Indigenistische Diskurse and funktionale Ethnologie

Konzepte von Traditionalität im südlichen Mexiko

authored by

Wolfgang Gabbert

Abstract

The neo-zapatista rebellion of 1994 has drawn the attention of a wider public to the Mexican state of Chiapas in the far south of the country. It has been interpreted by many observers as a conflict between the traditionalism of indigenous communities and modernity in its neoliberal guise. A similar juxtaposition of tradition and modernity can also be found in many explanations of the conflicts between people who have converted to evangelical sects and followers of syncretistic Catholicism in the communities which have resulted in the expulsion of thousands and the killing of many since the 1970s. The erroneous image of supposedly traditional indigenous communities has not only prevailed in current mass media discussions. It was also prevalent in the early phases of the anthropological study of Chiapas and, as the article shows, has influenced the development policies of the government to an important degree.

Organisation(s)

Sociology Department

Type

Article

Journal

Zeitschrift fur Ethnologie

Volume

132

Pages

109-124

No. of pages

16

ISSN

0044-2666

Publication date

2007

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Cultural Studies, Social Sciences (miscellaneous)