Friday, January 29, 2010
Ethics Response
The article I found to be most relevant was the article on Ethics by the Society for Applied Anthropology. It had practical insights on research. I realize that my research does not involve direct study of people, and I am not working together with other colleagues. However, I think it stresses the importance of ethical research methods as well as reciprocity with everyone you work with.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Freire, Marti, and Mariategui: an integrative analysis of the Campesino a Campesino movement.
The history of Latin America is tumultuous, full of its revolutions and independence movements. Against the backdrop of this history, certain influential voices have stand out. This paper is an analysis of three influential Latin American intellectuals, and how their ideas are being realized currently in Latin America. The Campesino a Campesino movement, throughout Mesoamerica, Central America, and the Caribbean, offers a relevant case study for this research. Paulo Freire, Jose Marti, and Jose Carlos Mariategui are three intellectual figures in Latin America’s history. Their ideas, as well as their works, explored the oppression of Latin American peoples, as well as the possibility for change. This paper explores the burgeoning Campesino a Campesino, peasant movement and how they have built a movement based on: dignity, land and labor reform, and the preservation of local cultures. The paper suggests that the ideas of Freire, Marti, and Mariategui have been in some way realized through this peasant movement.
The Campesino a Campesino movement started in the later part of the twentieth century, amid chaotic political, social, and economic change. Starting in the mid-nineteenth century Latin America was transformed by: the green revolution, neo-liberal economic policies, and free-trade agreements. Throughout Latin America, farmers and peasants suffered tremendously as they lost their land and livelihood to ‘development’. The Campesino a Campesino movement developed as a program of resistance towards conventional development. It is now a growing movement that strives to create development that works together with the environment, and preserves local cultures.
Each of the intellectuals explored in this paper have been important voices in Latin American in one way or another. Paulo Freire is world-renowned for his pedagogical theories that attempt to raise political and social awareness. His theories attempt to empower impoverished people through education. Jose Marti is known as the voice of Cuban Independence movement in the nineteenth century. Through his passionate speeches and essays he advocated a return to the land, as well as a self-sufficient Latin America. Jose Carlos Mariategui was a short-lived, yet prolific Marxist who primarily wrote about the relationship between indigenous peoples and land. Mariategui argued that as long Peruvian lands were controlled by those in power, indigenous, farming peoples would remain oppressed. Though the aim and scope of these visionaries differ, they were all concerned with social and political problems of Latin America, and they were also able to envision an alternative to these problems.
This paper, then, attempts to synthesize the ideas of three ideologues into a contemporary and growing movement in Latin America. Both the ideas of these intellectuals and the Campesino a Campesino movement provide an alternative model to development that has devastated much of the developing world.
The Campesino a Campesino movement started in the later part of the twentieth century, amid chaotic political, social, and economic change. Starting in the mid-nineteenth century Latin America was transformed by: the green revolution, neo-liberal economic policies, and free-trade agreements. Throughout Latin America, farmers and peasants suffered tremendously as they lost their land and livelihood to ‘development’. The Campesino a Campesino movement developed as a program of resistance towards conventional development. It is now a growing movement that strives to create development that works together with the environment, and preserves local cultures.
Each of the intellectuals explored in this paper have been important voices in Latin American in one way or another. Paulo Freire is world-renowned for his pedagogical theories that attempt to raise political and social awareness. His theories attempt to empower impoverished people through education. Jose Marti is known as the voice of Cuban Independence movement in the nineteenth century. Through his passionate speeches and essays he advocated a return to the land, as well as a self-sufficient Latin America. Jose Carlos Mariategui was a short-lived, yet prolific Marxist who primarily wrote about the relationship between indigenous peoples and land. Mariategui argued that as long Peruvian lands were controlled by those in power, indigenous, farming peoples would remain oppressed. Though the aim and scope of these visionaries differ, they were all concerned with social and political problems of Latin America, and they were also able to envision an alternative to these problems.
This paper, then, attempts to synthesize the ideas of three ideologues into a contemporary and growing movement in Latin America. Both the ideas of these intellectuals and the Campesino a Campesino movement provide an alternative model to development that has devastated much of the developing world.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Senior Project Topics
1. Freire, Martí, and Mariátegui: an integrative analysis of the Campesino a Campesino movement.
My research project in 'IDS Praxis' was an analysis of three major Latin American theorists (Jose Marti, Jose Mariategui & Paulo Freire) and how their theories have been realized through a contemporary peasant movement in Latin America. This was a really interesting research project. I am considering continuing this research because there's so much more to explore on the subject.
