Professional Documents
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Women in Latin American History Author(s): Asuncion Lavrin Source: The History Teacher, Vol. 14, No. 3, Special Issue on Teaching Latin American History (May, 1981), pp. 387-399 Published by: Society for History Education Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/493417 . Accessed: 28/08/2011 15:24
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on their role in the family. Two decades ago, the migration of Spanish women to Latin America, the deeds of a few remarkable women, and the legal status of colonial women, were the main topics available to the instructor. Today, the spectrum of topics has increased to include subjects of social character which make women a more credible and historically significant element of colonial society. Unfortunately, neither the independence period, nor the nineteenth century have elicited a similar attention. Most of the material available deals with the heroines of the independence or a group of remarkable women in a literature that has the imprint of the personality cult. For this reason, if there is any period that needs new research material and a fresh historical approach, it is the nineteenth century. The twentieth century is the richest in material, and also the most heavily investigated. However, the vast majority of the studies avialable for this period have been produced by social scientists not historians. While some of these studies cover subjects spanning several decades at times, the methodology is still not that of our discipline. Furthermore, in works producedby Latin Americans the main objective is the analysis of social problems involving women with a pragmatic, and not a purely academic goal. These caveats notwithstanding, this material is most helpful because it lends itself well to the increasingly popular interdisciplinary approach commonly adopted for the study of women in society. Certainly, the quantity of the material allows a deeper probing into social, economic, and cultural issues, not yet possible for former periods of history. Although the bibliographical material has been presented in a chronological manner for the convenience of the reader, it is not advisable to teach a course or a seminar in this fashion. A topical arrangement seems the most appropriate in view of the many gaps in the information, and the disproportionate amount of material on the present century. Furthermore, the conventional chronology used for the study of Latin America history, does not seem, perhaps, the most suitable for the study of women. The sixteenth century was eventful enough for all women involved in the formation of a new society and the mingling of several cultures. However, throughout the colonial period changes were very slow, and the wars of independence brought no significant change in the status of women. The largely apolitical character of women's actions and their lack of leverage in the decision-making process, relegate them with few exceptions, to colorless roles throughout much of the nineteenth and even the early twentieth centuries, especially in historical surveys which emphasize leadership, party politics or economic trends. Despite the fact that one may argue for a different use of chronology, the material necessary for a different ap-
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proach does not yet exist. However, the picture is not bleak: a different way of gaining insight into the historical significance of women is becoming possible by the use of sources dealing with labor, development, education, feminism and revolution, in which women have had a considerable and significant input. By underlining the activities of women in these areas, and by analyzing their significance in them, it is possible to create a feminine perspective within Latin American history. This should bring out the contribution of women to the development of these societies, an element of the communal memory, the absence of which deprives women of a fuller image of themselves. An example of what can be done with available material for organizing a seminar on Latin American women is provided by Silvia M. Arrom's "Teaching the History of Hispanic-American Women," The History Teacher, XII, 4 (August 1980), 493-507. Other colleagues have included topics such as Women and the Law, Women and the Process of Socialization; Women and the Arts, in their courses and seminars. All these are positive steps toward generating interest on the place of women in Latin American history, and achieving the final goal of creating a history which is not restricted solely to men, but which reflects a more accurate picture of reality. I have suggested a number of topics within the chronological subdivisions of the bibliography which may be either merged with each other or used to form other topics. For example, the topic of work contains a number of items of Indian women which may reasonably be rearranged into a subsection focusing on that particular ethnic group. Instead of a structured syllabus, I have suggested a number of general topics which may be used, in conjunction with the bibliography, for the organization of a study plan. Since another colleague is in charge of developing the topic of the family, I have not dealt with this topic for the twentieth century. The names of several important women writers are included to encourage the use of their works as the most suitable manner of learning how women see themselves and how they react to their societies, since literature was, and remains one of the channels most frequently used by them. The work of some gifted women painters should also help to understand the inner world and creative pathos of those who have excelled in self-expression. It is possible to form a collection of slides as visual aides, to illustrate the development of special issues involving women in history such as work, education, class and ethnic definition, etc. Nineteenth century travelers' books, twentieth century photographs, and works of fine arts are sources for such a collection. I also list some books which provide excellent illustra-
