This series of three lectures will address the economic and political underpinnings of social and cultural life in the indigenous peasant communities of Oaxaca. Ideal models along with their variations will be explored with attention given to intra-community and extra-community relations in historical context. The first two lectures will emphasize “traditional” systems. The third lecture will focus on continuity and change deriving from the pressures of ever increasing of economic and cultural globalization.

Wednesday, February 7 - Continuity and change

The social and cultural systems of Mexican indigenous peoples have never been static, but the amplitude of change has been episodic with periods of major change propelled by critical realignments in the relationship between indigenous communities and the larger society. After an historical overview of those episodes, we will concentrate on recent far-reaching changes—and resistance to change—brought on by the increasing magnitude of economic and cultural globalization.

Bio:

Ronald Waterbury (PhD UCLA) is secretary of the Welte Institute for Oaxacan Studies and emeritus professor of anthropology at Queens College of the City University of New York where he taught for over 30 years. He has carried out research in Oaxaca off and on since 1964, focusing on economy and politics of indigenous communities. Since retiring from teaching in 2000, Ron and his wife, Carole Turkenik, have made Oaxaca their home.