spring 2012 volume xliii issue 2 in this issue · 7/15/2012 · spring 2012 | volume xliii | issue...
Transcript of spring 2012 volume xliii issue 2 in this issue · 7/15/2012 · spring 2012 | volume xliii | issue...
spring 2012 | volume xliii | issue 2 in this issue
On the Profession
A Tribute to Guillermo O’Donnellby Scott Mainwaring
Guillermo O’Donnell, 1936-2011by abrahaM LowenthaL
Guillermo O’Donnell: A Remembranceby Laurence whitehead
Debates
City of Refuge, City of Survival Struggles: Contradictions of San Francisco for Low-Wage Latino Immigrantsby SuSanne JonaS
Oaxaca in Los Angeles, Los Angeles in Oaxaca: Transborder Organizing in Californiaby Lynn Stephen
Special Projects
Can Latin America Escape the Middle Income Trap? Lessons from a Trans-Regional Comparisonby eva pauS
1 InformedelaPresidenta | por Maria HerMínia Tavares de alMeida
On ThE PROFESSIOn
2 ATributetoGuillermoO’Donnell | by scoTT Mainwaring
4 GuillermoO’Donnell,1936-2011 | by abraHaM lowenTHal
5 GuillermoO’Donnell:ARemembrance | by laurence wHiTeHead
DEbATES
7 CityofRefuge,CityofSurvivalStruggles:ContradictionsofSanFranciscoforLow-WageLatinoImmigrants | by susanne Jonas
11 OaxacainLosAngeles,LosAngelesinOaxaca:TransborderOrganizinginCalifornia | by lynn sTepHen
On LASA2012
14 OntheEveofSanFrancisco2012 | by gabriela nouzeilles and TiMoTHy J. power
16 FilmFestivalatLASA2012 | by claudia FerMan
17 LASA2012Exhibitors
18 LASA2012LocalLogistics
SPECIAL PROjECTS
20 CanLatinAmericaEscapetheMiddleIncomeTrap?LessonsfromaTrans-RegionalComparison | by eva paus
PresidentMaria Hermínia Tavares de Almeida, Universidade de São Paulo [email protected]
Vice PresidentEvelyne Huber, University of North Carolina
Past President John Coatsworth, Columbia University
TreasurerCristina Eguizábal, Florida International University
ExEcuTiVE council
For term ending April 2012Roberto Blancarte, Colegio de México Gwen Kirkpatrick, Georgetown University Kimberly Theidon, Harvard University
For term ending october 2013:Rosalva Aída Hernández Castillo, Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social Maxine Molyneux, University of London Gioconda Herrera, FLACSO/Ecuador
Ex officioGabriela Nouzeilles, Princeton University Timothy J. Power, University of Oxford Milagros Pereyra-Rojas, University of Pittsburgh Philip Oxhorn, McGill University
Forum EdiToriAl commiTTEE
EditorMaria Hermínia Tavares de Almeida, Universidade de São Paulo
managing EditorMilagros Pereyra-Rojas, University of Pittsburgh
Forum EdiToriAl AdVisory commiTTEE
Katherine Hite, Vassar College Hilda Sábato, Universidad de Buenos Aires
lAsA sTAFF
special Projects coodinatorMaría Soledad Cabezas, University of Pittsburgh
Assistant director for institutional AdvancementSandra Klinzing, University of Pittsburgh
Executive directorMilagros Pereyra-Rojas, University of Pittsburgh
membership coordinatorIsrael R. Perlov, University of Pittsburgh
The LASA Forum is published four times a year. It is the official vehicle for conveying news about the Latin American Studies Association to its members. Articles appearing in the On the Profession and Debates sections of the Forum are commissioned by the Editorial Committee and deal with selected themes. The Committee welcomes responses to any material published in the Forum.
Opinions expressed herein are those of individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Latin American Studies Association or its officers.
ISSN 0890-7218
TableofContents
1
InformedelaPresidentapor Maria HerMínia Tavares de alMeida | UniversidadedeSãoPaulo | [email protected]
fascinantesobreunfenómenodecrecienteimportancia,producidoporelcomplejotránsitoenlalargafronteraentreMéxicoyEstadosUnidos:elsurgimientodemovimientossocialestransfronterizos,queenestecaso,entrelazanlasciudadesdeOaxacayLosAngeles.SondoslecturassumamenteinteresantessobreuntemacentraldelaagendadeinvestigaciónydeaccióndelosmiembrosdeLASA.
EnesteForumrendimostributoalgranpensadoryqueridocolegaGuillermoO´Donnell,quenosdejóafinesdelañopasado.Lohacemospormediodeltestimoniodetrescolegasqueconvivieronytrabajaronconél.ScottMainwaring,AbrahamLowenthalyLaurenceWhiteheadhablandelacontribuciónacadémicaeinstitucionaldeO´Donnell,que,en2003recibióladistinciónmáximaconferidaporLASA,elKalmanSilvertLifetimeAchievementAward.Delalecturadelostrestextosemergelaimagendelinvestigadorriguroso,delpensadorvigoroso,delintelectualcomprometidoconlosproblemasdesutiempo,ytambiéndelcolegagentilysolidario.Nossumamos,así,algranhomenajeorganizadoporelKellogInstitutedelaNotreDameUniversity,enMarzoúltimo,enBuenosAires.
Finalmente,recordamosatodosque,enmayo,tenemoscitaenSanFranciscoparaelCongresodeLASA2012,quecreemosseráungranencuentrodenuestraasociación.Hastapronto. n
BarringtonMooreJr.,ensuclásicoInjustice: The Social Bases of Obedience and Revolt,nosrecuerdaquelamigracióneslaprimeraformaqueasumelabúsquedaindividualdesobrevivenciafrentealaspésimascondicionesdevida.En2010,segúnlaComisióndePoblaciónyDesarrollodelasNacionesUnidas,alrededorde214millonesdepersonassemovieronporelplanetaenbúsquedadeunavidamejor,osencillamenteparasubsistir.AméricaLatinacontribuyócon14porcientodeesemovimientodepersonas,que,hoycomoenelpasadosehandesplazado,ensugranmayoría,haciaelnorte,especialmentehacialosEstadosUnidos.
Noes,entonces,porcasualidadquelamigraciónsehaconvertidoenunodelostemasmásimportantesysensiblesdelaagendainternacional,asícomountemadeldebatepolíticodomésticoenlospaísesquesoneldestinopreferencialdelosquemigran.Simigraresunadecisiónindividualofamiliar,queimplicasiempreuncambiograndeenlavidaprivadadelosdirectamenteinvolucrados,lasmigracionestambiénsonfenómenoscolectivos,fluyenalinteriorderedesyconllevancambiosimportantesaloslugaresdeldestino.EnestaedicióndeLASA Forum,publicamosdosartículosque,desdedistintosángulos,hablandelosmigranteslatinosenCalifornia.SusanneJonasdiscuteladifícilsituacióndelostrabajadoreslatinosdebajosingresosenSanFrancisco,ciudadconocidaporsudiversidadétnica,porsuethosmulticulturalyporsuspolíticasmásabiertasrespectoalosinmigrantes.Laspresionesdelmercadodeinmuebleshandesplazadoaloslatinosdesussitiosdeocupacióntradicionalenlaciudad;laspresionespolíticasamenazanlaimagendeSanctuary City, queSanFranciscoconstruyóalolargodedécadas.Porsuparte,LynnStephennospresentaunrelato
lasaforum spring 2012 : volume xliii : issue 2
2
ATributetoGuillermoO’Donnellby Scott Mainwaring|UniversityofNotreDame|[email protected]
moderateandmaximilistopposition.Theyarguedthattransitionperiodsaremarkedbyuncertaintywithunpredictableoutcomes;theyrejectedstructuralapproachestotransitions.
Beginninginthelate1980s,O’Donnell’sattentionturnedtotheseveredeficienciesofmostdemocraticregimes,againwithaprimaryfocusonLatinAmerica.Whilecountlessotherindividualsobservedthesesamedeficiencies,nobodymatchedhisacuityinthetheoreticalanalysisofnewissuesthatrevolvearoundtheseshortcomings.Hecoinedmanyimportantconceptsthatremainatthecoreofanalysesofcontemporarydemocracy.Hisconcept“delegativedemocracy”referstodemocraticregimesinwhichthepresidentandcongressaredemocraticallyelected,butinwhichmechanismsof“horizontal”accountabilityarefragile.Hecontributedseminalarticlesoninformalinstitutions,horizontalaccountability,theruleoflaw,andtherelationshipbetweenthestateanddemocracy.OtherleadingscholarshavesubsequentlytakenonthesethemesascrucialforunderstandingcontemporaryLatinAmerica.3Hisarticle,“Democracy,LawandComparativePolitics”(Studies in Comparative International Development,Spring2001),wontheLuebbertPrizeforthebestarticleincomparativepolitics,awardedannuallybytheComparativePoliticssectionoftheAmericanPoliticalScienceAssociation.
Asascholar,O’Donnellalwaysfocusedongreatnormativeissuesthatconfrontcontemporaryhumanity—howtobuildbetterdemocracies,howtoensuremoreeffectiveruleoflawandmoreevencitizenship.Inthelasttwodecades,heachievedajudiciousbalancebetweencriticizingthedeficienciesofLatinAmericandemocracieswhileatthesametimenotindulginginfacilecriticismsthat
Inasecondpartofhiscareer,O’DonnellwrotemanyimportantworksaboutthenatureofauthoritarianisminLatinAmerica.AmongthemwashisbookontheArgentinemilitarydictatorshipof1966-73,publishedfirstinSpanishin1982(El Estado burocrático autoritario)andinEnglishin1988.Thisworkemphasizedconflictsamongthevariousforces—especiallydominantclassgroupsandthemilitary—thathadinitiallysupportedthedictatorship.Anotherbrilliantwork,“StateandAlliancesinArgentina,1956-1976,”analyzedhiscountry’scyclesbetweenauthoritarianismanddemocracyfromapoliticaleconomyperspective.1Afterthe1976coup,heauthoredsomeworkthatunderscoredthemicrodynamicsofauthoritarianismthatplaguedArgentinesocietyduringanextendedperiod,butinaparticularlyhorrificwayduringthebrutaldictatorshipof1976-83.2
Inathirdphasethattemporallyoverlappedsomewhatwiththesecond,O’DonnellwasthepioneerinanticipatingthewaveoftransitionstodemocracythatbeganinLatinAmericain1978.Withremarkableprescience,whenLatinAmericawasatthezenithofauthoritarianrule,hecorrectlyandalmostuniquelyunderstoodthatmanyoftheawfuldictatorshipstheninpowerwerelikelytobetransient.Heanalyzedthewaveoftransitionstodemocracythatresultedinpartfromthetensionswithinauthoritarianismthathehadstudiedearlier.Onceagain,heopenedanewresearchquestion,hugelyimportantboththeoreticallyandinthe“real”world.His1986co-editedvolumeTransitions From Authoritarian Rule(JohnsHopkinsUniversityPress)remainsaclassic.Itisoneofthemostwidelycitedworksinpoliticalscience.O’DonnellandPhilippeSchmitterfamouslyanalyzedtransitiondynamicsintermsoffourkeyblocsofactors:hardlineandsoftlineauthoritarians,andthe
GuillermoO’DonnelldiedonNovember29inhisnativeBuenosAiresattheageof75,followingafour-monthbattleagainstcancer.Hewasagiantincontemporarysocialscience,knownaroundtheworldforhisintellectualcreativity,hispath-breakingoriginality,andhispassionfordemocraciesthatfunctiondecently.Hisscholarlyworkonauthoritarianismanddemocracyestablishedhisinternationalreputationasabrilliantandseminalthinker.