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tions of women engaged in many activities and which are good material for class transparencies. A number of films may be employed in conjunction with any seminar or course to discuss themes and issues suggested by the reading material. In fact, many commercial films not necessarily produced to comment on women's role but with strong social themes, may be used for that purpose. "The Double Day" (by Helen Ladd Solberg), "The Salt of the Earth", and "Lucia"are good examples of films portraying particularly interesting examinations of women's issues. Also very excellent are: "Portrait of Teresa" (Cuba); "San Bernardo",based on a novel by Graciliano Ramos (Brazil). Two interesting documentaries are: "Nicaraguan Women in Arms" by Victoria Schultz; and "The Colombian," "The Brick Makers" (Los Chircales) by M. Rodriguez and Jorge Silva. I thank Julianne Burton, University of California, Santa Cruz, for her assistance in suggesting these film titles. Finally, the reader should be aware that the use of Spanish and Portuguese sources is still necessary in view of the limited number of sources in English. For further bibliographical and interpretive suggestions, the following sources are recommended:
Knaster, Meri. "Women in Latin America: The State of Research, 1975," Latin American Research Review, 11:1 (1976), 3-74. Susan Soeiro. "Recent Work on Latin American Women: A Review Essay," Journal of Inter-American Studies and World Affairs 17:4 (1975), 497-516. Susan Soeiro and Asunci6n Lavrin. "Approaches to the History of Women in Latin America," in Bradford Burns, E. HernAndez and M. Karash, eds., Teaching Latin American History (Los Angeles, 1977). Asunci6n Lavrin, ed. Latin American Women: Historical Perspectives (Westport, 1978), Introduction and Chapter 11. Maryssa Navarro. "Research in Latin American Women," SIGNS. Journal of Women in Culture and Society 5:1 (1979), 111-120. Most recent bibliographical essay; focuses on works by social scientists and is particularly good for works on Brazil. Cassirer, Sidonie, ed. Teaching About Women in the Foreign Languages (Old Westbury, New York, 1975), Sections IV-VII.
Suggested Topics of Study Migration of Women: Historically, since the intracontinental migrations of the sixteenth century to the rural-urban migration and international migration in search of labor of the twentieth century. Definition of Sex Roles: Prescriptive literature; social attitudes and usages; their influence of male-female relationships; economic, social and cultural consequences of sex roles. LEGAL STATUS OF WOMEN: Changes throughout time and the significance of legislation in the shaping of women's lives and options within society.
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Women's Work and Society: Women's role in the economy since colonial times and their changing influence on the community; women's employment patterns; attitudes about women's work; fertility and work; rural industrial domestic and clerical work; professional women; women and development. Feminism: The winning of legal and political rights; leadership and ideology of the feminists; the concept of women's liberation throughout Latin America; feminism and revolution. Women and Politics: Independence and nineteenth century options; women's suffrage and its impact on national politics; women political leaders; women and revolutions; women and right wing movements; women in organized politics. Women and Religion: In the colonial period and after independence; twentieth century relationship between women and organized religion; population issues and the church. Women and The Family: Status of women in the family; concept of the family throughout time and among different population groups; urbanization and the family; the peasant family; industrialization and changes in the family. Women's Education and Self-expression: Development of female education in Latin America; education as the key for selfexpression; the image of women in the arts, as seen by men and by women themselves. General Works
Acufia de Chac6n, Angela, La mujer costarricense a travus de cuatro siglos, 2 Vols., (San Josd, 1969-70). Aguirre, Mirta, Influencia de la mujer en Iberoambrica. Ensayo (La Habana, 1947). Arosemena de Tejeira, Otilia, La mujer en la vida panameia (Panama, 1966). Hahner, June, ed., Women in Latin American History (Los Angeles, 1976). Klimpel, Felicitas, La mujer chilena, 1910-1960 (Santiago de Chile, 1960). Knaster, Mary, Women in Spanish America: An Annotated Bibliography from Pre-Conquest to Contemporary Times (Boston, 1977). Lavrin, Asunci6n, ed., Latin American Women:Historical Perspectives (Westport, Conn., 1978). Nash, June and Helen Safa, eds., Sex and Class in Latin America (New York, 1976). Pescatello, Ann, Power and Pawn, The Female in Iberian Families, Societies, and Cultures (Westport, Conn. 1976). Sosa de Newton, Lily, Las argentinas de ayer a hoy (Buenos Aires, 1967).
Pre-Columbian Women
Hallbom, Anna Britta, La participacidn cultural de las mujeres indias y mestizas en el Mexico precortesiano y post-revolucionario (Stockholm, 1977). MacLachlan, Colin, "The Eagle and the Serpent: Male over Female in TenochtitlAn,"
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Proceedings of the Pacific Council on Latin American Studies 5 (1976), 45-56. Morley, Sylvanus G., The Ancient Maya (Stanford, 1965). Nash, June, "The Aztecs and the Ideology of Male Dominance," SIGNS, Journal of Women and Society 4:2 (1978), 349-362. Sahagin, Fr. Bernardino de, Historia general de las cosas de Nueva Espahia (Mexico, 1975). Soustelle, Jacques, The Daily Life of the Aztecs on the Eve of the Spanish Conquest (New York, 1962).
