Frontiers Of The Caribbean

This book argues that the frontier, usually associated with the era of colonial conquest, has great, continuing and under explored relevance to the Caribbean region. Identifying the frontier as a moral, ideational and physical boundary between what is imagined as civilisation and wilderness, the book seeks to extend frontier analysis by focusing on the Eastern Caribbean multi-island state of St Vincent and the Grenadines. The continuing relevance of the concept of frontier, and allied notions of civilisation and wilderness, are illuminated through an analysis of the ways in which SVG is perceived and experienced by both outsiders to the society and its insiders. Using literary sources, biographies and autobiography, the book shows how St Vincent is imagined and made sense of as a modern frontier; a society in the balance between an imposed civilised order and an untameable wild that always encroaches, whether in the form of social dislocation, the urban presence of the 'Wilderness people' or illegal marijuana farming in the northern St Vincent hills. The frontier as examined here has historically been and remains very much a global production. Simultaneously, it is argued that contemporary processes of globalisation shape the development of tourism and finance sectors, as well as patterns of migration, they connect to shifting conceptions of the civilised and the wild, and have implications for the role of the state and politics in frontier societies.

A collection of interviews with renowned Caribbean writers deals with issues of identity, alienation, and racism, and offers a portrayal of the evolution of Caribbean writing

For decades, the Hispanic Caribbean has eluded attempts by historians striving to view and analyze Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic as a region rather than as isolated insular units. Focusing on similarities instead of differences and applying comparative methods, the author makes a forceful case for a regional perspective that sheds new light on important historical phenomena such as the evolution of sugar plantations and slavery, persistent colonialism and economic dependence, and the interplay among revolutionary, authoritarian, and lobbyist political cultures. Composed of seven pioneering articles and essays, this book provides key pieces to solving the puzzle of the Hispanic Caribbean's fascinating and often-convulsed history. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the Hispanic Caribbean was fundamentally a plantation economy, dominated mainly by the world sugar market. The politics were shaped by revolutions, political coups, wars, and elections, resulting in an end of Spanish power, independent states, and the domination of the region by the United States. The author follows these developments throughout the main Hispanic islands and provides a fascinating picture of a region in turmoil.

An “illuminating” survey of Caribbean history from pre-Columbian times to the twenty-first century (Los Angeles Times). Combining fertile soils, vital trade routes, and a coveted strategic location, the islands and surrounding continental lowlands of the Caribbean were one of Europe’s earliest and most desirable colonial frontiers. The region was colonized over the course of five centuries by a revolving cast of Spanish, Dutch, French, and English forces, who imported first African slaves and later Asian indentured laborers to help realize the economic promise of sugar, coffee, and tobacco. The Caribbean: A History of the Region and Its Peoples offers an authoritative one-volume survey of this complex and fascinating region. This groundbreaking work traces the Caribbean from its pre-Columbian state through European contact and colonialism to the rise of U.S. hegemony and the economic turbulence of the twenty-first century. The volume begins with a discussion of the region’s diverse geography and challenging ecology and features an in-depth look at the transatlantic slave trade, including slave culture, resistance, and ultimately emancipation. Later sections treat Caribbean nationalist movements for independence and struggles with dictatorship and socialism, along with intractable problems of poverty, economic stagnation, and migrancy. Written by a distinguished group of contributors, The Caribbean is an accessible yet thorough introduction to the region’s tumultuous heritage which offers enough nuance to interest scholars across disciplines. In its breadth of coverage and depth of detail, it will be the definitive guide to the region for years to come. Praise for The Caribbean “The editors of this volume have successfully assembled a survey of historical and contemporary issues which serves as an excellent introductory text for newcomers to the region, as well as a resource for more experienced researchers searching for a concise reference to any historical period.” —Journal of Caribbean History “This collection provides an engaging introduction to the history of a region defined by centuries of colonial domination and popular struggle. In these essays readers will recognize the Caribbean as a garden of social catastrophe and a grim incubator of modern global capitalism, as well as of people’s continuous attempts to resist, endure, or adapt to it. Scholars and students will find it to be a very useful handbook for current thinking on a vital topic.” —Vincent Brown, professor of history and of African and African American studies, Duke University

In Where Cultures Meet, editors Weber and Rausch have collected twenty essays that explore how the frontier experience has helped create Latin American national identities and institutions. Using 'frontier' to mean more than 'border,' Weber and Rausch regard frontiers as the geographic zones of interaction between distinct cultures. Each essay in the volume illuminates the recipro-cal influences of the 'pioneer' culture and the 'frontier' culture, as they contend with each other and their physical environment. The transformative power of frontiers gives them special interest for historians and anthropologists. Delving into the frontier experience below the Rio Grande, Where Cultures Meet is an important collection for anyone seeking to understand fully Latin American history and culture.

In fifteen insightful new essays noted scholars in geography, economics, and public policy provide a comparative examination of the problems and prospects for development in frontier areas. Blending theory with case studies, the essays challenge the widely held notion that peripheral areas are marginal or backward.