpus Christi Celebrations of Cuzco”

Adam Frick, “‘Nova Orleans’ ? Retention Factors for Brazilian Undocumented Immigrants in
post-Katrina New Orleans”

Rajeev Gundur, “Forging a New Identity: The Reconstruction of the Mexican Worker Family in
the Context of Transnational Communities”

Rodrigo Massi, “The Gendered City: Modernism, Masculinity, and the Military in San Salvador,
1920-1980”

Aaron Miller, “An Examination of the Impact of Information Communication Technologies on
Social Movements in Latin America”

Lauren Nussbaum, “Housing in Havana: A Socialist Paradox”

Amanda Parker, “Free from the Shadow: Re-Identification of Cultural Expression in Argentina
in the Face of Redemocratization”

Jennifer Siegler, “Woven Imagery: Significance of Aztec Textile Designs”

Danielle Thal, “The Persistent Problem of Indigenous Guatemalans’ Access to Health Care”

Cara Zacks, “The Spanish Moctezumas: Challenging Traditional Representations of the
Moctezuma Family in New Spain”

Latin American Graduate Organization Sponsors Soccer Tournament
by Hilary Smith
 
On Sunday, November 19, LAGO, the Latin American Graduate Organization, at Tulane University sponsored its first annual soccer tournament at the university’s Uptown Campus. Seven teams participated in the tournament, several comprised of ESL students taught by members of the Stone Center for Latin American Studies. There was also a team comprised of LAGO members as well as a team of Tulane undergraduates. The double elimination tournament took place at the UC quad on campus and began at 10 am with the final match being played around 4 o’clock. The tournament brought together a diverse mix of the New Orleans public—Tulane graduate and undergraduate students as well as members of the Mexican and Brazilian communities present in the city. The final match of the tournament pitted the skilled team of Tulane undergraduates against an experienced Brazilian team. Ultimately, the Brazilians triumphed and were awarded first place at the trophy ceremony lead by LAGO coordinators Marcelle Beaulieu and Annie Gibson. The tournament was a resounding success which fittingly ended with eager questions anticipating the next soccer competition at Tulane.

Latin American Studies PhD Graduates Discuss Academic Careers
by Hilary Smith
 
On Friday, December 8, the Stone Center for Latin American Studies held a round table discussion on academic career possibilities for graduates pursuing a Ph.D. in Latin American Studies. Four recent Tulane LAS Ph.D. recipients discussed their personal experiences, strategies and ultimate success on the academic job market with an interdisciplinary doctorate.  The event was aimed at students currently pursuing an interdisciplinary doctorate and those weighing the possibilities of an advanced degree in Latin American Studies. The guest participants were Dr. David Carey, Associate Professor of History at the University of Southern Maine, Dr. Ted Henken, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Black and Hispanic Studies at Baruch College, City University of New York, Dr. Amy Hite, Assistant Professor and Chair of the Department of Sociology, Xavier University, New Orleans and Dr. Sallie Hughes, Assistant Professor of Communication, University of Miami.

TUCLA Conference
by Hilary Smith
 
The Fourth Annual Tulane Undergraduate Conference on Latin America (TUCLA) took place at the Stone Center for Latin American Studies on Saturday, December 2. The conference, designed to provide undergraduates the opportunity to present papers in the style and atmosphere of an academic conference, is an interdisciplinary symposium for seniors in the Latin American Studies program. During the conference, students presented individual research projects done as part of their core seminar class. Twenty two students participated in the conference which was split into three sessions. Each session was made up of two panels geared toward key concepts focused on in the Latin American Studies curriculum. The undergraduate presentations in each panel were followed by discussion lead by a faculty guest speaker. The first panel, Encounter, centered on struggles over race, gender, and nation in Latin American art and society. The panel on Exchange dealt with the culture and economics of displacement. The third panel, Creativity, was designed to deal with issues of art and politics while the following panel, Identity, dealt with issues of culture, tradition and development. The final two topics covered were Nation and Welfare which addressed nationalism in politics and society and health policy in Latin America. Faculty discussants included Amy George-Hirons of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, Pamela Rogers of the Department of Sociology, Vicki Mayer of the Communications Department, Javier León of the Music Department, Justin Wolfe of the Department of History, and Mary Clark of the Political Science Department. Edie Wolfe, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Programs at the Stone Center, was extremely pleased with this year’s conference, noting, “I was very impressed with our students’ performance. They took the conference very seriously and gave really interesting and polished presentations.” She also commented on the maturity and thoughtfulness with which the students responded to the faculty discussants who also participated in the conference.

