Contested Nation

<p>Throughout the colonial period the Spanish crown made numerous unsuccessful attempts to conquer Araucanía Chile's southern borderlands region. <em>Contested Nation</em> argues that with Chilean independence Araucanía--because of its status as a separate nation-state--became essential to the territorial integrity of the new Chilean Republic. This book studies how Araucanía's indigenous inhabitants the Mapuche played a central role in the new Chilean state's pursuit of an expansionist policy that simultaneously exalted indigenous bravery while relegating the Mapuche to second-class citizenship. It also examines other subaltern groups particularly bandits who challenged the nation-state's monopoly on force and were thus regarded as criminals and enemies unfit for citizenship in Chilean society.<br /><br />Pilar M. Herr's work advances our understanding of early state formation in Chile by viewing this process through the lens of Chilean-Mapuche relations. She provides a thorough historical context and suggests that Araucanía was central to the process of post-independence nation building and territorial expansion in Chile.</p>