O’Donnell’sscholarlycontributionscanbegroupedintofourphases.Earlyinhiscareer,heworkedprimarilyontheoriginsofauthoritarianisminSouthAmerica,especiallyintheregion’smoredevelopedcountries.Firstpublishedin1973,Modernization and Bureaucratic AuthoritarianismwasaseminalworkinunderstandingtheoriginsofmodernauthoritarianisminLatinAmerica.Unlikemanyofhiscontemporaries,O’Donnellrecognizedthatthiswasanewkindofauthoritarianrule.Againunlikehiscontemporaries,healsounderstoodthatthisnewpatternofauthoritarianrulehadprofoundtheoreticalimplicationsforunderstandingtherelationshipbetweenmodernizationanddemocracy.HearguedthatinLatinAmericaatacertainstageofdevelopmentcharacterizedbytheendofaneasyphaseofimportsubstitutionindustrialization,modernizationgeneratedpressurestowardanewformofauthoritarianismthathecalled“bureaucraticauthoritarianism.”ThisnewformofauthoritarianismemergedpreciselyinthemoreindustrializedcountriesofSouthAmerica:BrazilandArgentina.Thisargumentfosteredcriticalrethinkingofmodernizationtheory,whichpositedthatmoremodernizedcountriesaremorelikelytobedemocratic.
on the profession
3
Notas
1 Journal of Development Studies15No.1(October1978):3-33.
2 Threeoftheseessayswerepublishedaschapters3,4,and5inO’Donnell’sCounterpoints: Selected Essays on Authoritarianism and Democratization(NotreDame,IN:UniversityofNotreDamePress,1999).
3 Forexample,seeGretchenHelmkeandStevenLevitsky,eds.,Informal Institutions and Democracy: Lessons from Latin America(Baltimore:JohnsHopkinsUniversityPress,2006)
4 GuillermoO’Donnell,“IllusionsaboutConsolidation,”Journal of Democracy7No.2:34-51.
5 ForO’Donnell’sperspectivesonauthoritarianism,democracy,politicalscience,andhisownwork,seethelengthyinterviewwithhimpublishedinGerardoL.MunckandRichardSnyder,eds.,Passion, Craft, and Method in Comparative Politics(Baltimore:JohnsHopkinsUniversityPress,2007),pp.273-304. n
ResearchInstituteofRiodeJaneiro(IUPERJ)inRiodeJaneirofrom1980until1982andattheBrazilianCenterofAnalysisandPlanning(CEBRAP)inSãoPaulofrom1983until1991.
O’Donnellwasapersonofdeeppassionsandcommitments.From1966on,hedespisedmilitarydictatorships,andhealsohadcontemptforquotidianabusesofpower.Hehadgreatinsightsintothefoiblesofhisowncountryeventhoughhewasinmanyrespectsaworldcitizen.Fromthe1990son,hewascriticalofmainstreamU.S.politicalscience,justashehadbeeninhispioneeringModernization and Bureaucratic Authoritarianism;hebelievedthatthequestforscientificrigorhadsometimesledtoneglectinggreatquestionsandfocusingonthelessimportant.Hehadarefreshingabilitytochangehisthinking.Havingbeenthepioneerinthinkingaboutissuesofdemocraticconsolidation,helaterrejectedtheconcept.4
Throughouthiscareer,O’Donnellposedfascinatingnewtheoreticalquestionsabouttremendouslyimportantdevelopmentsinthecontemporaryworld.Hewasadeeplylearnedpersonwhoalwaysdrewupontheantecedentscholarship,yetoneofhisextraordinarygiftswasrecognizingnewquestionsandnewproblemsthathadnothithertobeenaddressed.Hestandsasoneofthemostimportantthinkersaboutdemocracyanddictatorshipsinthehistoryofpoliticalscience.5
A similar version of this tribute appears in the April issue ofPS:PoliticalScience&Politics.
couldfuelanti-democraticsentiment.Heconstantlymovedontonewagendas,andheconsistentlyopenednewresearchquestionsthatweresubsequentlyunderstoodtobehighlyimportant.
Hisscholarshipwonhimwiderecognition.AmemberoftheAmericanAcademyofArtsandSciences,O’Donnellwonthe2003KalmanSilvertAwardforLifetimeAchievement,givenevery18monthsbytheLatinAmericanStudiesAssociation.HewaspresidentoftheInternationalPoliticalScienceAssociationfrom1988to1991,andalsoservedasvice-presidentoftheAmericanPoliticalScienceAssociationfrom1999to2000.In2006,hewontheinauguralLifetimeAchievementAwardoftheInternationalPoliticalScienceAssociation.Hewastherecipientofcountlessotherfellowshipsandawards,includingtheJohnSimonGuggenheimMemorialFoundationFellowship.
AttheUniversityofNotreDame,O’DonnellplayedapivotalroleincreatinganddevelopingtheKelloggInstituteforInternationalStudies.AsKellogg’sfirstacademicdirector,hedefinedanexcitingresearchagendafortheinstituteandbuiltanoutstandingprogramofvisitingfellows.
IndicativeofthenearlyglobalreachofO’Donnell’swork,ithasbeentranslatedintoKorean,Japanese,Portuguese,Chinese,andofcourse,English.Inrecentyears,severalleadingLatinAmericanuniversitiesawardedhimhonoraryPhDs.
O’DonnellwasborninBuenosAiresin1936.HereceivedhislawdegreefromtheUniversidaddeBuenosAiresin1958andhisPh.D.fromYalein1988.HeleftArgentinain1979ashiscountryexperienceditsmostrepressivedictatorshipofthetwentiethcenturyandmovedtoBrazil,whereheworkedattheUniversity
lasaforum spring 2012 : volume xliii : issue 2
4
GuillermoO’Donnell,1936-2011byabrahaM LowenthaL|UniversityofSouthernCalifornia|[email protected]
LaurenceWhitehead,madealandmarkcontributionbothtothestudyofcomparativepoliticsandtopractice.Theproject’ssummaryvolumewasconsultedbymanyworkingtoexpandtheprospectsfordemocraticgovernancebycrackingopenauthoritarianregimes.Guillermo’sconveningauthority,inspiringleadership,incisiveanalysisandgiftsasapoliticalstrategistallcametogetherintheTransitionsproject.
WhenIthinkaboutGuillermoO’Donnell,Ithinknotonlyofhisprofessionalachievementsbutofhispersonalqualities:hissheerbrillianceandperspicacityonmanyquestions,cosmicandmicro-social;hiswarmth,senseofhumor,friendshipandloyalty.Hehadanenormouscapacityforempathyandastrongcommitmenttoequity,qualitiesthataffectedhisscholarshipbutalsohispersonalrelationships.Hecourageouslyovercametheeffectsofpolio,andhismentalagilitymorethanmadeupforhisphysicallimits.
GuillermoO’Donnellcareddeeplyaboutjusticeandabouttheneedtoprotectrightsthroughinstitutionsandconstraints.Heunderstoodandwroteclearlyaboutstructuralandsystemicforcesbutalsoemphasizedthepossibilityforexpandingthescopeofrightsandjusticethroughpoliticalengineering,individualleadershipandcoalitionbuilding.Hisanalysisandinsightsareasimportanttodayastheyhaveeverbeen.GuillermoO’Donnellwillbemissed. n
on the profession
leadershipofScottMainwaring,hasbecomeaworld-classcenter,thankslargelytothehighlycreative,rigorouscharismaticleadershipthatGuillermoprovidedduringitsformativeyears.
Isawfirst-handGuillermo’sextraordinaryinstitution-buildingskillsintheearlyyearsoftheWoodrowWilsonCenter’sLatinAmericanProgram,whereheservedasoneofninemembersofitsoriginalAcademicCouncil,chairedbyAlbertO.Hirschman.AttheCouncil’sfirstmeeting,Guillermourgedthatweidentifyafewprivilegedtopicstoorganizeourwork,andtoinvitefellowstotheCenter.Hesuggestedmanyofthetopicsweadopted,thusgivingtheprogram,fromthestart,animportantfocusonthoughtfulexplorationofnormativelydrivenissues.Afterthefirstmeeting,GuillermoandFernandoHenriqueCardoso,theBraziliansociologist,latertobecomethatcountry’spresident,helpedmedesignguidelinesandpoliciestoensurethattheprogramwouldachievecredibilityinLatinAmericanacademiccircles,wheresuspicionofaWashington-basedinstitutioncouldbeanticipated.Whendelicatepoliticalissuesaroseatthecenter,inthecontextofpoliticalandideologicalpressuresthatreflectedchangingcurrentsinWashington,GuillermoflewupfromBuenosAirestoparticipateinahalf-daymeetingofthecouncilwiththeCenter’sdirectorandtohelpprotecttheintellectualautonomyandacademicqualityofwhatweweredoing.Iwillneverforgetthepassionandpersuasivenessofhispresentation,andhiseffectivenessinhelpingtocounterthepressuresthatwerebeingbroughttobearontheProgram.
Guillermo’sexceptionalleadershipoftheProgram’sinfluentialprojecton“TransitionsfromAuthoritarianRule,”togetherwithPhilippeSchmitterand
MostappreciationsofGuillermoO’Donnellemphasizehiscontributionstotheliteratureonauthoritarianism,thenontransitionsfromauthoritarianruleandtheconstructionofeffectivedemocraticgovernance,andfinallyonthechallengesofgettingbeyondlowintensityandlowqualitydemocracyinordertoachievegovernancethatbuildscitizenshipandprotectstherightsofallcitizens.GuillermoO’Donnellcontributedbrilliantinsightsandsystematictheorybuildingonalltheseissues.Hisworkiswidelyrecognizedaroundtheworld,asthemanytranslationsofhiswritingsandhismanyinternationalhonorsanddistinctions,includingLASA’sKalmanSilvertAward,amplydemonstrate.AnumberofGuillermo’sstudentsandcolleaguesarealsoprovidingwarmtestimonyabouthisqualitiesasateacherandmentor:inArgentina,Brazil,theUnitedStates,theUnitedKingdom,andelsewhere.
IwishtocommentonGuillermo’smajorcontributionsasaninstitutionbuilder,inArgentinaandintheUnitedStates.HewasoneofthefoundersandthefirstdirectoroftheCenterforStudiesofStateandSociety(CEDES)inBuenosAires,anislandofcriticalinquiryinArgentina’sdarkdays,anincubatoroftalentedcriticalsocialscientistsandtothisday,animportantplaceforresearchinthatalways-perplexingcountry.
GuillermowasalsothefirstandlongtimeacademicdirectoroftheHelenKelloggInstituteattheUniversityofNotreDame.ThatinstitutebeganwithhighambitionandthevisionofFatherTedHesburghbutwithfewotherassetsuntilFatherTedandFatherErnestBartellmanagedtorecruitO’DonnellandChileaneconomistAlejandroFoxleytobuildacenterofexcellenceondevelopmentanddemocracy.TheKelloggInstitute,nowundertheable
5
Iregardedasperilousintheextreme.“Youseemtothinkthisisgoodnews,”Icommented,perhapsfeelinglessconfidentthenhewasabouthowsuchaconfrontationmustunfold.“BecauseMrs.ThatcherwillbringdemocracytoArgentina,”herepliedwithouthesitation.(Eventhenmyenthusiasmwaslessthanhis.Inthatcase,Ireplied,“ArgentinawillprobablybringadecadeofThatcherismtotheUK.”)
