Language, Elites, and the State: Nationalism in Puerto Rico
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Barreto, Amilcar A., PUBLISHER: Praeger Publishers, For decades ong>theong> U.S. territory ong>ofong> Puerto Rico ong>anong>d ong>theong> Cong>anong>adiong>anong> province ong>ofong> Quebec have been riveted by ong>theong> politics ong>ofong> nationalism, ong>theong> question ong>ofong> ong>theong>ir final status, ong>anong>d ong>theong> protection ong>ofong> ong>theong>ir local long>anong>guages. In ong>theong> name ong>ofong> cultural defense, ong>theong> legislatures in Song>anong> Juong>anong> ong>anong>d Quebec City have passed several laws focusing on protecting ong>theong> vernacular. Barreto explores ong>theong>se two cases ong>anong>d challenges some general preconceived notions about nationalist movements. A common premise in ethnic conflict studies is that nationalism is caused by cultural traits, such as long>anong>guage or religion, or is a result ong>ofong> a region's subservient ong>economicong> role vis-a-vis ong>theong> country's core. However, Barreto contends that Puerto Ricong>anong> ong>anong>d Quebecois elites turned to nationalism in reaction to ong>theong>ir social marginalization ong>anong>d ong>economicong> suppression. ong>Anong>glophone elites in ong>theong> U.S. ong>anong>d Cong>anong>ada established a hegemonic order ong>makingong> English a requirement for social ong>anong>d ong>economicong> ascendong>anong>cy. Shunned by ong>theong> country's dominong>anong>t group on account ong>ofong> ong>theong>ir long>anong>guage, elites in Puerto Rico ong>anong>d Quebec took up ong>theong> bong>anong>ner ong>ofong> nationalism attempting to establish a "counter-hegemonic" order. Thus, nationalism, Barreto contends, is ong>anong> unong>anong>ticipated reaction to ong>theong> exclusionary attitudes ong>anong>d policies ong>ofong> one group against ong>anong>oong>theong>r. This ong>anong>alysis is importong>anong>t to political scientists, social scientists, ong>anong>d researchers involved with nationalism, ethnic conflict, ong>anong>d Puerto Ricong>anong> ong>anong>d Cong>anong>adiong>anong> studies.