Indian Women
Burkett, Elinor, "Indian Women and White Society: The Case of Sixteenth-Century Peru," in A. Lavrin, ed., Latin American Women, 101-128. Fisher, Lilliam E., The Last Inca Revolt, 1780-1783 (Norman, 1966). For Micaela Bas-
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tidas. Gallagher, Sister Miriam Ann. R.S.M., "The Indian Nuns of Mexico City's Monasterio of Corpus Christi, 1724-1821," in A. Lavrin, ed., Latin American Women, 150-172. Loayza, Francisco A., ed., Mdrtires y Heroinas (Lima, 1945). For Micaela Bastidas. Sherman, William L., Forced Native Labor in Sixteenth-Century Central America (Lincoln, 1979).
Black Women
Acosta Saignes, Miguel, Vida de los esclavos negros en Venezuela (Caracas, 1967). Aguirre-Beltrn, Gonzalo, La poblacidn negra de Mexico (Mexico, 1972). Alberro, Solange B., "Negros y mulatos en los documentos inquisitoriales: rechazo e integraci6n," in E. C. Frost, et al, compl. El trabajo y los trabajadores en la historia de Mexico (Mexico and Tucson, 1979), 132-161. Bowser, Frederick, The African Slave in Colonial Peru, 1524-1650 (Stanford, 1974). Burkett, Elinor, Early Colonial Peru, Diss. See chapter on black women, 252-294. Harth-Terrb, Emilio, Negros e indios. Un testamento social ignorado del Pera colonial (Lima, 1973). Johnson, Lyman, L., "Manumission in Colonial Buenos Aires," HAHR, 59:2 (1979), 258-279. Love, Edgar F., "Marriage Patterns of Persons of African Descent in a Colonial Mexico City Parish," HAHR, 51:1 (1971), 79-91.
Of Related Interest
Brading, David, Miners and Merchants in Bourbon Mexico 1763-1810 (Cambridge, 1971). Ladd, Doris, The Mexican Nobility at Independence (Austin, 1976). Mazet, Claude, "Lima aus XVIe et XVIe et XVIIe siecles" Cahiers des Amdriques Latines 13-14 (1976), 51-102. Brings material on marriage, illegitimacy, etc.
Education
Ffirlong Cardiff, Guillermo, La cultura femenina en la dpoca colonial (Buenos Aires, 1951). Luque Alcaide, Elisa, La educacidn en Nueva Espgifa (Sevilla, Masculina no Brasil Colonial," Revista de Hist6ria, LV, No. 109 (1977), 149-164.
Conventual Life
Gallagher, Ann Miriam, "The Family Background of the Nuns of Two Monasterios in Colonial Mexico: Santa Clara de Quert~taro; and Corpus Christi, Mexico City (1724-1822)," Ph.D. Diss., Catholic University of America, 1972. Lavrin, Asunci6n, "Values and Meaning of Monastic Life for Nuns in Colonial Mexico," Catholic Historical Review LVIII:3 (1972), 367-387. "Women in Convents: Their Economic and Social Role in Colonial Mexico," in Berenice Carroll, ed., Liberating Women's History (Urbana, 1976), 250-277. Muriel, Josefina, Los conventos de Nueva Espafia (Mexico, 1946). Soeiro, Susan, "A Baroque Nunnery: The Economic and Social Role of a Colonial Convent," Ph.D. diss., New York University, 1974.
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THE HISTORY TEACHER ,"The Social and Economic Role of the Convent: Women and Nuns in Colonial Bahia, 1677-1800," HAHR 54:2 (1974), 209-232. , 'The Feminine Orders in Colonial Brazil: Economic, Social, and Demographic Implications, 1677-1800," in A. Lavrin, ed., Latin American Women, 173-197.
Other Topics
Lavrin, Asunci6n and Edith B. Couturier, "Dowries and Wills: A View in Women's Socioeconomic Role in Colonial Guadalajara and Puebla, 1640-1790," HAHR 59:2 (1978), 280-304. Socolow, Susan, "Women and Crime: Buenos Aires, 1757-1797," Journal of Latin American Studies 12:1 (1980), 39-54. Ladd, Doris M., Mexican Women in Anahuac and New Spain. Three study Units (Curriculum for Junior and Community Colleges) (Austin, 1979).
