Indigenismo, indianismo and ‘ethnic citizenship’ in Chiapas

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

For many Zapatista supporters and others with an interest in the armed conflict, the struggle by Mexican Indians for autonomy is indistinguishable from that waged by the EZLN. Although this peasant organization has played a central part in the conflict in Chiapas, to understand this role it is necessary to contextualize it historically. To this end, the analysis examines three areas of that history. First, it highlights some aspects of the relationship between struggles for autonomy, indigenismo, and indianismo. Second, it looks at the role played by indianista leaders in the construction of the socio-political networks that maintained and encouraged Zapatismo at the local, national, and international level. And third, it scrutinizes the relationship between the struggles for autonomy, indigenismo and the politics of identity. The object is to show how and why present-day indigenous struggles for autonomy and self-determination are rooted in ‘old’ quests for ethnic citizenship, which were led initially by earlier indianista organizations and leaders.