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“Here We Are, Here We’ve Been, Here We’ll Be!”: Global Politics, the Mexican State, and the Afro-Mexican Struggle for Ethno-Racial Rights, 1990-2020

Robles, Manuel O. (2024) “Here We Are, Here We’ve Been, Here We’ll Be!”: Global Politics, the Mexican State, and the Afro-Mexican Struggle for Ethno-Racial Rights, 1990-2020. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

This dissertation examines how the Mexican government transitioned from largely ignoring its Afro-Mexican population to recognizing them as a distinct ethnic group integral to the nation. The dissertation argues that Mexico’s recognition of its Black population resulted from a confluence of local, national, and international dynamics that prioritized Afrodescendants’ rights. It focuses on Afro-Mexican mobilization efforts in Mexico’s Costa Chica region, spanning coastal Guerrero and Oaxaca, from the late 1990s to 2020. Using oral histories, audio-visual sources, participant-observations, organizational and personal social media archives, and secondary sources, I trace the movement’s origins, evolution and the strategies activists employed to make demands on the state. Additionally, I analyze archival sources from international institutions, like the United Nations, to reveal how these bodies, alongside international conventions and campaigns, compelled Mexican public institutions to recognize Afro-Mexicans as a distinct group. By collecting and analyzing government and institutional documents, my dissertation reveals how the convergence of Black mobilizing, pressures from international organizations, and support from Mexico’s state institutions encouraged Congress to amend the nation’s Constitution to recognize Afro-Mexicans as a distinct ethnic group with specific ethno-racial rights.
The dissertation also examines Mexico’s policy shift in relation to other Latin American nations that underwent similar transformations. By using Mexico as a case study, my research offers valuable insights into the complexities of the relationship between Latin American governments and their Black populations. Moreover, it elucidates the processes through which Afro-Latin Americans constructed ethno-racial identities and the diverse motives that propelled Black social movements in the hemisphere.


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Details

Item Type: University of Pittsburgh ETD
Status: Unpublished
Creators/Authors:
CreatorsEmailPitt UsernameORCID
Robles, Manuel O.mor17@pitt.edumor170009-0004-0743-1708
ETD Committee:
TitleMemberEmail AddressPitt UsernameORCID
Committee CoChairAndrews, George Reidreid1@pitt.edu
Committee CoChairPutnam, Laralep12@pitt.edu
Committee MemberGobat, Michelmgobat@pitt.edu
Committee MemberReid-Vazquez, Michelem.reidvazquez@bowdoin.edu
Date: 27 August 2024
Date Type: Publication
Defense Date: 18 July 2024
Approval Date: 27 August 2024
Submission Date: 30 July 2024
Access Restriction: No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately.
Number of Pages: 274
Institution: University of Pittsburgh
Schools and Programs: Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences > History
Degree: PhD - Doctor of Philosophy
Thesis Type: Doctoral Dissertation
Refereed: Yes
Uncontrolled Keywords: Afro-Mexican History, Afro-Mexico, Afro-Latin America, Afro-Latin American History, Black Social Movements, Mexico
Date Deposited: 27 Aug 2024 13:19
Last Modified: 27 Aug 2024 13:19
URI: http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/46809

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