Independence
Caturla Victoria de, La mujer en la independencia de Amdrica (La Habana, 1945). Bri, Clemente Travieso, Carmen, Mujeres de la independencia (Mexico, 1964). Cherpak, Evelyn, "The Participation of Women in the Independence Movement in Gran Colombia," in A. Lavrin, ed., Latin American Women, 219-234. Echinove Trujillo, Carlos A., Leona Vicario, la mujer fuerte de la independencia (Mexico, 1945). Gantier, Joaquin, Doifia Juana Azurduy y Padilla (La Paz, 1973). Grez, Vicente, Las mujeres de la independencia (Santiago de Chile, 1966). Mendieta Alatorre, Maria de los Angeles, La mujer en la revoluci6n mexicana (Mexico, 1961). Rumazo Gonz~lez, Alfonso, Manuela Sadna, la libertadora del libertador (Caracas, 1962). von Hagen, Victor W., The Four Seasons of Manuela. A Biography (New York, 1952).
Travelers' Impressions
Calder6n de la Barca, Mme. Frances, Life in Mexico. The letters ofFanny Calder6n de la Barca (New York, 1970). Fletcher, James C. and Kidder, Daniel P., Brazil and the Brazilians Portrayed in Historical and Descriptive Sketches (Boston, 1867).
Typology
Hoberman, Louisa, "Hispanic American Women as Portrayed in Historical Literature," Revista Interamericana 4 (Summer 1974), 136-147.
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Ramos, Donald, "City and County: The Family in Minas Gerais, 1804-1838," Journal of Family History 3:4 (Winter, 1978). Rlbora, Carlos, La familia chilena y la familia argentina (Buenos Aires, 1938).
Testimonial
Brant, Alice, The Diary of"Helena Morley," trans. by Elizabeth Bishop (New York, 1957). Excerpts in June Hahner, Women in Latin American History, 48-59. See also, Jane Herrick, "Periodicals for Women in Mexico during the Nineteenth Century," The Americas 14:2 (1957), 135-144.
Work
Aguiar, Neuma, "The Impact of Industrialization on Women's Work Roles in Northeast Brazil," in Nash and Safa, Sex and Class, 110-128. "Anarchists, Labor and Equality for Women," in June Hahner, Women in Latin American History, 113-116. Caro Hollander, Nany, "Women Workers and the Class Struggle: The Case of Argentina," Latin American Perspectives (1977), 180-193. Chinchilla, Norma S., "Industrialization, Monopoly, Capitalism, and Women's Work in Guatemala," Wellesley Editorial Committee, Women and National Development (Chicago, 1977), 38-56. Deere, Carmen Diana, "Changing Social Relations of Production and Peruvian Peasant Women's Work," Latin American Perspectives 4, 48-69. Elizaga, Juan C., "The Participation of Women on the Labor Force of Latin America: Fertility and Other Factors," International Labor Review 109 (1974), 519-538. Gil, Elena, La mujer en el mundo del trabajo (Buenos Aires, 1970). GonzAlez Salazar, Gloria, "Participation of Women in the Mexican Labor Force," Nash and Safa, Sex and Class, 183-201.
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Rosenberg, Terry J., "Individual and Regional Influences on the Employment of Colombian Women," Journal of Marriage and the Family 38:2 (1976), 339-353. Smith, Margo L., "Domestic Service as a Channel of Upward Mobility for the Lower Class Woman: The Lima Case," in Ann Pescatello, ed., Female and Male in Latin America: Essays (Pittsburgh, 1973), 191-207. Tower, Margaret, "Monopoly Capitalism and Women's Work during the Porfiriato,"LAP IV (1977), 99-105. Vasques de Miranda, Glaura, 'Women's Labor Force Participation in a Developing Society: The Case of Brazil," in Wellesley Editorial Committee, Women and National Development 261, 274. Villalobos de Urritia, Gabriela, Diagn6stico de la situaci6n social y econd6-mica la mujer de peruana (Lima, 1975).
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Rachem, Ilam, "Feminism, Woman Suffrage and National Politics in Brazil, 1922-1937," Luso-Brazilian Review 14:1 (1977), 118-134.
