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In collaboration with FLACSO (Latin American University of Social Sciences), Melassa organized a course-workshop taught by Karin Weyland addressing the current Latin American crisis in the face of neo-liberal policies and explored possible alternatives for the creation of a Pan-Latino/American movement that would begin to identify the causes and implications of this crisis under the unification of Latin Americans and Latin@s in the United States.  Also in collaboration with the primary school of the Mata Los Indios community, four teachers participated in the course-workshop, and other people from community organizations such as the Dominican-Haitian Committee and the Women's Health Cooperative, as well as various international students and professionals interested in Latinidad and globalization.  The group is planning a trip to Haiti through the Haitian embassy in the Dominican Republic in order to further explore the issue of the Dominican-Haitian frontier, whose dynamics has always caused much controversy in the Dominican Republic due to the massacre of Haitians in 1937 during Trujillo's dictatorship.  Throughout the first half of the twentieth century, the development of a Dominican national identity has been based on a deep Anti-Hatianism.

Photos from left to right: Maribel Ventura, Elizabeth Pres, Antuan José; Maribel Ventura and Antuan José; Maria Montero, Andrea Araujo and Rosa Martinez de Jesus.

Description:
In this Course-Worksho we shall discuss the issue of Latinidad and globalization through the study of international migration and the colonical relationship between Latin America and the United States.  After identifying the elements that constitute a Latina identity and consciousness (i.e. similarities and differences between the Latino communities in the United States, the experience of "mestizaje" and being "someone of color", national identity, language and norms) we'll explore how these issues have changed given the phenomenon of globalization at a local and global level.  We'll also address the question of the advantages of embracing a broader Latino consciousness for the advancement of Latin America and Latino communities in the United States in terms of their economic and socio-political development.

We define  “globalization” not only as the economic integration of the markets under an unfair system of domination headed by the United States, but also as the integration of the different value systems that constitute our society.  For example, the ideas, customs, and norms that define us as people or nation  change as we use Internet and watch Cable Television to create new identities and form new communities.  This process implies that the revolution in the means of communication, as much as international migration and the Latin@ community in the United States, have already created the means for a cultural, economic, and political integration.  In this course-workshop we'll analyze the most important aspects of this process.  Based on the assigned readings, and the weekly screening of video-documentaries about Latin@s and Latin America, students of this workshop will develop a proposal for an adequate integration in the Dominican Republic, paying particular attention to the incorporation of Dominicanyorks.

The students will also participate in the production of a video-documentary regarding such issues as national identity, globalization, gender and culture in the Hispanic Caribbean and a video-documentary about the Brotherhood of the Congos of the Holy Spirit, as well as help in the organization of workshops about these issues in the community of Mata Los Indios in Villa Mella.

L@s interesad@s en el Taller también participarán en la producción de un video sobre la identidad nacional, globalización, cultura y género en el Caribe Hispano y en el documental sobre la Cofradía de los Congos del Espíritu Santo, además de ayudar en la organización de talleres sobre éstos temas en la comunidad Mata Los Indios de Villa Mella.
 
 

Photos from the giving of certificates (from left to right): class group: Maribel Ventura and Karin Weyland; Karin and Rosa Martinez de Jesús; Karin and Antuan José; Alicia Sangro and Karin; Digna Reyes and Karin; Olga Cedeño and Karin; Miguel Peña and Karin; Elizabeth Press and Karin; Karin and Andrea Araujo.

Objectives:

•  Identify the technological and cultural changes that have resulted from globalization
•  Learn about the migratory patterns of the Dominican community, paying particular attention to the role of women
•  Learn about the economic and cultural integration of the Americas and be able to identify basic aspects of the globalization phenomenon
•  Learn about team work, use of video cameras, development of proposals for transnational organizing, and Internet navegation
•  Learn about community-based learning

Schedule and Bibliography:

Tuesday, April 30, 2002
Introduction

Monday, May 6
Documentaries:

1) “Global Village or Global Pillage?” (Aldea global o robo global?), por Jeremy Brecher, Tim Costello, y Brendan Smith, 26 minutos

2) “No Globalization Without Representation” por Karin Weyland (No a la globalización sin representación) 20 minutos

3) “The Gringo in Mañanaland” por Deedee Haleck, 50 minutes

Tuesday, May 7
Readings:

1) “Colonialidad del Poder, Globalización y Democracia,” por Aníbal Quijano, primera parte: páginas 1-17 (leer hasta la sección titulada “La cuestión de la democracia).

2) “La conquista del espacio: dimensiones urbanísticas de modernidad y posmodernidad en América Latina,” por Jorge Cela, en Estudios Sociales, # 88, Abril-Junio 1992, páginas 5-20.

Themes for discussion:
1) What do we understand as "globalization" and the concept of "global community"?

2) According to Aníbal Quijano, what is the relationship between globalization and the coloniality of power, and what is the place of Latin America in this process?

3) What is the relationship between Latin@s in the United States and Latin America faced with the phenomenon of globalization and the coloniality of power?

4) Faced with what conditions and options, can we redefine the concept of Latin America, and the concept of community in general?

Monday, May 13
Documentaries:

1) “The Double Life of Ernesto Gomez Gomez” (La Doble Vida de Ernesto Gomez Gomez)

2) “P’alante, Siempre P’alante: The Story of the Young Lords”

Tuesday, May 14
Readings:

1) “Que tal Raza! Por Anibal Quijano, páginas 1-7.

2) Nuestra isla y su gente: La construcción del “otro” puertorriqueño en Our Islands and Their People, por Lanny Thompson, publicado por el Centro de Investigaciones Sociales y Departamento de Historia de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras, 1995, páginas 16-46.

