Civilization and violence : regimes of representation in nineteenth-century Colombia /

Rojas (international affairs, Carleton Univ.) gives readers a sophisticated study on the relationship among violence, capitalism, and citizenship in 19th-century Colombia. With references to Marx, subaltern studies, the economic and regional historiography of Colombia, and theories of violence, Rojas centers her argument on "regimes of representation"; that is, how ideas involving relationships between the self and the other were used by Colombian elites to justify economic transformation as part of a civilizing process. After defining the concept of "civilization" and the violence inherent in this topic, Rojas demonstrates in separate chapters how these forces played out in elite political conflict, subaltern voices, markets and economy, and regional variation. Lucidly written, this sophisticated text will demand careful reading, or thorough class discussion. One of the book's best features is Rojas's ample use of writing from the period, which she quotes at length, allowing readers to follow her arguments on modernization projects, women's self-perception, and the identity of people of color. English readers have the opportunity to test the author's hypotheses for themselves with these texts from 19th-century Colombia. Recommended for graduate students and faculty. J. Rosenthal SUNY College at Oneonta