ThroughoutaversatileandfecundlifetimecareerGuillermoproducedmanystrikinganalyticalinsights,sometimesidentifyingphenomenabeforetheywerefullyrealized.Forexample,his“delegativedemocracy”articlecanbeseenasaprecursorofChavismoinVenezuela.IndeedIhaveteasedhimwiththesuggestionthattheVenezuelanrulermusthavestudiedhisarticlecarefullyinordertoconformsocloselytoitsspecifications.Butthisanalyticalskillwasnotjusttheproductofexceptionallybroadcomparativeexperienceandabrilliantintelligence.Itwasalsogroundedinsomedeeppersonalcommitments.Hewasinstinctivelyopposedtothebully.Itmaybethathisownphysicaldisability(hehadpolioasachild,andalwayshadtocopewithoneveryweakleg)reinforcedthattrait.Thatmayhelptoexplaintheunderlyingstructureofhisimaginativethinking.
Again,anexamplemaybepertinent.AsPresidentofTheInternationalPoliticalScienceAssociation(IPSA)hewaspresentedwithaparticularlydelicatepoliticaldilemma.ItwouldhavebeenagreatcouptorecruitmainlandChinaintothefold—thiswas,Ithink,shortlybeforethe1989crackdown.ButBeijingwouldnotcountenanceanysuchmoveunlessTaiwanwasexpelledfromtheassociation.IdoubtwhetherGuillermohadthatmuchpriorknowledgeoftheintricaciesof
repeatedthroughouthiscareer,Guillermoallowedhistheorizingtorunaheadofthefacts,imaginingpossiblescenariosthatotherlessgiftedanalystsmighthavedismissedasfanciful.Heencouragedwell-groundedthoughtexperimentsthatweredrivenbywhathecouldpersuadehimselfwaspossibleanddesirable,ratherthanlimitinghismodel-buildingtowhatmightseemfirmlypredictable.Thatiswhythecelebratedgreenfourthvolumeofthe“Transitions”project(writtenjointlywithPhilippeSchmitterduringaperiodthatthethreeofusspenttogetherinFlorencein1984)wasentitled“TentativeConclusionsaboutUncertainDemocracies.”
Somemightthinkthatimaginingpossiblescenariosthatonewouldliketoseerealizedwouldbearecipeforfantasyandself-deception,andindeedtherearemanyexamplesofjustsuchapitfall.ButGuillermowasnonaïveidealist.HehadbeenthrougharoughandtumbleofArgentinepoliticseversincehisteenageyearsatthewrongendofthePerónregime.HehadlearnthiscomparativepoliticsfromsuchjudiciousauthoritiesasRobertDahlandDavidApter.AndhehadseenhowutopianillusionshadmisledhisPopularUnityfriendsinChile.Sothescenariosheimaginedwerewellgroundedinexperience,andattunedtosomeunderlyingstandardsofdecencythatwereperhapsbetterembeddedoutsidethepoliticalarenathanwithinit.
Toillustratethisthemeoneincidentparticularlysticksinmymemory.Tothebestofmyrecollection,atthebeginningofApril1982hephonedmeabouttheTransitionsbookproject.“Haveyouheardthepromisingnews?”heaskedme.IwasalltooawarethatMrs.ThatcherhadjustauthorizedthedispatchofanavalmissiontoretaketheFalklandIslands/MalvinasfromGeneralGaltieri,aventurethat
GuillermoO’Donnell:ARemembrancebyLaurence whitehead|NuffieldCollege|[email protected]
on the profession
GuillermoO’DonnelldiedinNovember2011attheageofseventy-five.HehadreturnedtoBuenosAiresaftermanyyearsofteachingandresearchabroad,inparticularattheKelloggInstituteoftheUniversityofNotreDame.Althoughaversatileandcosmopolitancitizenoftheworld—onashortvisittoIrelandherediscoveredaforgottenidentityasWilliamofDonegal—hewasalsoandultimatelyatrueporteño.
IfirstmethimattheWilsonCenter,inWashingtonD.C.whenhewasontheacademiccounciloftheLatinAmericanProgram,whichwasbeginningtosetupwhatbecamethefamous“TransitionsfromAuthoritarianRule”project.HewasalreadyinternationallycelebratedforhiswritingsaboutthebureaucraticauthoritarianstateandforhisleadershipoftheCenterforStudiesofStateandSociety(CEDES)inBuenosAires.Butbytheendofthe1970sthe“dirtywar”hadmadecriticalscholarshipworkinArgentinaevermoreimpossible,andthebestsocialscientistsoftheSouthernConewerebeingforcedintoexileandscatteredaroundthewesternhemisphere.TheCarteradministrationhadtakenupthecauseofhumanrights,and—atleastforawhile—partsofWashingtonseemedtoprovidesomethingofashelter.
Inthebeginningthe“transitions”projectwasmoreabout“thoughtfulwishing”thanhardevidencebasedanalysis.Thereweresomehistoricalandtheoreticalreferencepoints,ofcourse,andthepost-FrancocreationofaSpanishconstitutionwasaparticularsourceofencouragement.ButnooneknewwhetherevenSpanishdemocracywouldprovedurable,andthereweregoodreasonsfordoubtingwhetheranylessonsfromMadridwouldprovereadilytransferabletoBuenosAiresorSantiago.Inapatternthatwastobe
lasaforum spring 2012 : volume xliii : issue 2
6
themeshehadworkedonforsolong.Thisisnottheplaceforanextendedreviewofthatmajorvolume,whichIwasprivilegedtohelpproduce.Itmaysufficetoquoteonesentenceofconclusionthatcanstandasatestimonytohisstandpoint:
If my life is enriched by a diverse social context, I should recognize that it is my interest that all individuals, or as many as possible, have the necessary conditions for freely choosing their own functioning under the conditions established by law of an (at least) partially democratized state.
Athoughtfulwish,worthimagining—butnotonethathasbeenrealizedasyet. n
Chineseinternalpolitics,andIsuspectthattheKMTregimewasnotparticularlytohisliking.Butasheexplainedittomesubsequently,theissuewasstraightforward.Whateverthesecondaryarguments,itwasessentialtostanduptothebully.Taiwancouldnotbeexpelledifitwasnotatfault,simplybecauseamorepowerfulactordemandedobeisance.
ManyyearslaterGuillermoandIvisitedPresidentChenShui-bianinhispalaceinTaipei.Thedemocraticrulerseemedremarkablysimilartotheauthoritarianpredecessorswhohadsatinthesamechair.Hehadlittletimetotakeadvicefromusvisitingexpertsincomparativedemocratization(anurgentappointmentwithAmbassadorJohnBoltoncutshortourtimebeforeGuillermocoulddeliverhisfullremarks).ItwasnottocurryfavorwiththeTaiwanese,oroutofanyillusionsaboutthequalityoftheirdemocraticcommitments,thatGuillermohadtakenhisstance.Itwassimplyadutytoresistintimidation.
Althoughheisbestknownforhislargescaleandtheoreticallyelaboratedworksinmacro-comparativepolitics,atleastoneofhisearlywritingsshouldbehighlightedheretodemonstratetherangeanddiversityofhistalents.“‘¿Yamí,quémeimporta?’NotassobresociabilidadypolíticaenArgentinayBrasil”(EstudiosCEDES,BuenosAires,1984)doesnotappearinthebibliographyofhisfinalmagnumopus,butitis—inmyopinion—aminorjewelandacluetohissourcesofinspiration.
Fortunatelyhelivedlongenoughtoseethepublicationofhisfinalbook,Democracy, Agency and the State: Theory with Comparative Intent,(OxfordStudiesinDemocratization,2010).Thistookupmostofhisenergiesinthelastfewyearsofhislife,anddrawstogetherthemajor
7
2011,withSanFranciscoinflux,theserelativeachievementsfacedmajorchallenges.
Two Tales of the City
ContestedSpace:GentrificationandLatinoDisplacementin“theMission”
Rapid-fireboomandbustcyclesofhigh-technologysectorsafterthemid-1990stookagreattollonLatinoneighborhoods,mainlytheinnerMissionDistrict.Increasingpovertyresultedfromscarceaccesstodecentjobsand,simultaneously,theextraordinarilyhighcostoflivingandinsufficientaffordablehousing.Bytheearly2000s,thiswascombinedwithgentrification-drivenevictionsandLatinodisplacement.Subsequently,theGreatRecessionbeginninginlate2007reducedtheavailabilityofevenlow-wagejobsinSanFrancisco.
Asof2000,Latino(“Hispanic-origin”)residentshadresisteddemographicdecline,remainingmoreorlessstablefrom1970to2000at14percentofSanFrancisco’spopulation,concentratedmainlyintheMissionDistrictandalongtheMissionStreetcorridortoDalyCity(Godfrey2004).Duringthe1980sand1990s,outrightgentrificationandeviction/displacementofLatinAmericanimmigrantsintheMissionDistricthadadvanced,butfarmoreslowlythanpredicted.UnlikeotherneighborhoodsofSanFranciscothathadbeencompletelytransformedbythesedynamicsinthemid-to-latetwentiethcentury(Hartman2002),gentrificationbeganontheouteredgesoftheinnerMissionDistrict,butdidnotyetoccurwholesaleinthecore(lower24thStreet).Inadditiontotheneighborhood’slongstandingLatinoculturaland
lesssecureforlow-wageLatinos,especiallyimmigrants.Theeffectsoflivinginapost-industrial“dot-com”technology-driveneconomythatwaspolarizedintohigh-end/low-endservicesectors(Sassen1988),andthatunderwentspectacularboomsandprecipitousdeclinessincethe1990s,werefeltthroughoutSanFrancisco’shousingandlabormarkets.BothboomandbustperiodstransformedSanFranciscointooneoftheleastaffordableurbanareasforlow-incomeresidentswithregardtohousingandtheoverallcostofliving.Injobmarkets,manynewlyarrivingLatinoimmigrantstendedtoremaintrappedasthe“workingpoor,”oftenwithmorethanonejoband/oratthebottomoftheinformalsector-—forexample,atdaylaborerstreetsites(men)orasmaidsandnannies(women).AsaGuatemalansoccer-leagueorganizerdescribedtomeinthelate1990showhardhiscompatriotshadtoworktosurvive,“Aquí, no se vive, se sobrevive.”
Buttheselow-wageLatinoimmigrantswerenotsimplypassiveobjectsofstructuralchanges.TheirverypresencediversifiedSanFrancisco’scultureandpolitics.Furthermore,organizationsbasedintheircommunitiesbecamecollectivesocialactors;togetherwithothermovements,forseveraldecades,fromthelate1960sto2000,theychallengeddowntowndevelopers’plansandresistedthetideofgentrificationintheMissionDistrict’sinnercore.Someareasin“theMission”sufferedfromeconomicdeteriorationandpoverty,dilapidatedandovercrowdedhousing,crimeandgangs;itwaslargelyabarriooftheworkingpoor,butitwastheirLatinospace.Inaddition,theirorganizinginitiatives(e.g.,bytheSalvadoranCentralAmericanResourceCenter,CARECEN,andnumerousothergroups)helpedmaintainSanFranciscoasaSanctuaryCityforseveraldecades.Butby
CityofRefuge,CityofSurvivalStruggles:ContradictionsofSanFranciscoforLow-WageLatinoImmigrantsbySuSanne JonaS|UniversityofCalifornia,SantaCruz|[email protected]
SanFranciscohasbeenwidelyperceivedasafavorablecontextofsettlementforLatinAmericanimmigrantsbecauseofitsethnicdiversityandmulticulturalvalues,whichinturnreflectitssizeableimmigrantcommunities.1Thecityhasalsobeenprominentforitsgenerallyprogressivepolitics,andforbeingoneofthemostreceptivedestinationsforCentralAmericanasylumseekersduringthe1980sand1990s.SanFranciscoofficialsextendedSanctuaryCityprovisionstootherundocumentedimmigrantsin1989andhaveopposedfederaleffortstotarget,punish,anddeportundocumentedLatinoimmigrantsduringtheextendedcrackdownsince1996.
