Puerto Rico: Culture, Politics, and Identity

This book uses historical and interview data to trace the development of Puerto Rican identity in the 20th century. It analyzes how and why Puerto Ricans have maintained a clear sense of distinctiveness in the face of direct and indirect pressures on their identity. After gaining sovereignty over Puerto Rico from Spain in 1898, the United States undertook a sustained campaign to Americanize the island. Despite 50 years of active Americanization and another 40 years of continued United States sovereignty over the island, Puerto Ricans retain a sense of themselves as distinctly and proudly Puerto Rican. This study examines the symbols of Puerto Rican identity, and their use in the complex politics of the island. It shows that identity is dynamic, it is experienced differently by individuals across Puerto Rican society, and that the key symbols of Puerto Rican identity have not remained static over time. Through the study of Puerto Rico, the book investigates and challenges the widely-heard argument that the inevitable result of the export of U.S. mass media and consumer culture throughout the world is the weakening of cultural identities in receiving societies. The book develops the idea that external pressure on collective identity may strengthen that identity rather than, as is often assumed, diminish it.

Table of Contents:
List of Maps, Tables, and Figures Acknowledgements Introduction 1 National Identity and Puerto Rico Collective Identity in the Modern World The Definitional Maze Puerto Rico PART I: IDENTITY IN PUERTO RICAN HISTORY 2 The Americanization Campaign, 1898–1948 Puerto Rico as a Colony of Spain U.S. Military Occupation, October 1898–May 1900 Civilian Government U.S. Citizenship Expressions of Unrest Internal Self-Government 3 Commonwealth Status, 1949–1993 Puerto Rican Constitution Language Issues Resurface Status Plebiscite, 1967 Agitation against the Status Quo Plebiscite Proposal, Referendum, Plebiscite, 1989–1993 PART II: IDENTITY IN CONTEMPORARY PUERTO RICO 4 Symbols of Identity: What Is Puerto Rico? Pride in Puerto Rico Puerto Rico as a Nation Puerto Ricanness Sense of Belonging The Perception of Uniqueness 5 Self-Identity: What Am I? Puerto Rican North American Caribbean Latin American Hispanic Regional Identification Nuyoricans PART III: IDENTITY UNDER CHALLENGE 6 The Challenge to Puerto Rican Identity Consensus: Existence of U.S. Influence Discord: Value of U.S. Influence Partisan Interpretations: Perceived Threat of Assimilation Coexistence with Cultural Imports Competition from Cultural Imports The Fear of Displacement The Vitality of Identity under Challenge 7 The Resilience of Identity The Message of Uniqueness Symbols of Identity The Fear of Symbolic Displacement Us versus Them: Collective Self-Awareness Culture, Politics, and Identity Appendix: Field Research Notes Bibliography Index

About the Author :
NANCY MORRIS is a lecturer in the Department of Film and Media Studies at the University of Stirling in Scotland.

Review :
?Morris discusses some of the key historic events in the formation of Puerto Rican identity, particularly in this century. In sum, Morris's study is an important resource in how some of the island's curent and future leaders view "Puerto Ricanness" in its cultural, geographical and political context. Those exploring the endurance and consolidation and of national identity will also value this work.?-Canadian Review of Studies in Nationalsim "Morris discusses some of the key historic events in the formation of Puerto Rican identity, particularly in this century. In sum, Morris's study is an important resource in how some of the island's curent and future leaders view "Puerto Ricanness" in its cultural, geographical and political context. Those exploring the endurance and consolidation and of national identity will also value this work."-Canadian Review of Studies in Nationalsim