Made in Mexico

Tradition, Tourism, and Political Ferment in Oaxaca

Nonfiction, History, Americas, Mexico, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Folklore & Mythology, Anthropology
Cover of the book Made in Mexico by Chris Goertzen, University Press of Mississippi
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Chris Goertzen ISBN: 9781604737974
Publisher: University Press of Mississippi Publication: October 1, 2010
Imprint: University Press of Mississippi Language: English
Author: Chris Goertzen
ISBN: 9781604737974
Publisher: University Press of Mississippi
Publication: October 1, 2010
Imprint: University Press of Mississippi
Language: English

This book concerns the aesthetic, political, and socio-political aspects of tourism in southern Mexico, particularly in the state of Oaxaca. Tourists seeking "authenticity" buy crafts and festival tickets, and spend even more on travel expenses. What does a craft object or a festival moment need to look like or sound like to please both tradition bearers and tourists in terms of aesthetics? Under what conditions are transactions between these parties psychologically healthy and sustainable? What political factors can interfere with the success of this negotiation, and what happens when the process breaks down? With Subcommandante Marcos and the Zapatistas still operating defiantly in the area, these are not merely theoretical problems.

Chris Goertzen analyzes the nature and meaning of a single craft object, a woven pillowcase from Chiapas, thus previewing what the book will accomplish in greater depth in Oaxaca. He introduces the book's guiding concepts, especially concerning the types of aesthetic intensification that have replaced fading cultural contexts, and the tragic partnership between ethnic distinctiveness and oppressive politics. He then brings these concepts to bear on crafts in Oaxaca and on Oaxaca's Guelaguetza, the anchor for tourism in the state and a festival with an increasingly contested meaning.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

This book concerns the aesthetic, political, and socio-political aspects of tourism in southern Mexico, particularly in the state of Oaxaca. Tourists seeking "authenticity" buy crafts and festival tickets, and spend even more on travel expenses. What does a craft object or a festival moment need to look like or sound like to please both tradition bearers and tourists in terms of aesthetics? Under what conditions are transactions between these parties psychologically healthy and sustainable? What political factors can interfere with the success of this negotiation, and what happens when the process breaks down? With Subcommandante Marcos and the Zapatistas still operating defiantly in the area, these are not merely theoretical problems.

Chris Goertzen analyzes the nature and meaning of a single craft object, a woven pillowcase from Chiapas, thus previewing what the book will accomplish in greater depth in Oaxaca. He introduces the book's guiding concepts, especially concerning the types of aesthetic intensification that have replaced fading cultural contexts, and the tragic partnership between ethnic distinctiveness and oppressive politics. He then brings these concepts to bear on crafts in Oaxaca and on Oaxaca's Guelaguetza, the anchor for tourism in the state and a festival with an increasingly contested meaning.

More books from University Press of Mississippi

Cover of the book The Mulatta and the Politics of Race by Chris Goertzen
Cover of the book Changing Channels by Chris Goertzen
Cover of the book Florida's Miracle Strip by Chris Goertzen
Cover of the book Women Artists of the Harlem Renaissance by Chris Goertzen
Cover of the book This Crooked Way by Chris Goertzen
Cover of the book A Girl's Got To Breathe by Chris Goertzen
Cover of the book Conversations with Paul Auster by Chris Goertzen
Cover of the book Exploring Coastal Mississippi by Chris Goertzen
Cover of the book Abraham Polonsky by Chris Goertzen
Cover of the book Racial Uplift and American Music, 1878-1943 by Chris Goertzen
Cover of the book Geographies of Cubanidad by Chris Goertzen
Cover of the book The House That Sugarcane Built by Chris Goertzen
Cover of the book Anatomy of Four Race Riots by Chris Goertzen
Cover of the book Conversations with Greil Marcus by Chris Goertzen
Cover of the book A Lifetime Burning by Chris Goertzen
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy