Abstract
This paper examines the relationship between migration, travel writing, and propaganda during the Porfiriato in Mexico. During the 19th century, foreign observers and travel writers projected an unfavorable image of Mexico, stressing not only the country’s otherness but also its backwardness, especially in comparison with the United States and Western Europe. Porfirio Diaz set out to alter this negative view of the country abroad, among other things with the help of travel writing and by propagating a new image of Mexico: that of a modern and civilized nation that welcomes foreign (European) capital and immigrants as well. Some Hungarian writers also took part in this “campaign” to change the country’s image; several publications appeared in Hungary aimed at altering the former negative portrayal of Mexico and presenting it as a possible destination for Hungarian emigration. The paper, after discussing the links between Hungarian migration to North America and travel writing, offers a case study of one Hungarian writer, Jenő Bano, and his books. It studies the purposes of his publications, their relation to Porfirian propaganda, and the tools used for a type of writing that attempted to debunk the image of the US as a land of opportunities while advertising Mexico instead.
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