Women In Politics
Blachman, Morris, "Selective Omission and Theoretical Distortion in Studying the Political Activity of Women in Brazil," in Nash and Safa, eds., Sex and Class in Latin America: Essays (Pittsburgh, 1973). ,Eve in Adamocracy: Women and Politics in Brazil (New York, 1973). Blay, Eve A., "The Political Participation of Women in Brazil: Female Mayors," SIGNS Journal of Women in Culture and Society 5:1 (1979), 42-59. Blough, William, "Political Attitudes of Mexican Women: Support for the Political System Among Newly Enfranchised Groups," Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs 14:1 (1972), 201-224. Cheny, Elsa, "The Mobilization of Women in Allende's Chile," in Jane Jaquette, ed., Women in Politics (New York, 1974), 267-280. ,Supermadre. Women in Politics in Latin America (Austin, 1979). Correa Morandi, Maria, La guerra de las mujeres (Santiago, 1979). Crummett, Maria de los Angeles, "El poder femenico: the mobilization of women against socialism in Chile," Latin American Perspectives 4 (1977), 103-113. Donoso Loero, T., La epopeya de las ollas vacias (Santiago, 1974). Gueiler de Moler, Lydia, La mujer y la revoluci6n (La Paz, 1959). Harkness, Shirley and Patricia Pinz6n de Lewin, "Women, the Vote, and Party Politics of the Colombian National Front," Journal of Inter-American Studies and World Affairs 17:4 (1975), 430-464. Jacquette, Jane, "Women in Revolutionary Movements in Latin America," Journal of Marriage and the Family 35:2 (1973), 344-354. Mattelart, "Chile: The Feminine Version of the Coup d'Etat," in Nash and Safa, Sex and Class, 279-301. Portal, Magda, Excerpts from her El Aprismo y la mujer (Lima, 1933) in June E. Hahner, ed., Women in Latin American History, 83-89. Schmidt, S. W., "Women in Colombia: Attitudes and Future Perspectives in the Political System," Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs 17:4 (1975), 465-89. , "Political Participation and Development: The Role of Women in Latin America," Journal of International Affairs 30 (Fall-winter, 1976-1977), 243-260. , "Women's Changing Roles in Colombia," in Lynne B. Iglitzin and Ruth Ross, eds., Women in the World (Santa Barbara, 1976), 243-254.
Eva Peron
Main, Mary (Maria Flores), The Woman with the Whip (New York, 1952). Navarro, Maryssa, "The Case of Eva Per6n," in Wellesley Editorial Committee, Women and National Development. The Complexities of Change (Chicago, 1977). Per6n, Eva, My Mission in Life (New York, 1953). Taylor, Julie M., Eva Perdn, The Myths of a Woman (Chicago, 1979).
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Dominguez, Jorge, Cuba: Order and Revolution (Cambridge, Mass., 1978), 494-503. Espin, Vilma, Interview, In Hahner, June, Women in Latin American History, 164-171. Jenness, Linda, ed., Women and the Cuban Revolution: Speeches by Fidel Castro (New York, 1970). King, Marjorie, "Cuba's Attack on Women's Second Shift, 1974-1976," Latin American Perspectives 4 (1977), 106-119. Macias, Anna, "Felipe Carrillo Puerto and Women's Liberation in Mexico," in A. Lavrin, ed., Latin American Women, 286-301. ,"Women and the Mexican Revolution," The Americas 36:1 (1980), 53-82. Olessen, Virginia, "Context and Posture: Notes on Socio-Cultural Aspects of Women's Roles and Family Policy in Contemporary Cuba," Journal of Marriage and the Family 33 (1971), 548-556. P~rez, Louis, A., comp. "Women in the Cuban Revolutionary War, 1953-1958: A Bibliography," Science and Society 39 (Spring 1975), 104-108. Randall, Margaret, Cuban Women Now: Interviews with Cuban Women and Cuban Women Now: Afterword (Toronto, 1974). Sejournd, Laurette, La mujer cubana en el quehacer de la historia (Mexico, 1980). Sutherland, E., The Youngest Revolution. A personal Report on Cuba (New York, 1969). Vald~s, Nelson, P., "A Bibliography on Cuban Women in the Twentieth Century," Cuban Studies Newsletter (Pittsburgh, 1974).
Testimonial
Barrios de Chungara, Domitilia, Let Me Speak! Testimony ofDomitila, A Woman of the Bolivian Mines (New York, 1979). Jesus, Carolina M. de, Child of the Dark: The Diary of Carolina Maria de Jesus (New York, 1962).
Other
Comisi6n Interamericana de Mujeres, Serie Estudios, No. 2: Recommendaciones de la Comision Interamericana de Mujeres para la Conferencia Mundial del Aifo Internacional de la Mujer (OAS, 1975), Section III: Essays on rural women, women in the labor force, women and education family law, and women's health.
Women writers
Rosario Castellanos Clorinda Matos de Turner Gertrudis G6mez de Avellaneda Maria Luisa Bombal Silvina Bullrich Elena Poniatowska Gariela Mistral Alfonsina Storni Teresa de la Parra
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Spix, J. B. and V. Martius, Reise en Brasilien (Munchen, 1823-31). See Atlas. Trajes y Costumbres de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (Buenos Aires, Bacle y Cia, 1833).