
The New Cultural History of Peronism: Power and Identity in Mid-Twentieth-Century Argentina
Karush
Situating Peronism within the broad arc of twentieth-century Argentine cultural change, the contributors focus on the interplay of cultural traditions, official policies, commercial imperatives, and popular perceptions. They describe how the Perón regime’s rhetoric and representations helped to produce new ideas of national and collective identity. At the same time, they show how Argentines pursued their interests through their engagement with the Peronist project, and, in so doing, pushed the regime in new directions. While the volume’s emphasis is on the first Perón presidency, one contributor explores the origins of the regime and two others consider Peronism’s transformations in subsequent years. The essays address topics including mass culture and melodrama, folk music, pageants, social respectability, architecture, and the intense emotional investment inspired by Peronism. They examine the experiences of women, indigenous groups, middle-class anti-Peronists, internal migrants, academics, and workers. By illuminating the connections between the state and popular consciousness, The New Cultural History of Peronism exposes the contradictions and ambivalences that have characterized Argentine populism.
Contributors: Anahi Ballent, Oscar Chamosa, María Damilakou, Eduardo Elena, Matthew B. Karush, Diana Lenton, Mirta Zaida Lobato, Natalia Milanesio, Mariano Ben Plotkin, César Seveso, Lizel Tornay
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Reviews for The New Cultural History of Peronism: Power and Identity in Mid-Twentieth-Century Argentina
Isabel DiVanna
Canadian Journal of History
“Each piece stands as an excellent addition to the scholarship of this era; together, they provide any reader with a revealing insight into the actions the Peronists took to make sure that they would have a lasting legacy in every facet of Argentine life.”
Gregory Hammond
Hispanic American Historical Review
“One of the particular strengths of this work is the complexity of this new cultural history of Argentina…Karush and Chimosa effectively elucidate the breadth and depth of new scholarship in the cultural history of the Perón years. Their volume ends with an essay in which Mariano Ben Plotkin outlines topics worthy of further exploration, making this work invaluable for graduate students interested in Peronist studies.”
Matthew A. Redinger
Ethnohistory
“[A] useful resource for those interested in Latin American history, offering plenty of themes for undergraduates to explore. . . . The New Cultural History of Peronism provides a rich cross-section of case studies to parallel and contrast. While it is an invaluable resource for more specialist researchers of Latin American history and politics, I believe its focus on the cultural aspects of governance is an approach that would be welcomed by cultural studies scholars studying political formations in other national contexts.”
Andrew King
Cultural Studies Review
“This book edited by Matthew Karush and Oscar Chamosa adds a fresh perspective to the already voluminous scholarship on Peronism. . . . [T]he essays’ range of topics, theoretical sophistication, and clear writing make this book an excellent choice for classroom use. To conclude, this book is a fruitful addition to the study of Peronism that will additionally interest scholars and students beyond its specific case study.”
Jorge Nállim
Left History
“This book edited by Matthew Karush and Oscar Chamosa adds a fresh perspective to the already voluminous scholarship on Peronism. . . . [T]he essays’ range of topics, theoretical sophistication, and clear writing make this book an excellent choice for classroom use. To conclude, this book is a fruitful addition to the study of Peronism that will additionally interest scholars and students beyond its specific case study.”
Jorge Nállim
Left History
“[A] useful resource for those interested in Latin American history, offering plenty of themes for undergraduates to explore. . . . The New Cultural History of Peronism provides a rich cross-section of case studies to parallel and contrast. While it is an invaluable resource for more specialist researchers of Latin American history and politics, I believe its focus on the cultural aspects of governance is an approach that would be welcomed by cultural studies scholars studying political formations in other national contexts.”
Andrew King
Cultural Studies Review