Research Guides: HIST 317: Religion, Power and Politics in Latin America (HC): Background Information

Honoring the Memory of Archbishop Oscar Romero

Mural in San Salvador commemorates those killed in the civil war (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Background Information

The following sources provide overviews of ideas, people, and branches of study in the history of colonial Latin America. They are a quick way to find out the basic facts and current points of debate.

When using an article in an encyclopedia or handbook, always check the bibliography for further reading at the end of the article. It will provide a selective list of the books, articles, and, frequently, Web resources considered to be the most up-to-date and reliable.

Encyclopedias

The Encyclopedia of Caribbean Religions
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Encyclopedia of Latin American history and culture
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Provides a comprehensive, multidisciplinary view of Latin American history and culture from prehistoric times to the present.
Encyclopedia of Mexico
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"... presents a processual view of Mexican history, society and culture from ancient civilizations to the present day. The primary emphasis is on broad historiographic issues, although the encyclopedia includes many supplementary entries on people and specific events."--Publisher's description.
Encyclopedia of Religion
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World Scholar: Latin America & the Caribbean
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This online reference includes brief topical articles, primary sources, and statistics concerning major historical issues in Latin American history.

Histories

The Cambridge History of Latin America by Leslie Bethell (Editor, Contribution by)
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Publication Date: 1984-12-06
See the appropriate volume/s for time periods. Also Volume XI: Bibliographical Essays.
The Histories of the Latin American Church by Joel M. Cruz
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ISBN: 9781451465648
Publication Date: 2014-11-15
This handbook is designed as an accompaniment to reading and research in the field. After an overview of the history and theology of the region, the text moves nation-by-nation, providing substantial introductions to the politics, people, movements, and relevant facts of Latin American Christianity.
Also available as an ebook.

Web Sites

Latin American Posters Collection
Princeton has digitized and cataloged close to 3 thousand posters.
Performance y censura en el Mexico Virreinal
Presents material on colonial theater, religious festivals, popular dance and music, upper class entertainments, and bull fighting. Includes excerpts and images from documents housed in Mexican archives and libraries.
The Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz Project
Vistas: Visual Culture in Spanish America, 1520-1820
Themes of the website are:
Making Sense of the Pre-Columbian, Reckoning with Mestizaje, Political Force of Images, Patterns of the Everyday, The Mechanics of an Art World, and Otherworldly Visions. More material is available on the DVD version

Subject Guide

Margaret Schaus

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Subjects: Africana & Black Studies, Cities, Classics, History, Latin American & Iberian Studies, Political Science, Writing Program

Handbooks and Companions

A Companion to Latin American History by Thomas H. Holloway (Editor)
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ISBN: 9781405131612
Publication Date: 2008-01-29
The Companion to Latin American History collects the work of leading experts in the field to create a single-source overview of the diverse history and current trends in the study of Latin America.
A Companion to Latin American Literature and Culture by Sara Castro-Klaren (Contribution by, Editor)
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ISBN: 9781405128063
Publication Date: 2008-05-06
Essays about Latin America explore cultural topics including religion as well as literature and other arts.
A Companion to Mexican History and Culture by William H. Beezley (Editor)
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ISBN: 9781405190572
Publication Date: 2011-04-18
Essays of interest include "The Penal Code of 1871: From Religious to Civil Control of Everyday Life," "Indigenous Mobilization," and "Mexican Immigration."
The Oxford Handbook of Latin American History by Jose C. Moya (Editor)
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ISBN: 9780195166200
Publication Date: 2010-11-05
The essays in this handbook survey recent historiography and span Mexico, Spanish South America, and Brazil. Relevant essays cover popular religion, labor movements and indigenous peoples.
The Oxford Handbook of the Atlantic World by Nicholas Canny; Philip Morgan
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ISBN: 9780199210879
Publication Date: 2011-05-19
The essays in this volume provide a comprehensive overview of Atlantic history from c.1450 to c.1850. Subject covered include religion, revolution, and popular movements.
Routledge Handbook of Latin American Politics by Peter Kingstone (Editor); Deborah J. Yashar (Editor)
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ISBN: 0415875226
Publication Date: 2012-03-08
Also available as an ebook.