However,researchfocusingonthelargestlow-wageLatinoimmigrantcommunities—CentralAmericansandMexicans2—revealsmorecomplexrealitiesofSanFrancisco.Whilesufferingverylittlepoliticalintolerance,mostlow-wageLatinoimmigrantshavefacedsignificantsocio-economicdifficultiesandhaveachievedonlylimitedupwardmobility.AsfirstanalyzedbyCastells(1983)inhispioneeringcriticalanalysisofSanFrancisco’sMissionDistrictasasiteforLatinomigrantsandcitizens,culturalcapital(e.g.,murals,majorfestivals,restaurants)didnottranslateintosocio-economicorpoliticalpower.Despitebeingmobilizedaroundparticularissues,Latinocommunitiesdidnotincreasetheiractualpoliticaloreconomicpowervis-à-visthecity’srulingelitesanddevelopers.Thisisnottotallysurprising,sincetheLatinocommunitieshadahighproportionofnon-citizens,manyofthemundocumented.
Theeconomicandpoliticaldominanceofdowntowndevelopers,aswellasstructuraltransformationsinthepost-industrialpoliticaleconomyofSanFranciscoinrecentdecades,madelifemoredifficultand
debates
lasaforum spring 2012 : volume xliii : issue 2
8
migrationtolessexpensiveneighborhoodsinSanFrancisco,andevenmoretoOaklandandfarthereast.ManynewLatinomigrantsintheearly2000shaveskippedSanFranciscoaltogetherasadestination.
Sanctuary Contested
Duringtheearly2000s,thecityandcountyofSanFranciscofacedgrowingpressurestoredefineitsSanctuaryCitypolicies.TheoriginalSanctuary(“CityofRefuge”)policywasadoptedin1985toprotectspecificallySalvadoranandGuatemalanasylumseekerswhohadenteredtheUnitedStatesundocumented.ConfrontingtheReaganadministration’sdenialof98-99percentoftheirasylumpetitions,theSanFranciscoordinancepledgednottocooperatewithfederalauthoritiesseekinginformationaboutthem.In1989,followingincreasedImmigrationandNaturalizationService(INS)raidsintheMissionDistrictandfederallylegislatedemployersanctions,thecity’sBoardofSupervisorsunanimouslyextendedSanctuaryCitytoprotectundocumentedimmigrantsingeneral,andstipulatedthatinformationaboutimmigrantstatuswouldnotbesharedwithfederalauthoritiesinthecaseofundocumentedarresteesunless/untiltheywereconvictedofacriminalact—aprovisionthatsurvivedintermittentchallengesduringthe1990sandmaintainedSanFranciscoasa“safe”socialspace.
FollowingtheCongressionalanti-immigrantmeasuresofthe1996IllegalImmigrantReformandImmigrantResponsibilityAct(IIRIRA),andprovisionsoftheWelfareReformandAnti-Terrorismlawsandtheirhardeningafter9/11(e.g.,inthe2001USAPatriotAct),massivechangesinnationalimmigrantenforcement
longstandingMexicanrestaurantandbakeryLaVictoriasurvived,butbecame“LaVictoria/WholesomeBakery,”offeringupscalecupcakesandexpensivefair-tradecoffeealongsidetraditionalpan dulce,inorderto“keepupwiththechangingneighborhood,”asthesecond-generationownertoldus.
Inthelower24thStreetapartmentbuildingwhereIhadlivedfromthemid-1980sthrough2001,insteadofsixLatinorentersandoneAngloasin2001,therewereby2011twoLatino,twoAsianandthreeAnglorenters.Gonewerethegraffitithathadfrequentlydefacedthebuilding’sexteriorduringthe1990s,andtherewasagoodsecuritysystematthebuilding’sentrance.Morebroadly,throughouttheMissiondistrict,issuesof“live-work”loftspacesandzoningregulationsremainedhighlycontested.Thistime,theanti-displacementorganizationsputupafight,butultimatelywereunabletostopthegentrification/expulsionprocess,as10percentofSanFrancisco’sLatinocommunityleftthecitybetween2000and2005(Mirabal2009,usingCensusdata).
Fromatop-downanalyticalperspective,thisre-socializationofspacecanbeseenasatriumphfordevelopersandnewmiddle-classresidents.Viewedfromthebottom-up,itisbestcapturedbyGodfrey’s(2004)formulationofa“barrioundersiege”inregardto“Latinosenseofplace”intheinnerMissionDistrict,respondingdefensivelytothethreatsofdisplacementandneoliberalspatialrestructuring.WhereLatinossawtheirbarrioorplace,developerssawaprimepropertylocation,inthewarmestandsunniestneighborhoodofthecity,amereten-minutedrivefromdowntown.Onepragmaticresponsebylow-wageLatinostointensifieddisplacementfromtheMissionDistrictduringtheearly2000shasbeenout-
commercialcapital,activistorganizationssuchastheMissionAnti-DisplacementCoalitionresisteddowntowndevelopers’schemes.
Asof2000,Latinosstillmadeup60.9percentoftheinnerMissionDistrictpopulation,comparedto62.3percentin1990(Godfrey2006,339).Butby2010,accordingtotheSanFranciscoPlanningDepartment(2011),usingACS2005-09data,Latinosmadeuponly41percentoftheMissionDistrictpopulation—ahugedecreasefrom2000.Meanwhile,thenon-HispanicwhitepopulationincreasednotablyintheMissionDistrict.Beginninginthelate1990s,gentrificationandskyrocketingrentsaswellasoutrightevictions,includingownermove-inevictionsandwrongfulevictions,acceleratedsignificantlyintheinnerMissionDistrict.Increasinglyduringthenextdecade,thearealostitsstatusasoneofthecity’sleastexpensiveneighborhoods;rentalsandhomepricesarenowfarhighertherethaninthenearby“OuterMission”andExcelsiordistricts,andmedianhomepricesarevirtuallyashighasinborderingupscaleBernalHeights.Newcondosareconstantlybeingbuilt,givingdevelopersthemostprofitoutofeverysquareinch.
Nolongerislower24thStreetsimplyaLatinoethnicenclave,althoughLatinosmaintainasignificantpresence.Forexample,internetcafessuchas“L’s,”exoticice-creamparlors,trendyOrientalandorganicrestaurants(e.g.,“SushiBistro”),andbusinessessuchasMetro/PCShavetakenoverspacespreviouslyoccupiedbyLatinorestaurantssuchasLaPostaandMargarita’sPupusería,andarespatiallyinterspersedwiththeremainingLatinobusinesses.Inaddition,someofthesurvivingLatinobusinesseshavebeguncateringtonewclienteles,mainlyrecentlyarrivedprofessional/yuppieresidents.The
9
nearbyhigh-techjobswerechangingtheelectoraldemographicsofSanFrancisco,bringinginolder,better-off,generallynon-HispanicwhiteandAsianvoterswhowouldnotnecessarilydefendimmigrantrights.In2010and2011,officialselectedtotheBoardofSupervisorsandasmayorwere“moderate”centrists.
Simultaneously,enforcementcontroversieseruptedregardingtheICES-Commprogram.MandatedbyastrongBoardofSupervisors’resolutionthatpassed9-2inJune,2010,theSanFranciscoSheriff,aprogressive,formallypetitionedto“optout”ofS-Commforundocumentedresidentswhohadcommittedminoroffenses.Aftermonthsofmixedmessages,inmid-2011,theDHStookadefinitivestanceagainstallowingstateorlocaljurisdictionstooptout.Inperhapsthebitterestirony,SanFranciscoCountyhadamongthehighestratesofdeportationofnon-criminalsorminoroffendersunderS-Comm:77.6percent(of241cases)betweenOctober2008andFebruary2011.
Allofthesestruggleshavesparkedgrassrootsandimmigrantrightsadvocacymobilizations,withbroadcoalitionsthatincludemanyCentralAmerican,Mexican,pan-Latino,Asian,Asian-PacificIslander,African,Arabandoveralllegalimmigrantsupportorganizations.Theseproactivecoalitionshaveprovidedsupportforimmigrantrightsmeasures,suggestinganaccumulationofpoliticalcapitalovertheyearsbyorganizationsbasedinSanFrancisco’simmigrantcommunities,eventhoughtheycouldnotstopICEarrestsanddeportations.
Themixedrecorddescribedhererevealssomefault-linesoftwenty-firstcenturySanFranciscoimmigrationpolitics.Thestructuralissueofhowmuchautonomycanexistforapoliticallypro-immigrant
withpoliticians(includingthemayor),themainstreammedia(particularlytheSan Francisco Chronicle),andsomestrainsofpublicopinionviewingSanctuaryCityassystematically“protecting”undocumentedjuvenilecriminals.
OnJuly2,2008,themayorunilaterallydeclaredthatpolicewouldshareinformationwithICEaboutjuvenileundocumentedimmigrantsatthetimetheywerefirstarrestedandcharged withcommittingacrime.Withstrongcommunitypressuresagainstthemayor’saction,inthefallof2009,theBoardofSupervisorspassedaveto-proof(8-3)ordinance,mandatingthatinformationaboutthesejuvenilesshouldbesharedwithICEnotatthetimeofarrestforacrime,butonlyatthetimeoftheiractualconviction,inordertoprotecttheirdueprocessrights.ThismeasurewasspearheadedbyGuatemalan-AmericanSupervisorDavidCampos,3thefirstLatinoeverelectedtorepresentDistrict9,whichincludedmostoftheMissionDistrictaswellasneighboringBernalHeights,withitsbaseofprogressiveuppermiddleclassvoters.Theongoingbattlebetweenthemayor,whorefusedtoimplementthelaw,andtheBoardofSupervisorswassomewhatdefusedin2011,whenanewmayorcompromised,preservingdueprocessformany,butnotall,undocumentedjuvenilearrestees.
Butbytheearly2000s,unconditionallypro-immigrantpoliciescouldnotbetakenforgrantedoutsideofDistrict9.Bothin2004andin2010,forexample,SanFranciscovoterssoundlydefeatedinitiativestoallowimmigrants,regardlessofstatus,tovoteinelectionsfortheBoardofEducation—ameasurethatsomemajorcitieshadadopted.Themainstreammediafurtherpolarizedpublicopinion.Gentrificationaswellasnewbio-techand
reverberatedatthelocallevel.In2003,theenforcementdivisionoftheINSwasreplacedbytheImmigrationandCustomsEnforcementagency(ICE)withintheDepartmentofHomelandSecurity(DHS).Withinthenationalsecurityenvironment,ICEattemptedtoestablishtheprimacyofnationalauthoritiesandtocarryoutraidsanddeportationswithoutfollowinglocalnorms,practices,orpublicopinion.
