“A provocative look into Cuba’s cultural production. Those who want to understand how the Cuban government managed to negotiate the crisis of the 1990s should read this book.”—Alejandro de la Fuente, author of A Nation for All: Race, Inequality, and Politics in Twentieth-Century Cuba “As a work that comes out of the discipline of political science, Cuba Represent! is extremely brave and original. Sujatha Fernandes manages to offer a language that is truly interdisciplinary, moving successfully across the boundaries of the social sciences and the humanities.”—Ruth Behar, author of Translated Woman: Crossing the Border with Esperanza’s Story “Sujatha Fernandes presents an excellent overview of expressive culture in revolutionary Cuba of the 1990s and beyond, offering provocative insights into the uses of art as a form of political protest and of individual expression. Her focus on various media (music, film, visual art) and her detailed ethnographic work allow her to document how topics such as gender, race, and politics surface constantly in Cuban art. Fernandes has demonstrated beyond any doubt the importance of culture as a space for progressive social discourse.”—Robin D. Moore, author of Music and Revolution: Cultural Change in Socialist Cuba “Cuba Represent! Is a stimulating study on how new avenues such as performance and visual arts have addressed complex issues regarding racial and gender discrimination, emigration, and hostility. . . . Fernandes makes an important contribution to the study of Cuban culture, society, and politics of the 20th Century. But more importantly, she explains to readers how all sectors of society in Cuba confront these capitalist pressures placed by the Cuban government. The book is a must-read for any individual interested in these issues that are continuously widespread in Cuban society today.”
Christina Violeta Jones
The Latin Americanist
“Cuba Represent! makes an important contribution to our understanding of how a surprisingly permeable and flexible state deals with and incorporates criticism. . . .“
Christy Thornton
NACLA Report on the Americas
“[Fernandes’s] work does an outstanding job of demonstrating the ways in which new concerns are being raised, discussed, incorporated, and co-opted within a Cuban society. While it will certainly be of interest to anyone interested in the dynamics of contemporary Cuban society, her model of overlapping relations between state, society, and artistic endeavor is hardly unique to socialist or post-socialist contexts. As such, this book should be considered by anyone with an interest in the area.”
Joshua Tucker
Social Anthropology
“This book is a must-read for anyone interested in Cuban cultural and political life. Fernandes offers impressive and well-researched insights that range from life in the streets to the somewhat behind-the-scenes actions of state actors.”
Kenneth R. Culton
Contemporary Sociology