"Nation, Nationalism and Exile in the Formation of Latin-American Countries"

Dr. Francisco Flores-Cuautle presented the lecture:"Nation, Nationalism and Exile in the Formation of Latin-American Countries" in the LASI 300-Global Issues course, Spring 2012, coordinated by Dr. Doris T. Chang, Associate Professor of Women Studies at Wichita State.

Abstract

During Nineteenth century, Latin-American nations were born. Researchers from a variety of fields are still describing the complex process of forming these new nations. In my presentation I will discuss the emancipation of the ancient Spanish colonies by explaining the close relationship between the phenomena of nation, nationalism, and exile. The previous conceptual interrelationship is the basis of the model of textual analysis that I will apply to understand the foundational narratives of two representative cases: Mexico and Argentina.

Hypothesis

The idea of a nation and its nationalism in Latin America was conceived—in many cases—by intellectuals in exile such as Servando Teresa de Mier (Mexico, 1765-1827) and Faustino Sarmiento (Argentina, 1811-1888). These two writers, while narrating the tragedy of their exile, they constructed a fictional narrative that reflected the tension between their experience of exile and a desire to return home to found/reform their young nations. These fictional/foundational narratives became true political projects that (trans)formed the reality of Latin American nations.

Conclusions

The origin of Latin American nations were consolidated not just by the fight and ideas of local people who look for the emancipation of their land, but also by intellectuals in exile who were able to see their nations from a twofold perspective: as a desire, and as a suffering. In Mier’s case, he was a Mexican national founding figure who criticized in his Memoirs the others, the Europeans (the monsters and barbarians) and as well he predicted the emergence of the hybrid-mestizo nation that Mexico is today. Sarmiento, on the other hand, anticipated the almost total disappearance of Argentinian peasants in his Facundo and, in the same way, projected the idea of a Westernized Argentinian nation. In addition, through his dialectic formulae: Civilization and barbarism, Sarmiento explained the ambivalences of his fascination for the “gaucho-barbarian,” world, and conversely, expressed his desire for constructing a civilized nation. Summing up, Sarmiento’s fiction tells us not just historical facts but it narrates feelings, sensations, and exciting emotions through a powerful poetic prose that consolidated his national politic project.

Professors Flores-Cuautle and Doris T. Chang