2. One Hundred Years of Solitude: Latin American literature as history.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez' masterpiece is undoubtedly One Hundred Years of Solitude. Apart from it reading as a history of the world -with its obvious biblical references- it reads more specifically as a history of Latin America. I'd be interested in researching this topic more in-depth.
3. Latin America in Transition
At the turn of the 20th century Latin America was increasingly opening itself up to world trade. It would be interesting to analyze this period from: economic, political, social, environmental etc. aspects.
My research project in 'IDS Praxis' was an analysis of three major Latin American theorists (Jose Marti, Jose Mariategui & Paulo Freire) and how their theories have been realized through a contemporary peasant movement in Latin America. This was a really interesting research project. I am considering continuing this research because there's so much more to explore on the subject.
2. One Hundred Years of Solitude: Latin American literature as history.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez' masterpiece is undoubtedly One Hundred Years of Solitude. Apart from it reading as a history of the world -with its obvious biblical references- it reads more specifically as a history of Latin America. I'd be interested in researching this topic more in-depth.
3. Latin America in Transition
At the turn of the 20th century Latin America was increasingly opening itself up to world trade. It would be interesting to analyze this period from: economic, political, social, environmental etc. aspects.
Latin America: an interdisciplinary perspective.
I currently am trying to do a double major. I started out at college studying Interdisciplinary Studies: International Studies with a focus in Latin America. Fortunately, I studied Spanish and Anthropology enough to have another major and minor in them respectively. Interdisciplinary Studies has given me a unique chance to study a wide base of knowledge on Latin America.
I must say that some of the most formative and best classes I have taken that pertain to my major were taught by Dr. Renee Horst in the History department. My freshman and sophomore years I took History of Modern Latin American history and history of the Southern Cone with Dr. Horst. Dr. Horst challenged me to learn a lot about Latin American History. The Watauga program through Appalachian challenged me to question a lot about my major, and was also very formative to my learning. I must also credit Dr. Schroeder who taught me about Latin American Geography. My class on Marx's Capital in my senior year has given me an incredible insight into Karl Marx's influence in Latin America. I have taken two short term trips while at Appalachian: one to Bolivia, and the other to Ecuador. Both Dr. Smith, and Dr. Boyer in the Anthropology department have taught me a lot about Latin American culture.
I do a majority of my learning through reading. Though I am indebted to my professors that have given me such valuable tools, I do consider myself an autodidact and a bit of a bookworm. These are some books that have been important in my learning process:
Born in Blood and Fire by John Chasteen
Open Veins of Latin America by Eduardo Galeano
Laberinto de la Soledad (Labyrinth of Solitude)by Octavio Paz
A Survey of Sustainable Development by various
Cien Años de Soledad (One Hundred Years of Solitude) by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Campesino a Campesino by Eric Holt-Gimenez
Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo
I must say that some of the most formative and best classes I have taken that pertain to my major were taught by Dr. Renee Horst in the History department. My freshman and sophomore years I took History of Modern Latin American history and history of the Southern Cone with Dr. Horst. Dr. Horst challenged me to learn a lot about Latin American History. The Watauga program through Appalachian challenged me to question a lot about my major, and was also very formative to my learning. I must also credit Dr. Schroeder who taught me about Latin American Geography. My class on Marx's Capital in my senior year has given me an incredible insight into Karl Marx's influence in Latin America. I have taken two short term trips while at Appalachian: one to Bolivia, and the other to Ecuador. Both Dr. Smith, and Dr. Boyer in the Anthropology department have taught me a lot about Latin American culture.
I do a majority of my learning through reading. Though I am indebted to my professors that have given me such valuable tools, I do consider myself an autodidact and a bit of a bookworm. These are some books that have been important in my learning process:
Born in Blood and Fire by John Chasteen
Open Veins of Latin America by Eduardo Galeano
Laberinto de la Soledad (Labyrinth of Solitude)by Octavio Paz
A Survey of Sustainable Development by various
Cien Años de Soledad (One Hundred Years of Solitude) by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Campesino a Campesino by Eric Holt-Gimenez
Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
First Entry
This purpose of this blog is to post about my progress on my senior seminar project for IDS.
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