Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies: Background
A selective guide to research resources available at Columbia University Libraries.
Oxford Bibliographies
These selective, curated bibliographies coupled with expert commentary will help you find, negotiate, and assess the most appropriate and authoritative sources for your research.
- Oxford Bibliographies Online: Latin American Studies
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WBIS
- World biographical information system . This link opens in a new window
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Among other sources, WBIS contains an index and some full text to the following collections: Archivo biográfico de España, Portugal e Iberoamérica; Archivo biográfico de España, Portugal e Iberoamérica, Nueva serie.; and Archivo biográfico de España, Portugal e Iberoamérica, 1960-1995.
Reference Sources
- Dictionary of Latin American Cultural Studies
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- Encyclopedia of Contemporary Spanish Culture
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- Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture
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- Europa world plus . This link opens in a new window
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Economic, political, historical, and geographic profiles of 250+ countries and global regions. Contact information for political, business, media, and cultural agencies and officials, including 1,900 international organizations. Search or browse by country, region, organization, or people. - Oxford encyclopedia of Latinos & Latinas in the United States / edited by Suzanne Oboler and Deena J. Gonzalez. This link opens in a new windowProvides access to "information about the fastest growing minority population in the United States. With an unprecedented scope and cutting-edge scholarship, the Encyclopedia draws together the diverse historical and contemporary experiences in the United States of Latinos and Latinas from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Central America, South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Over 900 A-to-Z articles written by academics, scholars, writers, artists, and journalists, address such broad topics as identity, art, politics, religion, education, health, and history."--Title screen.
- Oxford encyclopedia of Mesoamerican cultures / edited by David Carrasco. This link opens in a new windowThe Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Cultures is the first comprehensive reference source to chronicle Pre-Hispanic, colonial, and modern Mesoamerica, defined as the lands stretching from Mexico to the southern tip of Central America. With more than 600 articles, it is invaluable for those interested in the rich heritage of this land. Encompassing the great civilizations of the pre-Columbian era (including the Olmec, Aztec, and Maya peoples) up through the colonial and postcolonial periods, the Encyclopedia covers art, archaeology, religious studies, anthropology, history, and historiography of the region in fully cross-referenced, signed articles by the leading scholars in the discipline.
- Oxford research encyclopedias. Latin American history / William Beezley, editor in chief This link opens in a new window"The Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Latin American History is a comprehensive digital research encyclopedia that describes Latin America's peoples and experiences from pre-Columbian to contemporary times. Its essays make the region's compelling past come alive by using the latest analyses, and by taking advantage of opportunities not available to traditional printed encyclopedias, such as incorporating sights and sounds, and offering links to original sources"--Publisher's website, viewed 14 November 2018.
Cambridge Companion to Modern Latin American CultureCall Number: F1408.3 .C283 2004 - Latin American Studies Read Rm, 503 ButlerISBN: 0521631513Publication Date: 2004
Diccionario biográfico español by Call Number: DP58 .D533 2009g - Butler Reference Bookcase M-O, 301 ButlerPublication Date: 2009-2013Complete in 50 volumes.
Dictionary of Latin American Cultural StudiesCall Number: F1408.3 .D5513 2012 - Butler Reference Bookcase M-O, 301 ButlerISBN: 9780813037585Publication Date: 2012
Encyclopedia of Contemporary Latin American and Caribbean CulturesCall Number: F1406 .E515 2000 - LAS Reading Room & Butler ReferenceISBN: 041513188XPublication Date: 2001
Encyclopedia of Contemporary Spanish CultureCall Number: R946.08 En19 - Butler Reference, 301 ButlerISBN: 0415131871Publication Date: 1999
Encyclopedia of Latin American History and CultureCall Number: R980 En192 - Butler ReferenceISBN: 9780684312705Publication Date: 2008
Encyclopedia of Latin American Popular MusicCall Number: ML101.L38 E53 2013 - Music ReferenceISBN: 9780313340314Publication Date: 2012
Latinoamericana : enciclopédia contemporânea da América Latina e do Caribe by Call Number: F1406 .L33 2006g - Latin American Studies Reading Room
Literary Cultures of Latin AmericaCall Number: PQ7081.A1 L525 2004 - Multiple Locations/HoldingsISBN: 0195126211Publication Date: 2004
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United StatesCall Number: MultipleISBN: 0195156005Publication Date: 2005
Research tools for Latin American historians : a select, annotated bibliographyCall Number: R016.98 W49 - Butler ReferenceISBN: 0824097629Publication Date: 1980
- Cambridge histories online . This link opens in a new window
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Provides full text online access to the complete 250-plus volumes of Camgbridge Histories reference series. Provides political, economic and social history, philosophy and literature of selected countries and subjects.
Volumes include:
- Cambridge History of Latin America (11 volumes)
- Cambridge Economic History of Latin America (2 volumes)
- Cambridge Companion to Modern Latin American Culture
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The Cambridge History of Religions in Latin America by ISBN: 9780521767330Publication Date: 2016-04-11The Cambridge History of Religions in Latin America covers religious history in Latin America from pre-Conquest times until the present. This publication is important; first, because of the historical and contemporary centrality of religion in the life of Latin America; second, for the rapid process of religious change which the region is undergoing; and third, for the region's religious distinctiveness in global comparative terms, which contributes to its importance for debates over religion, globalization, and modernity.
The Duke Readers provide a chronological overview of historical and cultural landmarks for each of its titles, using primary sources (many translated into English for the first time).
The Bolivia Reader by
The Bolivia Reader provides a panoramic view, from antiquity to the present, of the history, culture, and politics of a country known for its ethnic and regional diversity, its rich natural resources and dilemmas of economic development, and its political conflict and creativity. Featuring both classic and little-known texts ranging from fiction, memoir, and poetry to government documents, journalism, and political speeches, the volume challenges stereotypes of Bolivia as a backward nation while offering insights into the country's history of mineral extraction, revolution, labor organizing, indigenous peoples' movements, and much more. Whether documenting Inka rule or Spanish conquest, three centuries at the center of Spanish empire, or the turbulent politics and cultural vibrancy of the national period, these sources--the majority of which appear in English for the first time--foreground the voices of actors from many different walks of life.
ISBN: 9780822371359Publication Date: 2018-07-11
The Brazil Reader by
From the first encounters between the Portuguese and indigenous peoples in 1500 to the current political turmoil, the history of Brazil is much more complex and dynamic than the usual representations of it as the home of Carnival, soccer, the Amazon, and samba would suggest. This extensively revised and expanded second edition of the best-selling Brazil Reader dives deep into the past and present of a country marked by its geographical vastness and cultural, ethnic, and environmental diversity. Containing over one hundred selections--many of which appear in English for the first time and which range from sermons by Jesuit missionaries and poetry to political speeches and biographical portraits of famous public figures, intellectuals, and artists--this collection presents the lived experience of Brazilians from all social and economic classes, racial backgrounds, genders, and political perspectives over the past half millennium.
ISBN: 9780822370925Publication Date: 2019-01-18
The Chile Reader by
The Chile Reader makes available a rich variety of documents spanning more than five hundred years of Chilean history. Most of the selections are by Chileans; many have never before appeared in English. The history of Chile is rendered from diverse perspectives, including those of Mapuche Indians and Spanish colonists, peasants and aristocrats, feminists and military strongmen, entrepreneurs and workers, and priests and poets. Among the many selections are interviews, travel diaries, letters, diplomatic cables, cartoons, photographs, and song lyrics. Texts and images, each introduced by the editors, provide insights into the ways that Chile's unique geography has shaped its national identity, the country's unusually violent colonial history, and the stable but autocratic republic that emerged after independence from Spain. They shed light on Chile's role in the world economy, the social impact of economic modernization, and the enduring problems of deep inequality.
ISBN: 9780822353461Publication Date: 2013-11-29
The Colombia Reader by
Containing over one hundred selections--most of them published in English for the first time--The Colombia Reader presents a rich and multilayered account of this complex nation from the colonial era to the present. The collection includes journalistic reports, songs, artwork, poetry, oral histories, government documents, and scholarship to illustrate the changing ways Colombians from all walks of life have made and understood their own history. Comprehensive in scope, it covers regional differences; religion, art, and culture; the urban/rural divide; patterns of racial, economic, and gender inequalities; the history of violence; and the transnational flows that have shaped the nation.
ISBN: 9780822362074Publication Date: 2017-01-03
The Cuba Reader by
Tracking Cuban history from 1492 to the present, The Cuba Reader includes more than one hundred selections that present myriad perspectives on Cuba's history, culture, and politics. The volume foregrounds the experience of Cubans from all walks of life, including slaves, prostitutes, doctors, activists, and historians. Combining songs, poetry, fiction, journalism, political speeches, and many other types of documents, this revised and updated second edition of The Cuba Reader contains over twenty new selections that explore the changes and continuities in Cuba since Fidel Castro stepped down from power in 2006. For students, travelers, and all those who want to know more about the island nation just ninety miles south of Florida, The Cuba Reader is an invaluable introduction.
