Central America Since 1979: Part 1

Abstract

28607The triumph of one and the threat of two other major revolutionary move ments in 1979 made North American scholars take serious notice of social currents in Central America for the first time. The result has been a recent outpouring of literature on the region in English. Since this literature had to build on a narrow base, much of it is thin and shallow, iconizing certain standard references by such frequent citation that even musings now seem like established facts. But the situation is improving. In the last few years a large group of energetic and politically committed young scholars have ignored the injunctions of their elders about where the "really important" places are, to work in Central America (55, 70) . This new generation of scholars is produc ing work that is deeper and more analytic than anything written earlier, especially on issues of political economy. What is still in the pipeline may be better yet.I! is too cynical to see all of this as mere response to shifting political currents. The latest work on the region shows scholarly grounding as well as political sensitivity. Much of it, however, seems headed toward the surface deposits rather than the deeper veins of knowledge. It is a good time to take stock of what we know in order to see more clearly what we need to know. The present review attempts to chart some of the most promising future courses by looking at the gaps and silences in current scholarship as well as at its major accomplishments. The review is written in two parts, Part I written 197 0084-6570/87/ 1015-0197$02.00 Annu. Rev. Anthropol. 1987.16:197-221. Downloaded from www.annualreviews.org Access provided by University of Calgary on 02/06/15. For personal use only. Quick links to online content Further ANNUAL REVIEWS Annu. Rev. Anthropol. 1987.16:197-221. Downloaded from www.annualreviews.org Access provided by University of Calgary on 02/06/15. For personal use only. CENTRAL AMERICA SINCE 1979 199 this work has yet to be translated into English. Torres's other important historical work, written much later with Julio Cesar Pinto (170), concerns the peculiarities of state formation in Central America. Here, local class relations take precedence over world-structural relations; and the conclusion, written by Torres, provides a theoretically sophisticated discussion of the problems of Third World nationhood that would interest many students of the Third World were it available in English. Torres continues to be a major interpreter of events and politics in the region (169). His articles, which appear in col lections beamed at English readers more often than those of any other Central American writer (54, 68, 161), often provide the historical and political background on present events necessary for interpreting them. For this task he is a trustworthy and thoughtful source. But were his major works available in English, a more interesting dialog about his and other Central American interpretive stances might emerge in the English language literature.

Central America in the 1980s: Political Crisis and the Social Responsibility of Anthropologists

“…Recent events have changed these Indians forever from their status as "marginally interesting" people . 16 Since 1979 they have been embroiled in a bitter conflict with the central government over issues of indigenous rights and autonomy, a situation exacerbated by the forced relocation of thousands of Miskito, Sumu, and Rama to camps further away from disputed borders. Only one article mentions this situation, and only in passing.…”

“…Although anthropologists have contributed to the corpus of materials on the crisis in Central America, these contributions seem small when compared to the more significant work accomplished by other academics. 2 More to the point, anthropologists who are concerned about contemporary Central American affairs are publishing their findings outside the discipline in political journals, human rights reports, and books as well as in alternative nonrefereed periodicals like Cultural Survival. 3 Few such articles have reached other practitioners via the normal channel of scholarly communication, the anthropological journals.…”