Duringtheearly2000s,thistugofwaramongnationalandlocalauthoritiesandcommunityorganizationsintheSanFranciscoareabecamemoreintenseandcomplex.ICEsteppedupitsraidsandusedthe287(g)provisionofIIRIRA,whichallowedlocalpolicetoroutinelyshareimmigrationinformationwithICEinpreparationfordeportations.The287(g)agreementswerevoluntary,andwereresistedbymanylocalpoliceforcesthroughoutthecountry,includingSanFrancisco’s.Butin2008,ICEinitiated“SecureCommunities”(S-Comm),alsodesignedtoidentifydeportableimmigrantsthroughpolicesharingfingerprintswithICE;thisprogramwasintendedtobemandatory.Whilebothprogramsweresupposedtofocusonimmigrantswhohadcommittedseriousviolentcriminalacts,bothcaughtupanddeportedmanynon-criminalimmigrants.AndinSanFrancisco,bothprogramschallengedlongstandingsanctuarypolicies.
Beginningin2008,localeventsalsosetthestageforashowdownoverthespecificmeaningofSanctuaryCityinSanFrancisco,withafewhigh-profilecasesinwhichjuvenileundocumentedimmigrantscommittedseriousfeloniesafterhavingbeenfreedfromjailforpreviouscrimes.Additionally,someMexicanandCentralAmericanyouthwereinvolvedwithgangsanddrugdealers.Thesecircumstancescreatedabacklash,
lasaforum spring 2012 : volume xliii : issue 2
10
Mirabal,Nancy.
2009.“GeographiesofDisplacement:Latina/os,OralHistory,andThePoliticsofGentrificationinSanFrancisco’sMissionDistrict.”The Public HistorianVol31(2):7-31.
SanFranciscoPlanningDepartment.
2011.SanFranciscoNeighborhoods:Socio-EconomicProfiles:AmericanCommunitySurvey2005-2009.SanFrancisco.
Sassen,Saskia.
1988. The Mobility of Labor and Capital: A Study in International Investment and Labor Flow.Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress.
Wilson,JillandAudreySinger.
2011.“Immigrantsin2010ImmigrantAmerica:ADecadeofChange.”Washington:BrookingsInstitution.MetropolitanPolicyProgram.n
4 Itisworthnoting,forexample,thatevenasICEraidsandarrests/deportationsincreasedafter2008,thereweremixedmessagesfromotherSanFrancisco-basedfederalauthorities.Throughoutthe1990sandevenaslateas2010,theSanFranciscoAsylumoffice(undertheU.S.CitizenshipandImmigrationServicesbranchofDHS)continuedtoreceiveandapprovesignificantnumbersofasylumapplicationsthroughoutNorthernCaliforniaandtheNorthwest.
References
Batalova,JeanneandAaronTerrazas.
2010.“FrequentlyRequestedStatisticsonImmigrantsandImmigrationintheUnitedStates.”Washington:MigrationPolicyInstitute:<http://www.migrationinformation.org/USFocus/display.cfm?ID=818>.
Castells,Manuel.
1983.The City and the Grassroots: A Cross-cultural Theory of Urban Social Movements.Berkeley:UniversityofCaliforniaPress.
Godfrey,Brian.
2006.“NewUrbanandEthnicLandscapes.”InContemporary Ethnic Geography,editedbyChristopherAirriesandInesMiyares,331-354.Lanham,MD:RowmanandLittlefield.
2004.“BarrioUnderSiege:LatinoSenseofPlaceinSanFrancisco,California.”InHispanic Spaces, Latino Places,editedbyDanielArreola,79-102.Austin:UniversityofTexasPress.
Hartman,Chester,withSarahCarnochan.
2002.City for Sale: The Transformation of San Francisco. Berkeley:UniversityofCaliforniaPress.
localjurisdictionisunresolved.Asofearly2012,SanFranciscoandothercitiesandstatesappeartohavelostsomeoftheirrelativeautonomy,butthistug-of-warcontinues.Additionally,atthelocallevel,thescenarioismorecomplex,andthereisadenserfieldofactors,withsomelocalplayersrepresentingstateorfederalauthorities.4Fromtheperspectiveofmanylow-wageLatinoimmigrantsthemselves,thefuturelooksuncertaininregardtotheireconomicsurvival,theirneighborhoods,andsomebasicrightsinSanFrancisco.
Endnotes
1 Quantitatively,ofallU.S.urbanareas,SanFranciscoCityandCounty(coterminous)havehadoneofthehighestpercentagesoftheforeign-borninitspopulation(34.1percentin2009:BatalovaandTerrazas2010).ThelargerSanFrancisco-Oakland-FremontMetropolitanArearankedfourthintheentireUnitedStatesin2010(WilsonandSinger2011),althoughAsianimmigrantsoutnumberedLatinoimmigrants.
2 Inadditiontothestudiescitedhere(andmanyothers),myresearchfortheSanFranciscochapterofanin-progressbookco-authoredwithNestorRodríguez,Al Norte: Guatemalans in a Changing Migration Region,focusesonGuatemalans,butcoversmanyelementssharedbyotherlow-wageLatinoimmigrantsinSanFranciscofromthelate1970sthroughthefirstdecadeofthetwenty-firstcentury.
3 SeeCampos’website<http://www.sfbos.org/index.aspx?page=2129>.
11
participate.ThenewgroupwascalledAPPOLosAngeles.
MembersofthenewlyformedAPPOLosAngelesdecidedtoengageinaseriesoflocalpublicmobilizationstocallattentiontotherepressionfacedbythemovementofOaxaca.Thesecontinuedthroughthefallof2006andinto2007andincludedactionssuchasthoseontheDayoftheDeadwithcoffinstorepresentthosewhohaddiedintheOaxacaconflict,andanAPPOsadainDecemberthatcombinedthetraditionalposadamarkingthesearchofMaryandJosephforshelterbeforeChrist’sbirthwithsupportfortheAPPO.
Thisseriesofmarches,protestactions,rallies,andmeetingsattheMexicanConsulateintensifiedthenetworkofrelationsnotonlybetweendifferentpartsoftheOaxacancommunity,butalsobetweenOaxacansandotherMexicansandLatinosinLosAngeles.Inaddition,thewaysinwhichthemarcheswereorganizedsuggestedthepowerofsimpletelecommunicationsandelectronicinformationsharinginbinationalorganizingandmobilization.
CellphonecommunicationnotonlyplayedanimportantroleinhelpingAPPOleadersfromdifferentregionsofOaxacatocommunicatewithoneanother,italsofacilitatedsomeofthemostemotionallyintenseanddramaticmomentsoftransborderorganizingbetweenAPPOOaxacaandAPPOLosAngeles.DuringtheLosAngelesmarches,APPOleadersinLosAngelesbegantoestablishdirectconnectionswithAPPOleadersinOaxaca,frequentlycallingthemontheircellphonesandthenholdingthephonesuptomicrophonessothattheycouldbebroadcastthroughouttheparkforeveryonetohear.FIOBactivistGasparRivera-Salgadodescribesthis:
(PRI),whichhadruledinOaxacaforeightyyears(seeStephen2011).
Transborder Activism: APPO Los Angeles
TheIndigenousFrontofBinationalOrganizations(FIOB)1,whichincludessignificantnumbersofteachersandindigenousleaders,wasoneoftheLosAngelesorganizationsmostdirectlyconnectedtoSection22andtotheAPPO.2AsOaxacansinLosAngelesbecameconcernedaboutrepressionagainsttheteachersandsawlivereportsofthemilitantdemonstrationstakingplaceinOaxacaCity,theybegantotalkwithFIOBleaderstofindoutwhattheycoulddotosupportthemovement.
AgroupofFIOBmembersfromLosAngelesandFresnomadeatriptoOaxacainAugust2006andmetdirectlywithAPPOleaders,leadersofSection22,andothersinOaxacaCity,Juxtlahuaca,andinHuajuapandeLeón.RufinoDomínguez,whowasthegeneralcoordinatoroftheFIOBatthetime,metwithEnriqueRuedaPachecowhowastheheadoftheteacher’sunion.OdiliaRomero,whoservedascoordinatorofwomen’saffairsoftheFIOB,alsowentonthetripandvisitedthewomenwhohadoccupiedthepublictelevisionandradiostationsandwentontooccupyseveralcommercialradiostationsinOaxacaaswell.
OneofthedecisionstheFIOBleadershiphadtomakewastodistinguishbetweentheindigenousandmigrantrightsstrugglesthatwerefrontandcenterontheFIOBagendaandotherbroaderissues.SincenotallFIOBmemberswereinagreementwiththeotherorganizationsthatwantedtosupporttheAPPOandSection22inOaxaca,itwasdecidedtoformaseparateAPPOinwhichFIOBmemberscould
OaxacainLosAngeles,LosAngelesinOaxaca:TransborderOrganizinginCaliforniabyLynn Stephen|UniversityofOregon|[email protected]
InJune2006thePopularAssemblyofthePeoplesofOaxaca(APPO),acoalitionofover300organizations,wasformedintheMexicanstateofOaxacatosupportstrikingteachersandtoconstructamoreinclusiveandparticipatorypoliticalvisionforthestate.Duringthesummerandfallofthatyear,whathadbegunasapeacefuloccupationofOaxacaCity’shistoriccolonialsquarebyteachersdemandinghighersalariesandbettereducationalbenefitsforstudentswastransformedintoawidespread,militantsocialmovement.Thetransformation,andthecreationoftheAPPO,tookplaceasstatepoliceviolentlyattemptedtoevicttheteachersfromthesquare(seeStephen2009).TheteachersbelongedtoSection22oftheNationalUnionofEducationWorkers(SNTE),afamouslyindependentlocalofabout60,000teachersandeducationworkerswithinthelargernationalunion.ItsmemberscomefromalloverthestateofOaxacaandmanyhaverelativeswhohavemigratedtootherpartsofMexicoortotheUnitedStates.Inparticular,manymembersofSection22haverelatives—andretiredformercolleagues—intheLosAngeles,Californiaarea.Itcameasnosurprise,then,thatafteritsinception,themovementbegantodeveloplinkswithfamilymembersandorganizationsinLosAngeles.
Soonafteritsformation,theAPPOheld“mega-marches”ofthousandsofsupporters,occupiedstateandfederalbuildingsandoffices,tookoverthestate’stelevisionandradiostations,constructedbarricadesinmanyneighborhoods,anddevelopedneighborhoodandcommunitycouncilsthatelectedrepresentativestoastatewideprovisionalcounciloftheAPPOinthefallof2006.Thecoalitionquestionedthelegitimacyofthestategovernmentofthen-governorUlisesRuizandtheInstitutionalRevolutionaryParty
debates
lasaforum spring 2012 : volume xliii : issue 2
12
organizationalstrategy.Iattendedtheworkinggrouponbinationalorganizationalstrategies.There,abouttwenty-fivepeoplefocusedonthemesincludinggenderequity,housing,culturalrevitalizationthroughindigenouslanguages,traditionalmedicine,theparticipationoftheelderlyineducation,andstrategiestorecruitandretainwomenandyoungpeopleintheleadershipoftheFIOB.Therewerealsodiscussionsonsustainableeconomicdevelopmentandhowtopromotelocallyproducedproductssuchasfoodandcrafts,aswellastheneedforindigenousinterpreters,doctorsandhealthworkers.Delegatesalsoproposedadoptionoflocalmeasuresthatcouldbetakentopreservewatersources,forests,andtopromoterecycling.
ThegeneralassemblyalsobaredsomeoftheculturaldifferencesthatfrequentlyemergeinthevariouslocalandnationalcontextsinwhichtheFIOBoperates.Oneofthemostinterestingexchangestookplaceduringtheplenarydiscussion.ThefirstsetofproposalstobediscussedincludedamendmentstothestatutesoftheFIOB.AdelegatefromCaliforniaraisedhishandandproposed,“thatweaddtothestatutesthatdecisionsbemadebymeansofasecretballot.”Theproposalsparkedalivelydebate,primarilycriticalofthesuggestion.“Withallduerespecttothecompañero,”repliedanotherdelegate,“wedonotwantasecretvote.Wewanttokeepfollowingourusos y costumbres(customarylawandgovernancepractices)tovote.Weareindigenousandourformofgovernanceistovoteopenlyinourassemblies.”AdiscussionensuedabouttheimportanceofcontinuingtheassemblyformofgovernancefoundinmanyindigenouscommunitiesinOaxaca.Somedelegates,however,alsoraisedtheproblemsassociatedwithopenvoting.Oneofthemstated,“Peoplemightnot
neweraintheFIOB’srelationshipwiththeOaxacastategovernment.Thisnewrelationshipwasmanifestedatthebinationalassemblyheldin2011.
The Seventh General Assembly of the FIOb in Oaxaca
InOctober2011,theFIOBelectednewleadersanddevelopedbinationalpolicyandstrategythroughaseriesofdiscussionsandaplenaryassembly.Delegatesincludedseasonedleaderswhohadbeenatmanypriorassembliesaswellasasignificantnumberwhowerecomingtotheirfirstgeneralassembly.WhatwasmostnotableattheopeningceremoniesoftheassemblywastheopenembraceoftheFIOBbyrepresentativesoftheprogressivewingoftheOaxacanstategovernment.WhilepriorcongressesandFIOBparticipationintheAPPOwerereceivedwithveiledhostilityatbestandattemptsatrepressionatworst,theseventhassemblysignaledtheopensupportofGabinoCué’sgovernmentfortheFIOB.ItalsosuggestedthematurityandpoliticalcloutoftheFIOBasanorganizationinhavingpeoplefromthegovernor’scabinetpresent.ThischangeinrelationshipwasmoststronglymarkedbythepresenceofDomínguezSantosandGerardoAlbino,SecretaryofSocialDevelopmentintheCuégovernment(Cano2011).Anothernotableaspectoftheassemblywasthatofsixnewlyelectedleaders,twoareyoungwomenfromCalifornia(FIOB2011).
Discussionanddebatetookplaceinfourworkinggroupswheredelegatesdebatedintenselyforfivehourstherecommendationstheywouldtaketotheplenarytobevotedon.Broadthemesincludedfordiscussionweredevelopment,migrationandtherightnot tomigrate;binationalmigrationpolicy;andbinational
ItwasveryinterestingtohearthesereportsfromOaxacaatnightinMacArthurPark.WhentheleadersfromOaxacawerespeaking,agreatsilencewouldgooverthecrowdbecausepeoplewerepayingsuchcarefulattention.Theywereabsorbingeverywordthatwassaid,listeningverycarefullytothedescriptionofthemovementinOaxaca.Thisreallyunitedpeopleherewhoweremobilizing.ThiswouldhappenintheparkinfrontoftheMexicanConsulatehere.Andofcoursetheywouldsay,“ThankyousomuchforyoursolidarityinLosAngeles.”
OdiliaRomeroremembersthesemomentsofbroadcastphone-callsashavingagreatemotionalimpactonherandothers.
Ithinkthatforme,themomentthatcausedmethegreatestpersonalimpactwaswhenwewouldhearthecompañeroscryingoverthephonewhenwehadourconnectionswiththem.IrememberanothertimewhenabandfromthecommunityofSolagaplayedtheCanciónMixtecaforthemontheotherendofthetelephoneandEzequielRosalesCarrenosaid,“Thisreallymovesme.”
ThetransbordertiesthatwerestrengthenedthroughAPPOLosAngeleswentontoplayanimportantroleintheelectoralorganizingandcampaigningfortheOaxacagovernorshipin2010.TheelectionofGabinoCué,thestate’sfirstnon-PRIgovernorinmoderntimes,whoranasacandidateoftheoppositionalliance(PRD-PAN-Convergencia)in2006,washelpedbythestrongtiesforgedthroughtheFIOBwithSection22,APPO,andotherOaxacanorganizations.CuéinvitedoneofFIOB’sfounders,RufinoDomínguezSantos,toserveinhisadministrationasdirectoroftheOaxacanInstituteforAttentiontoMigrants.DomínguezSantosaccepted,signalinga
13
References
Cano,Arturo.
2011.Suprimirleyesantimigratorias,exigefrentebinacionalaObamayCalderón.LaJornada.18Octubre,2011.Availableat:<http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2011/10/18/politica/010n1pol>.AccessedonJanuary24,2012.
FrenteIndígenadeOrganizacionesBinacionales(FIOB).
2011.IndígenaseligenenOaxacanuevadirigenciadelFIOBycelebran20añosdelucha.8Octubre,2011.Availableat:<http://fiob.org/2011/10/indigenas-eligen-en-oaxaca-nueva-dirigencia-del-fiob-y-celebran-20-anos-de-lucha/>AccessedonJanuary24,2012.
Kissam,Ed.
2012.Personalcommunication.RoughPopulationEstimates—IndigenousPeopleinLosAngelesCounty.
Stephen,Lynn.
2009.“MakingRightsaReality:TheOaxacaSocialMovement2006–Present.”Bilingual(Spanish-English)DigitalEthnographywiththirty-fivevideotestimonialssupplementedwithtext,photographs,anddocuments.Launchdate:May28,2009.<http://www.mraroaxaca.uoregon.edu>.
2011.“TestimonyandHumanRightsViolationsinOaxaca.”Latin American Perspectives38(6):52-68,November2011.n
Endnotes
1 TheFIOBwasfoundedinLosAngelesCaliforniain1991withthenameFrenteMixtecoZapotecoBinacional(FMZB).ThreeyearslatertheorganizationchangeditsnametotheFrenteIndígenaOaxaqueñoBinacional(FIOB)toreflectthepresenceofTriquis,Chatinos,andMixes.In2005,atitsFifthGeneralBinationalAssemblyinOaxaca,Mexicotheorganizationchangeditsnameagainkeepingthesameacronym.ItbecameFrenteIndígenadeOrganizacionesBinacionalestoincludePurépechamembersfromMichoacánandMixtecosfromGuerrero.
2 EdKissam(2012)estimatesthatthereareapproximately1.4millionresidentsinLosAngelescountyborninMexicobasedonthe2010AmericanCommunitySurvey(ACS)dataandapproximately52,000OaxacanindigenousmigrantsinLosAngelescounty.ThisiscalculatedusingACSdataandcorrectingforanundercountandracialmisclassification.Inadditiontherearelikelyanotherapproximately17,000U.S.-bornchildrenofOaxacanindigenousmigrants.Thismakesatotalofapproximately69,000indigenousOaxacansinLosAngelesCounty.
feelfreetovoteiftheyhadtovoteagainstsomeonewhowasarelativeorsomeonewhohadmorepowerthanthemintheorganization.”Inconventionalelectionsthesecretballotisadefensemechanismagainstpoliticalpartymanipulation,buthere,theproposalwasdefeatedinavotebydelegateswhoraisedtheirhandswiththeircredentialcardswavingtobecounted,forandagainst.ThismomentcapturedthehybridnatureofexperienceandideasthatarefoundwithintheFIOB.
ThepastsixyearshaveseentheFIOBmovefromapositionofdirectconflictwiththestategovernmentofOaxacatooneofcoalitionandcooperationinareasthatmakesenseforitsagenda.Withmorewomenandyouthinitsleadership,theFIOBcontinuestobroadenitsappealthroughatransborderdiscourseofindigeneity,alongwitheconomic,human,political,andlaborrightsformigrants.ItsbroadreachandclaimontheregionknownasOaxacalifornia(thestatesofOaxaca,BajaCaliforniadelNorte,andCalifornia)offersinnovativestrategiesforbuildingregionalpoliticalpowerandpresencethroughsustainedandcoordinatedtransborderorganizingatlocal,regional,andnationallevels.
lasaforum spring 2012 : volume xliii : issue 2
14
conferencehotel.TheGran BailewillbeheldonFridayeveningintheMarriottitself,andhopefullywillconcludeintimeforthe8:30a.m.panelsonSaturday!
TheSanFranciscoCongresswillhavealmosttoomanyhighlightstomentioninthisspace,butnonethelesswewouldliketodrawyourattentiontoafew.FormerUruguayanpresidentTabaréVázquezisscheduledtoaddresstheLASAmembershiponFridayevening.Aspecialpresidentialpanelon“Wikileaks,Transparency,andInvestigativeJournalism”willanalyzetheimpactofWikileaksonLatinAmerica.Otherpresidentialpanelswillinclude“LatinAmericaandChinainthe21stCentury,”“CubainTimesofChange,”“ThePowerofNumbers:WhatLatinAmericanistsCanLearnfrom200YearsofCaribbeanEconomicHistory,”and“E pur se muove:NewMiddleClassesinLatinAmerica.”OnThursdayevening,LASA|willholdaspecialmemorialsessioninhonorofGuillermoO’Donnell,thedistinguishedpoliticalscientist(andLASA’sKalmanSilvertAwardrecipientin2003)whosadlypassedawayinNovember.
AnotherhighlightoftheSanFranciscoCongresswillbeamajortechnologicaladvanceforLASA.WorkingwithafirmcalledAtivSoftware,theLASASecretariathasdesigneda“LASA2012”appthatwillrunonsmartphonesandtabletcomputers.TheapphasbothanAppleiOSversion(compatiblewithiPhonesandiPads)aswellasanAndroidversioncompatiblewithnumerousotherhandhelddevices.ThisingeniousapplicationletsyoubrowsetheLASAprogram,createyourownpersonalschedule,viewmapsofthemeetingroomsandexhibitareas,subscribetotheLASATwitterfeed,andtakenotesatpanelsandemailthemtoyourself.IfyouaresearchingforafriendorcolleagueatLASA,justtouchingtheirnameonthescreenwill
OntheEveofSanFrancisco2012bygabrieLa nouzeiLLeS,ProgramCo-Chair|PrincetonUniversity|[email protected]
and tiMothy J. power,ProgramCo-Chair|UniversityofOxford|[email protected]
on lasa2012
presidentsofLASA’scounterpartassociationsinChina,Japan,Korea,thePhilippines,Australia,andNewZealand.ForourcolleaguesinAsiaandthePacific,traveltothisLASAmeetingwillbeunusuallyconvenient,andwelookforwardtotheenhanceddialoguethatissuretoresult.
FollowingtheinnovationofourpredecessorsinToronto,JavierCorralesandNinaGerassi-Navarro,LASAwillonceagainholdPre-CongressWorkshopsonWednesdayafternoon,priortotheofficialopeningoftheconference.TheseworkshopsrepresentLASA’songoingcommitmenttotheprofessionaldevelopmentofourmembership,particularlyyoungscholars,andtheresponsehasbeenenthusiastic.InadditiontothepublishingworkshoprunbyLARReditorPhilipOxhorn—atremendouslyusefuleventthathasbecomeapopularfixtureatourCongresses—wewillhavethematictallereson“LatinAmericanIndependenceintheAgeofRevolution,”“RadicalWomen:BodyandSpaceinLatinAmericanArtbetweenthe1960sandthe1980s,”and“GettingtheMostoutofLarge-ScaleSurveyProjects:DevelopingandAnalyzingLAPOP’sAmericasBarometer.”RegistrationfortheseWednesdayeventsisnowclosed,butwewishtodrawattentiontotheintellectualcreativityandexcellentnetworkingopportunitiesofferedbythisnewLASAtradition.