ISBN: 9781478003649Publication Date: 2019-05-17
The Dominican Republic Reader by
Despite its significance in the history of Spanish colonialism, the Dominican Republic is familiar to most outsiders through only a few elements of its past and culture. Non-Dominicans may be aware that the country shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti and that it is where Christopher Columbus chose to build a colony. Some may know that the country produces talented baseball players and musicians; others that it is a prime destination for beach vacations. Little else about the Dominican Republic is common knowledge outside its borders. This Reader seeks to change that. It provides an introduction to the history, politics, and culture of the country, from precolonial times into the early twenty-first century. Among the volume's 118 selections are essays, speeches, journalism, songs, poems, legal documents, testimonials, and short stories, as well as several interviews conducted especially for this Reader. Many of the selections have been translated into English for the first time. All of them are preceded by brief introductions written by the editors.
ISBN: 9780822356882Publication Date: 2014-05-23
The Ecuador Reader by
Encompassing Amazonian rainforests, Andean peaks, coastal lowlands, and the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador's geography is notably diverse. So too are its history, culture, and politics, all of which are examined from many perspectives in The Ecuador Reader. Spanning the years before the arrival of the Spanish in the early 1500s to the present, this rich anthology addresses colonialism, independence, the nation's integration into the world economy, and its tumultuous twentieth century. Interspersed among forty-eight written selections are more than three dozen images. The voices and creations of Ecuadorian politicians, writers, artists, scholars, activists, and journalists fill the Reader, from José María Velasco Ibarra, the nation's ultimate populist and five-time president, to Pancho Jaime, a political satirist; from Julio Jaramillo, a popular twentieth-century singer, to anonymous indigenous women artists who produced ceramics in the 1500s; and from the poems of Afro-Ecuadorians, to the fiction of the vanguardist Pablo Palacio, to a recipe for traditional Quiteño-style shrimp. The Reader includes an interview with Nina Pacari, the first indigenous woman elected to Ecuador's national assembly, and a reflection on how to balance tourism with the protection of the Galápagos Islands' magnificent ecosystem.
ISBN: 0822343746Publication Date: 2009-01-16
The Guatemala Reader by
This reader brings together more than 200 texts and images in a broad introduction to Guatemala's history, culture, and politics. In choosing the selections, the editors sought to avoid representing the country only in terms of its long experience of conflict, racism, and violence. And so, while offering many perspectives on that violence, this anthology portrays Guatemala as a real place where people experience joys and sorrows that cannot be reduced to the contretemps of resistance and repression. It includes not only the opinions of politicians, activists, and scholars, but also poems, songs, plays, jokes, novels, short stories, recipes, art, and photographs that capture the diversity of everyday life in Guatemala. The editors introduce all of the selections, from the first piece, an excerpt from the Popol Vuh, a mid-sixteenth-century text believed to be the single most important source documenting pre-Hispanic Maya culture, through the final selections, which explore contemporary Guatemala in relation to neoliberalism, multiculturalism, and the dynamics of migration to the United States and of immigrant life. Many pieces were originally published in Spanish, and most of those appear in English for the first time.
ISBN: 9780822351078Publication Date: 2011-10-31
The Lima Reader by
Covering more than five hundred years of history, culture, and politics, The Lima Reader captures the multiple viewpoints of the diverse peoples of Peru's capital city. The volume traces Lima's transformation from a pre-Columbian religious center, to the colonial "City of Kings," to today's vibrant and deeply divided metropolis of almost ten million people. A rich array of primary sources--including traveler accounts, essays, photographs, maps, poems, short stories, lyrics, and memoir excerpts, many appearing in English for the first time--address how Lima's multiethnic population, class inequalities, and debates of who is a "true" limeño/a have evolved throughout the city's history. The book also includes selections that explore Lima's identity through its food, sports culture, festivals, and sense of humor. Intended for travelers, students, and scholars alike, The Lima Reader is an invaluable introduction to the complex social tensions and cultural history of Lima and its people.
ISBN: 9780822363378Publication Date: 2017-04-28
The Mexico Reader by
The Mexico Reader is a vivid introduction to muchos Méxicos--the many Mexicos, or the many varied histories and cultures that comprise contemporary Mexico. Unparalleled in scope and written for the traveler, student, and expert alike, the collection offers a comprehensive guide to the history and culture of Mexico--including its difficult, uneven modernization; the ways the country has been profoundly shaped not only by Mexicans but also by those outside its borders; and the extraordinary economic, political, and ideological power of the Roman Catholic Church. The book looks at what underlies the chronic instability, violence, and economic turmoil that have characterized periods of Mexico's history while it also celebrates the country's rich cultural heritage. A diverse collection of more than eighty selections, The Mexico Reader brings together poetry, folklore, fiction, polemics, photoessays, songs, political cartoons, memoirs, satire, and scholarly writing. Many pieces are by Mexicans, and a substantial number appear for the first time in English. Works by Octavio Paz and Carlos Fuentes are included along with pieces about such well-known figures as the larger-than-life revolutionary leaders Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata; there is also a comminiqué from a more recent rebel, Subcomandante Marcos. At the same time, the book highlights the perspectives of many others--indigenous peoples, women, politicians, patriots, artists, soldiers, rebels, priests, workers, peasants, foreign diplomats, and travelers. The Mexico Reader explores what it means to be Mexican, tracing the history of Mexico from pre-Columbian times through the country's epic revolution (1910-17) to the present day. The materials relating to the latter half of the twentieth century focus on the contradictions and costs of postrevolutionary modernization, the rise of civil society, and the dynamic cross-cultural zone marked by the two thousand-mile Mexico-U.S. border. The editors have divided the book into several sections organized roughly in chronological order and have provided brief historical contexts for each section. They have also furnished a lengthy list of resources about Mexico, including websites and suggestions for further reading.
