Issues in the Spanish-Speaking World

296 Pages·2003·15.652 MB·English

by  Janice Randle

Issues in the
Spanish-Speaking World
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Issues in the
Spanish-Speaking World
JANICE W. RANDLE
GREENWOOD PRESS
Westport, Connecticut • London
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Randle, Janice W.
Issues in the Spanish-speaking world / Janice W. Randle.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-313-31974-X (alk. paper)
1. Latin America—Politics and government—21st century. 2. Spain—
Politics and government—21st century. 3. Latin America—Social
conditions—21st century. 4. Spain—Social conditions—21st century.
I. Title.
F1414.2.R27 2003
909'.0975661—dc21 2002192777
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available.
Copyright © 2003 by Janice W. Randle
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be
reproduced, by any process or technique, without the
express written consent of the publisher.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2002192777
ISBN: 0-313-31974-X
First published in 2003
Greenwood Press, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
An imprint of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc.
www.greenwood.com
Printed in the United States of America
The paper used in this book complies with the
Permanent Paper Standard issued by the National
Information Standards Organization (Z39.48-1984).
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 21
In memory of my parents, Jack and Clara,
and to Richard, for encouragement and patience
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Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction xi
1. The "Best" Spanish 1
2. The Bullfight 17
3. The Spanish Monarchy 31
4. Columbus and the "New" World 45
5. Alcohol, Tobacco, Drugs and La Vida Loca 63
6. The Environment 77
7. Population 95
8. Gender 111
9. Indigenous Rights 129
10. Colombia and the War on Drugs 145
11. The Basque Question 165
12. Immigration 181
13. Catholicism 199
14. Peace and Justice 219
Notes 243
Index 265
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Acknowledgments
This book is the product of many years of interest in the Spanish
language and the cultures of Spanish speakers. Teachers and advi
sors at the University of Texas at Austin, especially John Brodie and
Mildred Boyer, and later Carlos Sole and Vicente Cantarino, en
couraged and supported my belated discovery of Spanish and inter
est in teaching. I owe much to the Fulbright Commission for my
first introduction to Spain as a junior lecturer in Valladolid and for
my first acquaintance with Peru some 25 years later as a participant
in a summer seminar, and in between as a participant in a National
Endowment for the Humanities summer seminar on indigenous lit
eratures and cultures of Mesoamerica and the Andes headed by Fran
Kartunnen, a remarkable scholar and writer. Friends and acquain
tances in Spain, Mexico, Ecuador and Peru have helped me to see
their societies—at least to the degree I have been able—through
other eyes.
To the members of my family, past and present, I owe a debt of
gratitude for encouraging me to pursue my interests. St. Edward's
University has helped to make possible a half dozen visits to Spain
and the Andean region of South America. Good colleagues and my
former dean, Marcia Kinsey, have given me much support over the
years, and my students have given me a reason to keep learning.
Wendi Schnaufer proposed the book project to me and patiently
shepherded me through its writing. I thank them all.