AllLASAmemberscanfondlynamethetwospecialsocialeventsthatareheldateveryCongress,anditistimetomarkyourcalendars.TheWelcomingReceptiononWednesdayeveningwillbeheldinthebeautifulsettingoftheContemporaryJewishMuseum<www.thecjm.org>,locatedat736MissionStreetadjacenttotheMarriottMarquis,ourofficial
The30thInternationalCongressofLASAisjustweeksaway.Aswenotedinourlastreporttothemembership,theresponsetothecallforpapersfortheSanFranciscoCongresswastrulyoutstanding,withthetotalnumbersofindividualandpanelproposalshavingincreasedalmost70percentabovethenumberofproposalsforLASA2010inToronto.ClearlythereisenthusiasmabouttheattractivesettingoftheCongressandaboutthechancetoreflectwithLASAcolleaguesontheconferencetheme,thebicentennialsofindependence.WecontinueworkingcloselywithLASAPresidentMariaHermíniaTavaresdeAlmeida,withtheLASASecretariatinPittsburgh,withthe68trackchairswhohaveorganizedourprogram,andespeciallywiththeBayAreaLocalArrangementsCommitteeinadvanceoftheWelcomingReceptiononWednesday,May23rd.
Theconferencetheme,“TowardaThirdCenturyofIndependenceinLatinAmerica,”invitesustohistoricalreflection,butthismeetingwillalsobenotablymarkedbygeography.ThisLASACongresswillbethefirstinthecontinentalUnitedStatessince2004,andthisisalsothefirstWestCoastLASAsinceLosAngelesin1992.LatinAmerica’srelationshipwithAsiahaschangeddramaticallyinrecentyears,andweareusingourbeautifullocalsettingofSanFranciscotorecognizethedeepeningtieswiththePacificworld.Thestartlingpaceofcommercialandeconomicinteractionbetweenthetworegionshasfaroutstrippedthegrowthofrelevantacademicexpertise,butLASAcanplayaroleinenhancingAsianunderstandingofLatinAmericaandviceversa.ThusyouwillnoticealargenumberofeventsfocusedonAsiaandparticularlyonChina.Forexample,onSaturdayeveningtherewillbeaspecialsessionfeaturingthe
15
leadingtoafixedquantityofmeetingroomsandlittleroomformaneuver,itisimpossiblefortheAssociationtoadjustsmoothlytosuchfluctuations.Whatissometimesinterpretedasexcessive“selectivity”isoftenanadaptationtoimperfectinformationandchangingcircumstances.InourfinalreporttotheAssociation,wewillhavemoretosayonthismatter,butfornowweagreewholeheartedlywiththeECandwithmanyLASAcolleaguesthatthemovetoannualCongressesislongoverdue.Atthesametime,wearetremendouslygratefultoeachandeveryoneofour68TrackChairs,whoreviewedandrankedseveralthousandLASAproposalswhilemaintainingthehigheststandardsofdedicationandprofessionalismthroughouttheprocess.
WelookforwardtoseeingyouinthearchitecturalandculturaljewelthatisSanFrancisco,California,inlessthantwomonths.TheBayArea,withitscolonial,political,multicultural,plurilingual,andtransnationalbackground,isanappropriateandinspiringsettingforthedialoguesconductedbyourAssociation. n
showyoualloftheirconferenceroles—nomoreflippingtotheindexinthebackoftheprintedprogram.Mostbrilliantly,theappcanbeupdatedbyLASAinrealtime(e.g.toreflectnewprogrammingoralast-minuteroomchange).Ofcoursethehard-copyprogrambookwillcontinuetobedistributed,butwearecertainthatLASAmemberswillfindthenewapptobeextremelyuser-friendly.Youwillshortlyreceiveemailedinstructionsonhowtodownloadtheapp.
AstheCongressapproaches,wewouldliketoemphasizethatwehavemadeanenergeticeffortstoreachouttomanyscholarsandresearchersintheUnitedStatesandabroad,manyofwhomwerenotacquaintedwithLASAorhaveparticipatedinfrequentlyintheInternationalCongresses.Thediversityofour68-memberProgramCommitteeistestamenttotheseefforts,asisthecontinuedgenerosityofLASAwithregardtointernationaltravelgrants.ThankstothegenerosityoftheOpenSocietyInstitute,theTinkerFoundation,andtheInter-AmericanFoundation,LASAhasbeenabletoofferover250travelgrantstomembersresidinginLatinAmericaandtheCaribbean,includingatleast50grantstograduatestudents.
Finally,wewishtoacknowledgethattherehasbeensomedissatisfactionwithourinabilitytofindroomforeverypanelandpaperproposalthatwassubmittedforSanFrancisco.InpartthishastodowiththedramaticgrowthinLASAoverthepastdecade,butinpartitalsohastodowiththesharpincreaseindemandinasingle18-monthconferencecycle.Therewere663individualpaperproposalsforTorontocomparedto1362forSanFrancisco;theequivalentfiguresforpanelsessionsrosefrom744to1020.WithLASAsitesscoutedandcontractedyearsinadvance,
lasaforum spring 2012 : volume xliii : issue 2
16
Pacífico),andManuelRuiz(Meanders);andfromtheUSA,directorMariaTeresaRodríguezandproducerKathrynSmithPyle(Children of Memory);ProfessorJeffGould(La palabra en el bosque);andscholar,author,filmmaker,andrecipientofmultipleawardsSaulLandau(Will the Terrorists Please Stand Up).SanthoshDaniel,DirectorofProgramsforTheGlobalFilmInitiative,willintroducetheworkoftheorganization.
IwouldliketoextendspecialthanksforthesupportandcollaborationofferedtotheLASAFestivalbytheICAU(UruguayanFilmandAudiovisualInstitute),INCAA(NationalInstituteofCinemaandAudiovisualArts,Argentina),andtheproduceranddistributorWandaVision.
HopetoseeyouallinSanFrancisco.
Theviolenceofthe1970sand80sisrevisitedfromnewperspectives,withtestimonialdocumentariesbyandaboutthechildrenofChileanmilitants(The Chilean Building and Generation Exile). Also,theFestivalispresentingafilmexploringtheless-knownquestionofchildrenabductedinElSalvadorduringthearmedconfrontation(Children of Memory). Otherthemesexploredinthefestivalare:LaborandtheEnvironment,PuertoRicanStudies,StagedDance,Memory,andTrialsoftheParamilitary.1
ThefestivalwillalsopaydeservedhomagetothecommitmentoffilmmakersandloversofLatinAmericancinema.TherewillbeanimpeccabledocumentaryonthefilmmakerJorgePrelorán,andtwofilmson“cinematographicactivism”:afictionalandcomicevocationoftheworkoftheUruguayanCinematheque(A Useful Life),andadocumentaryontheCinemathequeoftheThirdWorld(C3M).
Agroupofdirectorsandproducerswillattendthefestival:fromColombia,directorsSamuelCórdoba(Tumaco
ThisneweditionoftheFestivaloffersthreeintensivedaysofdocumentaryandfictioncinema,whichrangefromimportantrecenthistoricaldramaproductionstoexperimentalcinema. AnimportantinnovationforthiseditionistheworkweareinauguratingwithspecialistsinLatinAmericancinema,whosespecialcuratorshipforthefestivalfeaturesrecentcinemafromColombiaandUruguay:PedroAdriánZuluagaandJuanaSuárez(Colombia);andGustavoRemedi(Uruguay). InadditiontothesetwoFestivalfociandinkeepingwiththethemeoftheCongress,“TowardstheThirdCenturyofIndependence,”theFestivalpresentsaseriesonthe Libertadores,thenationalheroesofAmericanIndependence,fourfilmsmadeinconnectionwiththeBicentennialsfocusingonthefiguresofJoséArtigas,ManuelBelgrano,JoséMartí,andJosédeSanMartín.
ThiseditionoftheFestivalalsoincludesdocumentariesonLiberationTheology,withafilmaboutBishopOscarRomero,andanotheron comunidades de base inElSalvador(La palabra en el bosque).
FilmFestivalatLASA2012bycLaudia FerMan |UniversityofRichmond|[email protected]
on lasa2012
1 Duetospaceconstraintsweareincludinghereonlyfilmtitles. Foracompleterecord,pleaseglanceatthefestivalprogram. n
17
LASA2012Exhibitors
on lasa2012
Alternative: An International Journal of Indigenous Peoples
Altexto. Editoriales Universitarias y Académicas de México
Americas Media Initiative (Chiapas Media Project)
Association Book Exhibit
Bolerium Books
Cambridge University Press
Center for Latin American Studies, University of California, Berkeley
CIDE (Centro de Investigación y Docencias Económicas)
CIESAS (Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social)
CSIC: Departamento de Publicaciones
Cubanabooks
David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Stuides (Harvard University)
Duke University Press
El Colegio de la Frontera Norte
El Colegio de México
First Peoples: New Directions in Indigenous Studies
FLACSO Ecuador
FLACSO México
Gale, Cengage Learning
Global Exchange
Hackett Publishing Co.
Haymarket Books
Hispanic American Periodicals Index/ Latin Americanist Research Resources Project
Iberoamericana Editorial Velvert
Institute of International Education and IAF Fellowship Program
Instituto Internacional de Literatura Iberoamericana (IILI)
Latin American & Caribbean Art and Culture
Latin American Book Source, Inc.
Latin American Perspectives
Lexington Books
Libros Latinos
Lynne Rienner Publishers
Macmillan
Middlebury Language Schools and Schools Abroad
Nicaragua Photo Testimony
OCEAN PRESS
Oxford University Press
Palgrave Macmillan
Pathfinder Press
Penguin Group (USA)
Penn State University Press
Project Muse
Random House
Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
Stanford University Press
The Edwin Mellen Press
The Scholar Choice
The University of Texas Press
The University of Wisconsin Press
Universidad de Chile/ Economics and Business
University of Arizona Press
University of California Press
University of New Mexico Press
University of North Carolina Press
University of Notre Dame Press
University of Oklahoma Press
University of Pittsburgh Press
University Press of Florida
US Air Force/ Air & Space Power Journal
Vanderbilt University Press
Visual Aids For Latin American Studies
Washington Office on Latin America
Wiley-Blackwell
lAsA combined Table
Pluto Journals
Temple University Press
Lectorum Publications
Kumarian Press (Stylus Publishing)
Federal University of São Carlos/ Sociology Department
Begoña Leyra Fatou
Berghahn Books, Inc.
Saint Joseph’s University Press
Ingrid Galster, Universidad de Paderborn
Syracuse University Press
Food First/ Institute for Food and Development Policy
The University of Chicago Press
The MIT Press
lasaforum spring 2012 : volume xliii : issue 2
18
Contracted hotels
TheSanFranciscoMarriottMarquisisthemainsiteforLASA2012.
SanFranciscoMarriottMarquis(Congress hotel)554thStreetSanFrancisco,CA94103Tel:(415)896-1600
Overflow hotels:
IntercontinentalSanFrancisco888HowardStreetSanFrancisco,CA,94103Tel:(415)6166500
HolidayInnGoldenGateway(LASAwillprovidea3-daytransportationticketuponyourregistrationatthehotel)1500VanNessAvenueSanFrancisco,CA94109Tel:(415)4414000
TheMosserHotel54FourthStreetSanFrancisco,CA94103Tel:(415)9864400
Transportation from the Airport to hotels
SanFranciscoInternationalAirport(SFO)islocatedabout14milesfromthehotel.Airportshuttles,taxisandlimousinesareavailabletothehotelfromSFOaswellasthesubway,BART.(Gotothetransportationtabtofinddifferentdiscounts).Carscanberentedattheairportandthehotels.