ISBN: 9780822384090Publication Date: 2009-01-01
The Paraguay Reader by
Hemmed in by the vast, arid Chaco to the west and, for most of its history, impenetrable jungles to the east, Paraguay has been defined largely by its isolation. Partly as a result, there has been a dearth of serious scholarship or journalism about the country. Going a long way toward redressing this lack of information and analysis, The Paraguay Reader is a lively compilation of testimonies, journalism, scholarship, political tracts, literature, and illustrations, including maps, photographs, paintings, drawings, and advertisements. Taken together, the anthology's many selections convey the country's extraordinarily rich history and cultural heritage, as well as the realities of its struggles against underdevelopment, foreign intervention, poverty, inequality, and authoritarianism. Most of the Reader is arranged chronologically. Weighted toward the twentieth century and early twenty-first, it nevertheless gives due attention to major events in Paraguay's history, such as the Triple Alliance War (1864-70) and the Chaco War (1932-35). The Reader's final section, focused on national identity and culture, addresses matters including ethnicity, language, and gender. Most of the selections are by Paraguayans, and many of the pieces appear in English for the first time. Helpful introductions by the editors precede each of the book's sections and all of the selected texts.
ISBN: 9780822352495Publication Date: 2012-12-31
The Rio de Janeiro Reader by
Spanning a period of over 450 years, The Rio de Janeiro Reader traces the history, culture, and politics of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, through the voices, images, and experiences of those who have made the city's history. It outlines Rio's transformation from a hardscrabble colonial outpost and strategic port into an economic, cultural, and entertainment capital of the modern world. The volume contains a wealth of primary sources, many of which appear here in English for the first time. A mix of government documents, lyrics, journalism, speeches, ephemera, poems, maps, engravings, photographs, and other sources capture everything from the fantastical impressions of the first European arrivals to the complaints about roving capoeira gangs, and from sobering eyewitness accounts of slavery's brutality to the glitz of Copacabana. The definitive English-language resource on the city, The Rio de Janeiro Reader presents the "Marvelous City" in all its complexity, importance, and intrigue.
ISBN: 9780822359746Publication Date: 2016-01-05
HISTORICAL DICTIONARY OF ... [SERIES]
The historical dictionary series published by the Scarecrow Press is a useful supplement to your research. Some titles are accessible online while others only in print. Recent titles include:
Historical Dictionary of Inter-American OrganizationsCall Number: JZ5331 .W55 2014 - LehmanISBN: 9780810878600Publication Date: 2013
Historical Dictionary of SpainCall Number: DP12 .S59 2009 - LehmanISBN: 9780810858497Publication Date: 2009
Historical Dictionary of Ancient South AmericaCall Number: F2229 .G54 2008 - Multiple LocationsISBN: 9780810853850Publication Date: 2008
Historical Dictionary of Mexico by Call Number: F1204 .B74 2008 - Lehman ReferenceISBN: 9780810859951Publication Date: 2008
Historical Dictionary of United States - Latin American RelationsCall Number: F1418 .S638 2007 - Multiple LocationsISBN: 0810855291Publication Date: 2006
Historical Dictionary of Chile by Call Number: F3054 .B5 2005 - Lehman ReferenceISBN: 0810840979Publication Date: 2005
Encyclopedia of U. S.-Latin American RelationsCall Number: F1418 .E59 2012 - Butler ReferenceISBN: 9780872897625Publication Date: 2012
Encyclopedia of Latin American PoliticsCall Number: F1410 .E56 2002 - LehmanISBN: 1573563064Publication Date: 2002
Diccionario de política latinoamericana del siglo XXCall Number: F1414 .N83 2001g - Latin American Studies Reading RoomISBN: 9706515291Publication Date: 2001
- Political handbook of the world . This link opens in a new windowThe Political Handbook of the World contains entries on countries and territories around the world. It covers each country's political parties and includes names of key ambassadors, international memberships, and profiles intergovernmental organizations.
- CIA World FactbookProvides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 267 world entities.