Diego Maradona Research Articles

JULIA RODRIGUEZ. Civilizing Argentina. Science Medicine and the Modern State. Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina Press, 2006. xii, 306 pp., illus. $24.95

Argentina, in the deep south of South America, readily evokes thoughts of superb beef, polo, the tango, the dazzling dribbling of soccer star Diego Maradona and, in the English-speaking world especially, the musical Evita. But a deeper understanding of its current situation in the light of conventional historical patterns proves more elusive. This new book by historian Julia Rodriguez is a welcome attempt to improve the situation. The main idea in the work is unusual: the decline of Argentina in the twentieth century relates to the falsely applied concept that social problems such as poverty, unemployment, gender discrimination, alcoholism, and crime were illnesses. Misdiagnosed in the first quarter of the century by politicians as well as prominent scientists, these illnesses received treatment through programs of social hygiene and eugenics. The fate of the country was sealed for decades to come. Lagging only slightly behind the United States in global wealth in 1914, Argentina subsequently came close to complete collapse on several occasions. The author coins the expression “social pathologists” to describe a group of experts who effectively portrayed social problems as diseases. Among them were the criminologist José Ingenieros, depicted on the cover, physician Ramos Mejía, and politician Ayarragaray.

Soccer in sun and shadow

In this witty and rebellious history of world soccer, award-winning writer Eduardo Galeano searches for styles of play, players, and goals that express unique personality of certain times and places. In Soccer in Sun and Shadow, Galeano takes us to ancient China, where engravings from Ming period show a ball that could have been designed by Adidas to Victorian England, where gentlemen codified rules that we still play by today and to Latin America, where crazy English spread game only to find it creolized by locals. All greats--Pele, Di Stefano, Cruyff, Eusebio, Puskas, Gullit, Baggio, Beckenbauer-- have joyous cameos in this book. yet soccer, Galeano cautions, a pleasure that hurts. Thus there is also heartbreak and madness. Galeano tells of suicide of Uruguayan player Abdon Porte, who shot himself in center circle of Nacional's stadium; of Argentine manager who wouldn't let his team eat chicken because it would bring bad luck; and of scandal-riven Diego Maradona whose real crime, Galeano suggests, was always the sin of being best. Soccer is a game that bureaucrats try to dull and powerful try to manipulate, but it retains its magic because it remains a bewitching game--a feast for eyes ...and a joy for body that plays it--exquisitely rendered in magical stories of Soccer in Sun and Shadow.