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Inside El Barrio: A Bottom-Up View of Neighborhood Life in Castro's Cuba

Henry Louis Taylor, Jr.
Inside El Barrio: A Bottom-Up View of Neighborhood Life in Castro's Cuba
ISBN: 978-1-56549-282-0
$72.00
ISBN: 978-1-56549-281-3
$26.50
2009/217 pages/LC: 2008047211
A Kumarian Press Book
"Graduate students and undergraduates as well as faculty and researchers should read Inside El Barrio, which challenges most conventional and many academic misunderstandings about Cuba."—Jualynne E. Dodson, Transforming Anthropology

"Henry Taylor's research is crucial and opportune, delving into a marginal culture that is crying out for study after half a century of revolution."—Pedro Pérez-Sarduy, London Metropolitan University

"This is one of the best books on Cuba! Henry Louis Taylor makes an outstanding contribution to the literature. He tells us what works and what doesn't. Without hesitation, I highly recommend this book for readers seeking the truth on Cuba. I love it."—John I. Gilderbloom, University of Louisville

DESCRIPTION

Henry Louis Taylor provides insight into the legacy of Fidel Castro by examining everyday life and culture in Havana's neighborhoods during El Período Especial (the Special Period), 1989-2006.

Traversing those vibrant neighborhoods, Taylor discovered their importance not only in shaping the rhythms of daily life, but also in sustaining Castro's regime. The results of his research—exploring what it means to live in a people-centered nation—offer the reader a deeper understanding of Cuban society today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Henry Louis Taylor, Jr., is professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning and director of the Center for Urban Studies at the University at Buffalo.

CONTENTS

  • The Unfinished Revolution: Ideological Dualism and Establishing Ties of Singular Intimacy.
  • This Time the Revolution Is for Real.
  • Inside El Barrio.
  • Using Capitalism to Save Socialism: Making Ends Meet During the Special Period.
  • The San Isidro Neighborhood: A Case Study.
  • Epilogue: Where Does Cuba Go from Here? The Post-Castro Era.