3) “Nación, migración, identidad: sobre el transnacionalismo a propósito de Puerto Rico,” por Jorge Duany publicado en Nueva Sociedad, #178, 2002, páginas 56-69.

Themes for Discussion:

1) The case of Puerto Rico in the context of Latino migration studies to the United States: how does this case resemble or is different to other Latino groups?

2) Why did the project of solidarity between the Latino community in New York and Puerto Rico failed in the 1960's?

3) Is there one Latino community in the United States with its own Latino consciousness?

Monday, May 20
Movie: “Nueva Yol”, written and directed by Angel Muñiz
 

Martes, 21 de Mayo
Readings:

1) “Género, etnicidad y cruce de fronteras: ¿cambios en la identidad genérica dominicana?”, por Ninna Nyberg Sorensen, en Estudios Sociales, #109, Julio-Septiembre, 1997, páginas 77-105.

2) “El impacto cultural y económico de la migración hacia Nueva York en la mujer dominicana trabajadora: ¿transculturación o estrategia económica?” por Karin Weyland en La República Dominicana en el umbral del siglo XXI: cultura, política y cambio social, PUCMM, 1999, páginas 471-494.

3) “Mujer y Globalización en República Dominicana: ¿maniqueismo o complejización? Por Clara Báez en Género y Sociedad, Vol. 2, # 2, Septiembre-Diciembre, 1994, páginas 1-12.

Themes for discussion:

1) The Dominican migration to New York; transcultural practices as the political basis for the development of public transnatioanl politics.

2) The role of women in the migration of Dominicans to the United States: subordination or independence from the reconcepualization of the public/private spheres?

3) Remmittances as the basis for the social and economic integration of Latin America and the United States, and as the origins of a broader Latino/LatinAmerican consciousness.

Monday, May 27
Documentaries:

“Hispanics in the Media” (Hispano/as en los Medios de Comunicación)

“Mujeres Dominicanas del Centro para el Desarrollo de la Mujer Dominicana, Nueva York”

“Reyita: Blanco es mi pelo, negra mi piel”, Cuba, de Marina Ochoa

“Pais Café con Leche”; “Ines, Obrera de Zona Franca,” Centro Bonó

Tuesday, May 28
Readings:

1) “Ayer, Texas. ¿Hoy La Patagonia?” por Roberto Bardini, en [nuestramerica], Abril 21, lista de usuarios de Internet

2) “Algunos procesos formativos de la identidad nacional dominicana,” por Roberto Cassá y Genaro Rodriguez, en Estudios Sociales, # 88, Abril-Junio, 1991, páginas 67-98.

3) Mi compadre el General Sol, por Jacques Stephen Alexis, Biblioteca Taller 2, primera edición 1955, páginas 242-264, edición 1987, Ediciones de Taller, Santo Domingo.

4) El masacre se pasa a pie, por Freddy Prestol Castillo, Biblioteca Taller 26, primera edición 1973, páginas 53-74, edición 1998, Ediciones de Taller, Santo Domingo.

5) “Peña Batlle: la influencia de su pensamiento autoritario hoy en día,” por Ramonina Brea en Cultura y Sociedad en la República Dominicana del siglo XX, El Siglo, 2000, páginas, 315-322.

Themes for discussion:

1) How is the "coloniality of power" reflected today in the Latino communities of the United States and Latin America, in particular amongst Mexicans, Dominicans and Puerto Ricans?

2) What are the differences and similarities between the experience of mestizaje in the Dominican Republic and being of color in the United States?  How do these two separate processes define a Dominican identity nowadays, within both, the context of nationhood and diaspora?

3) How is a dominican national identity defined? How could we define alternative proposals for the understanding of globalization from the perspective of race?  Is the affirmation of a national identity an obstacle for decolonization, in particular when it comes to developing a migratory policy between the Dominican Republic and Haiti?

Monday, June 3
Discussion of the collaboration project with Mata Los Indios, Villa Mella

Screening of the video-taped material filmed by the youth group in Melassa's Documentation Workshop organized by the Melassa Foundation and the community of Mata Los Indios.

Tuesday, June 4
Readings:

1) “Qué bella es la democracia” por Eduardo Galeano, en [nuestramerica], 20 de Abril, lista para usuarios de Internet

2) “Cómo habla hoy la sociedad civil” por Néstor García Canclini en Consumidores y ciudadanos: conflictos multiculturales de la globalización, Editorial Grijalbo, México, 195, páginas 185-198.

3) “América Latina a la vuelta del siglo” por Abraham Lowenthal en Cultura y Sociedad en la República Dominicana del siglo XX, El Siglo, 2000, páginas 289-312.

4) “Colonialidad del Poder, Globalización y Democracia,” por Aníbal Quijano, segunda parte: páginas 17-26 (empezar a leer sección, “La cuestión de la democracia)

Themes for discussion:

1) Future transnationa proposals between the Dominican Republic and the different Dominican communities abroad for a better cultural integration in the Dominican Republic.

2) Democracy, participatory citizenship, social transnational solidarity, and civil society.  Could the development of a public transnational policy promote social solidarity?  What would the basic elements of this politics be, in particular with regards to issues of cultural diversity and international migration?

3) Basis for an alternative project of globalization through the use of Internet, Visual Arts, and a redefinition of the concept of community.  Revision of individual projects done with the Internet for a better regional integraion and transnational solidarity.

Tuesday, June 11
Evaluation and Giving of Participation Certificates.