Check-In
ForLASA2012,registeredparticipantswillreceiveinadvanceanamebadgeandbadgeholderbypostalmail.Theprogrambookandotherinformationwillbegivenatthetimeofcheck-in.
Participantsareurgedtogivethemselvesampletimetocheckinbeforetheirscheduledsessions.IndividualsplanningonattendingThursdaymorningsessionsshouldconsidercheckinginat7:00pmto10:00pmonWednesday,ifatallpossible.(Atanyrate,peopleplanningonattendingtheWelcomingReceptionandAwardsCeremonyonWednesdaynightwillberequiredtoweartheirbadges.)
On-Site Registration
IndividualsregisteringonsiteshouldproceedtotheOn-SiteRegistrationareatopaytherequiredfeesandreceivetheirmaterials.MasterCardandVisacreditcards,checkswrittenonU.S.-basedbanks,andU.S.currencywillbeaccepted.
Congress Sessions and Proceedings
SessionswillbeheldintheSanFranciscoMarriottMarquisHotel.CongresspapersreceivedbytheSecretariatbyMay1stdeadlinewillbepostedtotheLASAwebsitebeforethestartofthemeeting.
LASA2012LocalLogistics
Registration
Asinthepast,allLASACongressparticipantsandattendeesmustberegistered;noexceptionscanbemade.ThedeadlineforpaperpresenterstopreregisterwasDecember15,2011.TheSecretariatextendedthedeadlinethroughtheendofMarch2012inordertogiveparticipantsmoretimetomakearrangementstoattend.Preregisteredparticipantsshouldhavereceivedtheirnamebadgesbypostalmail.RegistrationandCheck-InAreaswillbelocatedintheSanFranciscoMarriottMarquis,attheYerbaBuenaBallroom(LowerB2Level)forLASA2012.ParticipantsareencouragedtocheckinfortheCongressstartingonWednesday23thfrom7:00pmto10:00pm.Registrationandcheck-inhours:
Wednesday23,7:00pm–10:00pm Thursday24,7:00am–8:00pm Friday25,7:00am–8:00pm Saturday26,7:30am–2:00pm
on lasa2012
19
Constancias
ConstanciasforLASA2012maybepickeduponSaturday26attheRegistrationArealocatedintheSanFranciscoMarriottMarquisHotelattheYerbaBuenaBallroom(LowerB2Level).Ifyouareleavingearlier,youmaypickitupafteryourpanelpresentation. n
Audio/Visual Equipment
LASAwillbeprovidinganLCDprojectorandscreenaswellasalaptopwiththeproperconnectionsineachsessionmeetingroom.Separateaudioandvideoequipmentwillnotbeprovided.AnyvideopresentationsshouldberecordedonDVDoranyothermediasotheymaybeviewedviathelaptop.Presenterswillberequiredtoprovidetheirownspeakersifneeded.AVstaffwillbeavailableifparticipantsexperienceanyproblemswiththeequipment.Internetconnectionswillnotbeavailableinsessionmeetingrooms.
Child Care
LASAwillsubsidizethecostofchildcareforacceptedparticipantswhoaretakingtheirchildrentoSanFrancisco.LASAwillprovidereimbursementsattherateofUS$10.00perhourforonechildandUS$12.00fortwoormorechildren,foramaximumof10hours.
LASAmaximumresponsibilityperfamilywillbe$100.00foronechildand$120.00fortwoormorechildren.AparentwhobillsLASAforchildcaremustbea2012memberoftheAssociationandaregisteredattendeeofLASA2012.Toreceivereimbursement,theparentmustsubmittheoriginalbillfromthecaregiver,withthename(s)ofthechild(ren),andthedatesoftheservice,totheLASASecretariatonorbeforeJuly15,2012.
lasaforum spring 2012 : volume xliii : issue 2
20
high-incomecountriesunderaliberalforeigntradeandinvestmentregimeandhavebeenconsideredsuccessstoriesintheirownregions,andsometimesbeyond.Finally,wechosecountriesfromdifferentpartsoftheworldtoexploretheimportanceoflocationandtimeinacomparisonofupgradingexperiences.
Eachauthorexaminesthenatureofstructuralchangeandproductivitygrowthinoneofthefivecountries.Weanalyzehowthedevelopmentandinteractionofsocialandfirmlevelcapabilities,thenatureofforeigndirectinvestment(FDI),theroleandimpactofdifferentgovernmentpolicies,andlocationandtime-specificityaccountfortheparticularupgradingoutcomesofthecountries.DuetospaceconstraintsIlimitthediscussionoftheprojectresultstothreelessons.
First,thecasestudiesshowthatincomeconvergencedoesnotnecessarilyimplycapabilityconvergenceandbroad-basedupgrading.Inatleastthreeofthecases,anassessmentofdevelopmentsuccessbasedongrowthdiffersconsiderablyfromanassessmentbasedoncapabilityadvancement.Second,thecountrystudiesdemonstratethatstrategic,proactiveandcoherentgovernmentpoliciesfortheadvancementofsocialandfirm-levelcapabilitiesareacriticaldeterminantofupgrading,bothatthecountrylevelandinthedevelopmentof“pocketsofexcellence.”Thus,theprojectmakesanimportantcontributiontotheongoingdiscussionabouttheroleofindustrialpoliciesinaddressingpro-growthstructuralchangeandbroad-basedupgrading.
Third,thetrans-regionalcomparisondemonstratestheperilofneglectingthedevelopmentoflocalfirmcapabilitiesSmallcountriesaremorepronetorelyonFDIforupgrading.Indeed,inallfivecountries,
thatofChina;by2010,ithadfallenbelowthatofChina(seeaccompanyingchart).
ProducersinLatinAmericancountriesincreasinglyfindthattheycannolongercompetewithproducersinlowwagecountriesintheexportofstandardizedproducts,butthattheyhavenotdevelopedthecapabilitiestocompete,onabroadbasis,intheexportsofskillandknowledge-intensivegoodsandservices.MiddleincomecountriesinLatinAmericaandelsewherenowruntheriskofbeingtrapped,ofbeingpushedontothelowroadofchange,wheredecliningwages,notrisingproductivity,formthebasisforcompetitivenessandgrowth.
Tounderstandbetterhowcountriescanachievebroad-basedupgradingtoconfrontthemiddleincometrap,wedevelopedananalyticalframeworkthatlinksthemacroeconomiccontextwithmicroeconomicbehaviorandmesoeconomicconditions.Thiscapabilities-basedapproachadvancesthetheoreticaldebatebymergingstructuralist,evolutionaryandglobalvaluechainanalysis.Itdeliberatelyshiftsthefocusfromgrowthtoupgrading,andthustolearningprocesses,policyinterventions,andtheinteractionsamongsocialandfirm-levelcapabilitiesinthecontextofpathdependencyandlocationandtime-specificcontingencies.
Thecountrystudiesusethecapabilities-basedapproachtoanalyzeupgradingprocessesandoutcomesinfivesmalllatecomers.WefocusedonsmallcountriesbecausemostmiddleincomecountriesaresmallanddonothavetheadvantagesofinternalmarketsizeandbargainingpoweroflargelatecomerslikeBrazil,India,andChina,andthustendtobemoreopentotradeandinvestment.Wechosecountriesthatnarrowedtheincomegapwith
CanLatinAmericaEscapetheMiddleIncomeTrap?LessonsfromaTrans-RegionalComparisonbyeva pauS|MountHolyokeCollegeMA|Projectleader|[email protected]
Inthefallof2009,wereceivedaMellon-LASAgranttoexplorepolicysolutionsforovercomingthemiddleincometrap.Ourworkinggroupmetseveraltimes,andwepresentedpreliminaryfindingsattheLASAmeetingsinToronto(fall2010),ataconferenceinCostaRicaorganizedbyJoséCorderofromtheUniversityofCostaRica(spring2011)andattheSASEmeetingsinMadrid(summer2011).ThefinalresultsoftheprojectwillbepublishedinStudies in Comparative International Developmentthissummer.Theforthcomingspecialissueincludesanintroductoryarticlethatlaysoutthecommonanalyticalframeworkandsummarizesthemainresults(EvaPaus,MountHolyokeCollege),andfivearticleswithindividualcountrystudies:Chile(EstebanPérezCaldentey,ECLAC);theDominicanRepublic(DiegoSanchez-Ancochea,OxfordUniversity);Jordan(LuisAbugattasMajluf,internationalconsultant);Ireland(EvaPaus);andSingapore(PenelopePrime,MercerUniversity).Belowisabriefsummaryoftheprojectandsomeofthemainfindings.
Thehighroadtoeconomicdevelopmentinvolvesaprocessofstructuralchangeinwhichproductionshiftsincreasinglytowardsactivitieswithgreatervalueaddedandknowledge-intensity.ThefailureofWashingtonConsensuspoliciestoengendersuchstructuraltransformationhasbecomemoreapparentinrecentyears,asinternationalcompetitionhasintensifiedandChinahasbecomeastrongcompetitorinlowaswellashigh-techgoods.Middleincomecountriesfindthemselvesbetweenarockandahardplace.Ontheonehand,theyhavenotmadeheadwayincatchingupwiththehigh-incomecountriesoftheOECD,withapersistingincomegapofmorethan80percent.Ontheotherhand,theyhavelostgroundvis-à-visChinaatanastonishingrate.In1980,theiraverageGDPpercapitawasseventimeshigherthan
special projects
21
governmentsenvisionedFDItoplayakeyroleinthecountry’sdevelopment.ButthecasestudiesdemonstratethatproductionbyTransnationalCorporation(TNC)affiliatesinthehostcountrydoesnotautomaticallycontributetoincreasinglocalfirmcapabilities,andthat,inthecontextofchangingnationalandglobalconditions,reallocationofTNCproductionmaybemorelikelythanupgradingofTNCproductioninthehostcountry.
Thecomparativecasestudiessuggestthatthebestshotatanescapefromthemiddleincometrapisashiftintheanalyticalfocusfromgrowthtocapability-accumulationandashiftinthepolicyfocusfromthecurrentfaithinamarket-ledprocessofupgradingtoanembraceofaproactivestatetosupportthesynergisticadvancementofsocialandfirm-levelcapabilities.Effectivestatesmaybehardtobuild,buttheyhavebecomeessentialinthecurrentprocessofChina-dominatedglobalization.
Source: Calculations based on World Development Indicators.
GDP p.c. of Middle Income Countries excl. China Relative to China and to High-Income OECD(constant 2005 PPP)
The Latin American Studies Association (LASA) is the largest
professional association in the world for individuals and
institutionsengagedinthestudyofLatinAmerica.Withover
5,500members,thirty-fivepercentofwhomresideoutsidethe
UnitedStates,LASAistheoneassociationthatbringstogether
experts on Latin America from all disciplines and diverse
occupationalendeavors,acrosstheglobe.
LASA’smission is to foster intellectual discussion, research, and
teaching on Latin America, the Caribbean, and its people
throughout theAmericas, promote the interests of its diverse
membership,andencouragecivicengagementthroughnetwork
buildingandpublicdebate.
416BellefieldHallUniversityofPittsburghPittsburgh,PA15260
lasa.international.pitt.edu