Review by Choice Review
This ambitious history of the changing nature of political culture in Oaxaca is broad in scope and thoughtfully written. Guardino (Indiana Univ.) charts parallel histories beginning with the Bourbon reforms and ending with the rise of Mexican liberalism. One story examines plebian culture in the city of Antequera (renamed Oaxaca after independence), and the other looks at the Oaxacan rural district of Villa Alta, composed largely of indigenous villages. The sources used and themes highlighted for each history are different. In Antequera, Guardino touches on the role of elites, the actions of an ethnically mixed population, the importance of guilds, and, eventually, the formation of two distinct political factions. In Villa Alta, the focus is on relations between local society and state officials, and rural trade and the vicissitudes of life in corporate communities, both internally and as entities seeking to maneuver within changing societal currents. The study is grounded in serious theoretical discussions, engaging with ethnography, Mexican historiography, and broader issues pertaining to Latin America. Guardino does this in clear prose that is very readable without sacrificing intellectual rigor; it will be accessible to undergraduates. Individual chapters stand alone as well-researched and thoughtful discussions that convey the texture of life in Oaxaca during this century. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. All academic levels/libraries. J. Rosenthal SUNY College at Oneonta
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