Student participants and research topics are listed below:

Adam Adkin, “The Paradox of Transnational Indigenous Identities in Argentina”

Kristen Ardani, “Endangered Potatoes: Conserving Chile’s Cultural Legacy and Ensuring the Food Supply Culture”

Yasmin Bahora, “The Limitations of Socialist Democracy in Chile: Salvador Allende and Social Medicine”

Michelle Berkowitz, “The Cuban Jewish Experience: A Rare Case”

Eric Boggs, “Curanderismo’s Survival within the Modern U.S. Health Care System”

Lindsey Boss, “Colombia-Venezuela: How Personal Relationships Change Public Policy”

Molly Grossman, “The Battle over Morality: Church and State versus Progressive Healthcare in Post-Authoritarian Argentina”

Rajeev Gundur, “Politics of the Mexican Transnational Communities: The Evolution of Government Attitudes”

Anjela Jenkins, “Manipulating Motherhood: The Enduring Legacy of Revolutionary Gender Role Revisionism in Post-Sandanista Nicaragua”

Lauren Kurczewski, “Salvadoran Dependence on Remittances from the United States”

Emily Rose McRae, “For Love or Money: Modeling Motivations of Hispanic Migration to New Orleans”

Megan Montgomery, “Carnival! The Symbolic Construction of National Identity in Brazil”

Amanda Parker, “Free from the Shadow: Cultural Expression in the Face of

Redemocratization, What Went Wrong in Argentina?”

Emily Ratner, “Reworking the Revolutionary: The Changing Relevance of the Image of

Che Guevara”

Lindsey Realmuto, “Economic Development at the Expense of Cultural Exploitation

and Destruction: A Case Study of Tourism in Peru”

Mary Roche, “Critical Masses: The Artistic Use of Mass Media in Response to

Repression in Brazil (1964-1974)”

Sonia Schwartz, “The Effects of the Truth Commission in El Salvador”

Erica Suskin, “Educational Goals and Realities in Revolutionary Cuba”

Danielle Thal, “The Persistent Problem of Indigenous Guatemalan’s Access to Health

Care”

Samantha Vance, “Effects of Displacement of Return on Social and Economic

Exclusion in El Salvador: Transnational Criminality and the Intensification of

Violence in the Post-War Period”

Alyson Vivattanapa, “The Effects of Ecotourism and Globalization on Garifuna Identity

in Belize”

Sarah Walsh, “The Role of Afro-Argentines and Race in Rosista Argentina”

Stone Center Graduate Students Present at Harvard Conference
by Hilary Smith
 
On October 13-14, 2006 Tulane M.A. candidates Adam Frick, Ryan Mast, and Aurora Villegas-Muriel traveled to Cambridge, Massachusetts to present research at a graduate student conference at Harvard University. The conference, Embracing Diversity: Latino Immigration and the Transformation of American Society, was held at the Center for Government and International Studies. Villegas-Muriel presented her paper, “Rebuilding New Orleans: Hurricane Katrina, Latinos, and Reconstruction,” at the panel on Education and Public Policy. Frick and Mast presented their paper, “Rebuilding a City, Rebuilding a Citizenry: Charting Immigration Growth and Patterns in Post-Katrina New Orleans’s Brazilian Demographic,” at the panel on Reception of Latino Immigrants. The interdisciplinary conference included papers based in Sociology, Cultural Anthropology, Latin American Studies, Government, Ethnic Studies and Public Policy and also included panels on Latino Workers in Low-Wage Labor Markets, Health and Inequality, Diversity and Latino Heterogeneity, and Latino Immigrant Social Networks.  After the conference, Frick noted, “The paper was a rousing success, largely due to academic enthusiasm for the presentation of fresh and innovative research material.  Brazilian immigrants are under-represented in academic literature, and several academics present at the conference applauded our attention to a group which is rapidly growing in number and relevance in the United States.”

STONE CENTER FOR LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES
Tulane University
100 Jones Hall
New Orleans LA 70118

ph: (504) 865-5164; fx:(504) 865-6719; rtsclas@tulane.edu

Friday, August 10, 2007
10:03:49 AM