Facundo and the Construction of Argentine Culture

<p>Domingo F. Sarmiento's classic 1845 essay <i>Facundo Civilizacion y Barbarie</i> opened an inquiry into the nature of Argentinian culture that continues to the present day. In this elegantly written study Diana Sorensen Goodrich explores the varied and often conflicting readings that <i>Facundo</i> has received since its publication and shows how these readings have contributed to the making and remaking of the Argentine nation and its culture.</p> <p>Goodrich's analysis sheds new light on the intersection between canon formation and nation-building. While much has been written about <i>Facundo</i> as a primary text in Latin American letters this is the first study that locates it within the problematics of canon formation and the cultural social and political contexts in which conflicting interpretations are constructed.</p> <p>This new approach to <i>Facundo</i> illuminates the interactions among institutions cultural ideologies and political life. This book will be important reading for everyone interested in questions of national identity and the institutionalization of a national tradition.</p>