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This week’s reading was extremely interesting and did a very good job of providing contrast to many pieces of literature that idolize the Cuban Revolution and its leaders. It is evident by the way Dawson writes this chapter that he does not at all idolize the Cuban Revolution or the ideologies of Ernesto “Che” Guevara …

Continue reading "Dawson On the Cuban Revolution"

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One thing that caught my eye in this week’s reading was the pictures of Fidel Castro’s that Dawson carefully chose to show the reader. The reason being that, at the beginning of the term, in an Art History class, I had spent a good deal of my studying time reading about and discussing portraits ofContinue reading "Week 10: A Decade of Revolution in Cuba" read full post >>

When I was young my mom showed me a quote that is now famous among social networks: “…ser joven y no ser revolucionario es una contradicción hasta biológica” (to be young and not to be revolutionary is a contradiction, even a biological contradiction). Salvador Allende arrived to my life with the same narrative Che GuevaraContinue reading "Week 10 | “The Original Sin”" read full post >>

For this week's blog post, I wanted to learn more about Las Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, which was one of the videos assigned for the week. In this blog, I provide a brief overview of what they have done and how they arose as one of the most important mov... read full post >>

This week’s topic revolves around the revolution in Cuba and its central figures Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. As I was not very familiar with the history of Cuba’s revolution I thought Dawsons chapter provided a very good insight into the different narratives, especially the most common ones of judging the revolution to be eitherContinue reading "Week 10a: A Decade of Revolution in Cuba" read full post >>

For this week's blog post, I wanted to learn more about Las Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, which was one of the videos assigned for the week. In this blog, I provide a brief overview of what they have done and how they arose as one of the most important movements in Latin America.

The motivations for the movement started on March 24, 1976. On this day, Armed Forces seized power in Argentina through a coup d'etat. The military regime, which called itself the "National Reorganization Process," disappeared 30,000 people of all ages and social conditions. Hundreds of babies were kidnapped with their parents or born during the care of their pregnant mothers.

In many detention centers of the dictatorship, there were real clandestine maternity homes, even with lists of marriages waiting for a birth, and the 500 missing children were affected as "spoils of war ”by the forces of repression. Some children were delivered directly to military families, others abandoned in institutes such as NN, others sold. In all cases, they were annulled of their identity and deprived of living with their legitimate families.

Among their many achievements, one of their main contributions was in the type of DNA research. Until 1983 to know the identity of a child one had to analyze the blood of his parents. Thanks to the Grandmothers, science discovered that the blood of grandparents was enough; It was the so-called "grandfather index" and its 99.9% certainty is legal proof of affiliation.

Nothing and no one stopped the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo to look for their children's children. Detective tasks alternated with days visits to orphanages, or public offices while investigating adoptions of the time. The Grandmothers are still looking for their grandchildren, now adults, but also their great-grandchildren. The movement transcended political ideologies and it showed the devastating effects of political turmoil in a country.

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It is interesting to see how much division there was and still is regarding this revolution. Most individuals, Cuban or not are able to share an opinion on Major Ernesto Che Guevarra, and it’s atypical for these opinions to be in the middle of the spectrum; for most, this was a historical character that wasContinue reading "A Decade of Revolution in Cuba" read full post >>

For this week's blog post, I want to discuss one of the movements of terror that Dawson elucidates in his book. Namely, Abimael Guzman and his movement of El Sendero Luminoso. In this blog post, I want to explain their principal beliefs, alongside a br... read full post >>

For this week's blog post, I want to discuss one of the movements of terror that Dawson elucidates in his book. Namely, Abimael Guzman and his movement of El Sendero Luminoso. In this blog post, I want to explain their principal beliefs, alongside a br... read full post >>

I believe this week’s topic is the topic for my group for the video and research assignments! I hope I was able to interpret it correctly to apply it to our upcoming projects, and I definitely look forward to reading what my classmates have made of the information in this week’s readings as well. I […] read full post >>