The Dominican Racial Imaginary

Surveying the Landscape of Race and Nation in Hispaniola

Nonfiction, History, Americas, Social & Cultural Studies, Political Science
Cover of the book The Dominican Racial Imaginary by Milagros Ricourt, Rutgers University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Milagros Ricourt ISBN: 9780813584492
Publisher: Rutgers University Press Publication: November 18, 2016
Imprint: Rutgers University Press Language: English
Author: Milagros Ricourt
ISBN: 9780813584492
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
Publication: November 18, 2016
Imprint: Rutgers University Press
Language: English

This book begins with a simple question: why do so many Dominicans deny the African components of their DNA, culture, and history?

Seeking answers, Milagros Ricourt uncovers a complex and often contradictory Dominican racial imaginary. Observing how Dominicans have traditionally identified in opposition to their neighbors on the island of Hispaniola—Haitians of African descent—she finds that the Dominican Republic’s social elite has long propagated a national creation myth that conceives of the Dominican as a perfect hybrid of native islanders and Spanish settlers. Yet as she pores through rare historical documents, interviews contemporary Dominicans, and recalls her own childhood memories of life on the island, Ricourt encounters persistent challenges to this myth. Through fieldwork at the Dominican-Haitian border, she gives a firsthand look at how Dominicans are resisting the official account of their national identity and instead embracing the African influence that has always been part of their cultural heritage.

Building on the work of theorists ranging from Edward Said to Édouard Glissant, this book expands our understanding of how national and racial imaginaries develop, why they persist, and how they might be subverted. As it confronts Hispaniola’s dark legacies of slavery and colonial oppression, The Dominican Racial Imaginary also delivers an inspiring message on how multicultural communities might cooperate to disrupt the enduring power of white supremacy.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

This book begins with a simple question: why do so many Dominicans deny the African components of their DNA, culture, and history?

Seeking answers, Milagros Ricourt uncovers a complex and often contradictory Dominican racial imaginary. Observing how Dominicans have traditionally identified in opposition to their neighbors on the island of Hispaniola—Haitians of African descent—she finds that the Dominican Republic’s social elite has long propagated a national creation myth that conceives of the Dominican as a perfect hybrid of native islanders and Spanish settlers. Yet as she pores through rare historical documents, interviews contemporary Dominicans, and recalls her own childhood memories of life on the island, Ricourt encounters persistent challenges to this myth. Through fieldwork at the Dominican-Haitian border, she gives a firsthand look at how Dominicans are resisting the official account of their national identity and instead embracing the African influence that has always been part of their cultural heritage.

Building on the work of theorists ranging from Edward Said to Édouard Glissant, this book expands our understanding of how national and racial imaginaries develop, why they persist, and how they might be subverted. As it confronts Hispaniola’s dark legacies of slavery and colonial oppression, The Dominican Racial Imaginary also delivers an inspiring message on how multicultural communities might cooperate to disrupt the enduring power of white supremacy.

More books from Rutgers University Press

Cover of the book Shaping the Future of African American Film by Milagros Ricourt
Cover of the book Mapping "Race" by Milagros Ricourt
Cover of the book Puerto Ricans in the Empire by Milagros Ricourt
Cover of the book Anatomy of a Robot by Milagros Ricourt
Cover of the book Black New Jersey by Milagros Ricourt
Cover of the book At War by Milagros Ricourt
Cover of the book Editing and Special/Visual Effects by Milagros Ricourt
Cover of the book Queering Marriage by Milagros Ricourt
Cover of the book Forever Suspect by Milagros Ricourt
Cover of the book Sound by Milagros Ricourt
Cover of the book Women Artists, Women Exiles by Milagros Ricourt
Cover of the book Climate Trauma by Milagros Ricourt
Cover of the book The Business of Private Medical Practice by Milagros Ricourt
Cover of the book Youth in Postwar Guatemala by Milagros Ricourt
Cover of the book Movie Comics by Milagros Ricourt
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy