Mapping the Good Neighbor

American tourism in Mexico increased significantly during the Good Neighbor era. By creating tourist maps, cartographers on both sides of the border participated in an intentional, ideological process of reshaping these tourists’ views of Mexico. They sought to transform Americans’ perceptions not only of Mexicans and their history but also of the physical environment. Their Mexico was a place of contrast, suspended in the romantic past and engaged in modernity. Although cartographers constructed a new Mexico through their maps, they did not challenge perceptions of an asymmetrical power dynamic that had defined U.S.-Mexico relations and the tourism industry at large. Instead, their maps reinforced, reproduced, and contributed to it. Cartographers, like the maps they created, were not passive or inconsequential actors. Analyzing the ideas, relationships, and myths embedded in their maps expands our understanding of transnational tourism, environmental change, selective history, and imagined communities in the twentieth century.

Terras arrasadas, cenários distópicos: Violência e resistência nos desastres-crimes da mineração no Brasil

Os rompimentos das barragens nas bacias do Rio Doce e do Rio Paraopeba, respectivamente em novem­bro de 2015 e janeiro de 2019, para além das 300 mortes resultantes diretamente das duas catástrofes e da assustadora destruição ecológica por elas produzida, desencadearam a produção de um tecido de re­lações jurídico-econômicas de magnitude colossal orbitando em torno do processo de reparação. Para os argumentos apresentados neste artigo, recorre-se a dois instrumentos de análise: a aproximação meta­fórica às características das expressões artísticas distópicas e ao correlato efeito de estranhamento pro­vocado ao público, buscando a partir deles desenvolver argumentos e análises com o objetivo de desna­turalizar processos e práticas jurídicas e econômicas observadas neste contexto. Da mesma forma, bus­camos entender a relação de forças assimétricas dos atores envolvidos, atendo-nos contrastivamente às estratégias corporativas e às situações de resistência, mobilização e engajamento popular no contexto conflitual da luta por reparação integral. Discutimos de que modo as empresas violadoras constituem estratégias de poder que pressionam a desconstituição de saberes e práticas populares nos territórios atingidos e apresentamos a crítica ao uso da forma da violação do direito, oculta nas práticas de planeja­mento destas empresas. Por fim, são analisadas algumas das possibilidades de organização popular no contexto de uma reparação integral, balizadora das lutas mobilizadas contra a naturalização e a legitima­ção, da distópica violência dos desastres-crimes da mineração no Brasil. Palavras-chave: mineração; desastres-crimes; neoextrativismo; atingidos por barragens; reparação de danos. Abstract The dams bursts in the Doce River and Paraopeba River basins, respectively in November 2015 and January 2019, in addition to the 300 deaths resulting directly from the two catastrophes and the overwhelming ecological destruction they produced, triggered the production of a fabric of legal-economic relations of colossal magnitude orbiting around the reparation process. For the arguments presented in this article, two analysis arguments are used: the metaphorical convergence to the characteristics of dystopian artistic expressions, and the correlated effect of estrangement evoked, seeking to develop further arguments and analyses with the purpose of deconstruct established legal and economic processes and practices observed in this context. Similarly, we seek to understand the asymmetrical power relations of the actors involved, contrasting corporate strategies with situations of resistance, mobilization, and popular engagement in the conflictual context of the struggle for full reparation. We discuss how the violating companies constitute strategies of power that pressure for the deconstitution of popular knowledge and practices in the affected territories, and we present a critique of the use of rights violation hidden in the planning practices of these companies. Finally, some of the possibilities of popular organization in the context of full damage compensation are reviewed, underpinning the struggles mobilized against naturalization and legitimation, of the dystopian violence of the mining disasters-crimes in Brazil. Keywords: mining; disasters crimes; neoextractivism; affected by dams; damage repair. Tierras devastadas, escenarios distópicos: Violencia y resistencia en desastres-crímenes mineros en Brasil Resumen Las fallas de las represas en las cuencas de Río Doce y Río Paraopeba, respectivamente, en noviembre de 2015 y enero de 2019, además de las 300 muertes directamente resultantes de las dos catástrofes y la espantosa destrucción ecológica provocada por ellas, desencadenaron la producción de un tejido de re­laciones jurídico-económicas de colosal magnitud en torno al proceso de reparación. Para los argumentos presentados en este artículo, recurrimos a dos instrumentos de análisis: la aproximación metafórica a las características de las expresiones artísticas distópicas y el relacionado efecto de extrañamiento provo­cado en el público, buscando desarrollar argumentos y análisis con el objetivo de desnaturalizar procesos y practicas jurídicas y económicas observadas en este contexto. Asimismo, buscamos comprender la re­lación de fuerzas asimétricas de los actores involucrados, enfocándonos en estrategias corporativas y situaciones de resistencia, movilización y compromiso popular en el contexto conflictivo de la lucha por la reparación integral. Discutimos cómo las empresas violadoras constituyen estrategias de poder que presionan la desconstitución de saberes y prácticas populares en los territorios afectados y presentamos la crítica al uso de la forma de violación del derecho, escondida en las prácticas de planificación de estas empresas. Finalmente, se analizan algunas de las posibilidades de organización popular en el contexto de la reparación integral, que sustenta las luchas movilizadas contra la naturalización y legitimación, de la violencia distópica de los desastres-crímenes mineros en Brasil. Palabras-clave: minería; desastres-crímenes; neoextractivismo; afectados por represas; reparación de da­ños.

Discourses of Decentralization: Local Participation and Sámi Space for Agency in Norwegian Protected Area Management

This chapter analyzes the 2010 reform of Norwegian protected area management, which provided new arenas for influence for the Indigenous Sámi over protected areas on their lands, to explore how discourses of decentralization and participation in nature conservation shape the space for agency of Indigenous peoples. The results show that the discourses governing the reform articulate the relationship between Sámi rights and protected areas in relation to several different concepts, problem representations, and proposed solution, each with potentially different consequences for Sámi participation and influence. The construction of the concept of “participation” in the discourse of protected area management makes it possible to integrate into a system modelled after traditional, centralized organizational structures that prioritize conservation objectives over Sámi rights without fundamentally challenging relationships of power, divisions of responsibilities, or objectives for management. The paper concludes that the Norwegian discourse provides arenas for Sámi influence and participation that could serve as an example for protected area governance and management on Indigenous lands elsewhere, but that the failure to radically reconsider the principal assumptions of protected area discourses risks upholding or reinforcing asymmetrical power relations and colonial stereotypes.

Unravelling Resistance: Data Activism Configurations in Latin American Civil Society

This work examines the evolution of Latin American Civil Society Organizations’ (CSOs) resistance practices in the context of datafication and how these relate with the overall notions of symbolic domination denounced by the Latin American School of Communication. Although CSOs in Latin America are still exploring the problems surrounding datafication, signs of vitality are already showing in broader debates around human rights, community development, and media policies. The study identifies the main themes underlying datafication work by Latin American CSOs and assesses how they shape resistance practices and CSOs’ perceptions of asymmetrical power relations. While some patterns can fall into existing conceptualisations surrounding resistance practices and data activism, this paper identifies new conceptual and empirical approaches to face the challenges posed by a datafied society.

CAUGHT IN A CROSSFIRE: CAMPAIGN SPEECHES OF PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE (PRRD)

Through the use of critical discourse analysis, this study aimed to analyze PRRD’s campaign speeches with the purpose of establishing its discursive patterns. The study employed the descriptive-qualitative design which utilized Critical Discourse Analysis, anchored with Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) by Halliday. Results show the highest frequency of the following lexico-grammatical features: modals will, would, should, and shall; pronoun I (me); and verb tense present simple. Results also reveal that verbal process constitutes the highest in terms of transitivity, while it is positive median politeness for modality. Also, the analysis reveals that the informative, regulatory, and instrumental are the dominant functions of language used by PRRD. Based on the findings, PRRD stressed his campaign speeches with willingness, determination, certainty, and fortitude, with greater involvement of himself; PRRD had gone extra-mile to attack the personalities of the other parties for self-projection and self-promotion, along with the expression of enthusiasm, optimism, and determination to elicit support from the populace; and PRRD focused on neutralizing the asymmetrical power relations that existed between him and the electorate, but with the emphasis of control, and needs of his countrymen. KEYWORDS—Critical Discourse Analysis, Campaign Speeches, Language Functions, Discourse Features, Transitivity, Modality

Blending of Fiction with Historical Reality in Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children and Grabiel Gracia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude

This paper investigates the use of magic realism as a strategic tool in Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children (1981) and Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude (1967). Both the authors belong to two distinct continents; still, they have similar histories and stories of struggle. They develop a unique relationship while untangling reality. They create the mysterious relationship between the human beings and their circumstances in a way more realistic than the realist text.Also, the textual analysis reveals the basic goal of both the novelist to revisit their past through magic realism as both of them believe in the distortion of reality as outcome of colonial impact in their respective societies. In this sense, this paper justifies the rationale behind the blending of fiction and historical reality in both the novels. In doing so it explores how the unsayable in today’s world of asymmetrical power and domination could be said through the use of tools and elements of magic realism such as hybridity, authorial presence, metafiction, awareness of mystery in a real world setting.

Masculinity in Numafung, a Film Directed by Nabin Subba

The prevailing gender practices in the Limbu culture promote asymmetrical power relations not only between males and females but also between dominant males and subordinated males. This practice is portrayed in the feature film Numafung by Nabin Subba. Thus, the paper aims to investigate how the practice of hegemonic masculinity has affected the life of individuals, both males and females in Limbu community in the film. It scrutinizes what sort of problems do the conventional masculine roles bring in the characters’ lives. This paper also intends to assess the reasons that force the males to perform the conventional gender roles. To analyze the text, R.W. Connell’s and Michael Kimmel’s idea of masculinity theory has been used as an approach. These theorists propose that masculinity is a constructed entity that is achieved through constant performance: a series of cues observed, internalized and repeated over time. Illuminating the gender practices in the Limbu culture, Numafung unfolds the cultural dynamics of the Limbu society in the light of hegemonic masculinities. The paper concludes that cultural practices such as ‘sunauli- rupauli,’ ‘mangena’ and ‘jari’ keep their hegemonic masculinity intact. The paper further concludes that the male characters of Numafung embrace hegemonic masculinity because gender is a socio-cultural construction; being part of that society, one hardly can escape from the socially enforced gender roles.

Decolonising the curriculum beyond the surge: Conceptualisation, positionality and conduct

In recent years, there has been increased interest in, and work towards, decolonising the curriculum in higher education institutions in the UK. There are various initiatives to review university syllabuses and identify alternative literature. However, there is an increasing risk of turning ‘decolonisation’ into a buzz term tied to a trend. We fear that decolonisation within academia is becoming an empty term, diluted and depoliticised, allowing for superficial representations that fail to address racial, political and socio-economic intersectionalities. In this article, we examine several initiatives to decolonise the curriculum with a focus on the field of education as a discipline and medium. Based on our analysis, we engage with three main themes: conceptualisation, positionality and conduct. The article concludes that decolonisation cannot happen in a vacuum, or as an aim disconnected from the rest of the structure of the university, which leads to diluting a wider movement and turns into a box-ticking exercise. We argue that there needs to be a deconstruction of asymmetrical power relationships within academic spaces to allow for meaningful decolonisation in practice. This requires a real political will, a change in the structure, and in the hearts and minds of those in decision-making positions, and a shift in the practices of knowledge production.