About the book
Lydia Cabrera (1900–1991), an upper-class white Cuban intellectual, spent many years traveling through Cuba collecting oral histories, stories, and music from Cubans of African descent. Her work is commonly viewed as an extension of the work of her famous brother-in-law, Cuban anthropologist Fernando Ortiz, who initiated the study of Afro-Cubans and the concept of transculturation. Here, Edna Rodríguez-Mangual challenges this perspective, proposing that Cabrera’s work offers an alternative to the hegemonizing national myth of Cuba articulated by Ortiz and others.
Rodríguez-Mangual examines Cabrera’s ethnographic essays and short stories in context. By blurring fact and fiction, anthropology and literature, Cabrera defied the scientific discourse used by other anthropologists. She wrote of Afro-Cubans not as objects but as subjects, and in her writings, whiteness, instead of blackness, is gazed upon as the “other.” As Rodríguez-Mangual demonstrates, Cabrera rewrote the history of Cuba and its culture through imaginative means, calling into question the empirical basis of anthropology and placing Afro-Cuban contributions at the center of the literature that describes the Cuban nation and its national identity.
Editions of Lydia Cabrera and the Construction of an Afro-Cuban Cultural Identity
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780807828878
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780807855546
- EBook
- ISBN 9780807876282
- PDF
- ISBN 9798890878687
Read an Excerpt
Lydia Cabrera (1900–1991), an upper-class white Cuban intellectual, spent many years traveling through Cuba collecting oral histories, stories, and music from Cubans of African descent. Her work is commonly viewed as an extension of the work of her famous brother-in-law, Cuban anthropologist Fernando Ortiz, who initiated the study of Afro-Cubans and the concept of transculturation. Here, Edna Rodríguez-Mangual challenges this perspective, proposing that Cabrera’s work offers an alternative to the hegemonizing national myth of Cuba articulated by Ortiz and others.
Rodríguez-Mangual examines Cabrera’s ethnographic essays and short stories in context. By blurring fact and fiction, anthropology and literature, Cabrera defied the scientific discourse used by other anthropologists. She wrote of Afro-Cubans not as objects but as subjects, and in her writings, whiteness, instead of blackness, is gazed upon as the “other.” As Rodríguez-Mangual demonstrates, Cabrera rewrote the history of Cuba and its culture through imaginative means, calling into question the empirical basis of anthropology and placing Afro-Cuban contributions at the center of the literature that describes the Cuban nation and its national identity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Lydia Cabrera and the Construction of an Afro-Cuban Cultural Identity about?
Lydia Cabrera (1900–1991), an upper-class white Cuban intellectual, spent many years traveling through Cuba collecting oral histories, stories, and music from Cubans of African descent. Her work is commonly viewed as an extension of the work of her famous brother-in-law, Cuban anthropologist Fernando Ortiz, who initiated the study of Afro-Cubans and the concept of transculturation. Here, Edna Rodríguez-Mangual challenges this perspective, proposing that Cabrera’s work offers an alternative to the hegemonizing national myth of Cuba articulated by Ortiz and others.
Rodríguez-Mangual examines Cabrera’s ethnographic essays and short stories in context. By blurring fact and fiction, anthropology and literature, Cabrera defied the scientific discourse used by other anthropologists. She wrote of Afro-Cubans not as objects but as subjects, and in her writings, whiteness, instead of blackness, is gazed upon as the “other.” As Rodríguez-Mangual demonstrates, Cabrera rewrote the history of Cuba and its culture through imaginative means, calling into question the empirical basis of anthropology and placing Afro-Cuban contributions at the center of the literature that describes the Cuban nation and its national identity.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Lydia Cabrera and the Construction of an Afro-Cuban Cultural Identity?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Literature: history and criticism
Where can I read a sample of Lydia Cabrera and the Construction of an Afro-Cuban Cultural Identity?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780807828878
How long is Lydia Cabrera and the Construction of an Afro-Cuban Cultural Identity and how many pages does it have?
Lydia Cabrera and the Construction of an Afro-Cuban Cultural Identity has 216 page(s)
Is Lydia Cabrera and the Construction of an Afro-Cuban Cultural Identity part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Envisioning Cuba
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Lydia Cabrera and the Construction of an Afro-Cuban Cultural Identity?
Edna M. Rodríguez-Plate
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Lydia Cabrera and the Construction of an Afro-Cuban Cultural Identity is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780807828878) and paperback(ISBN 9780807855546) and ebook(ISBN 9780807876282) and pdf(ISBN 9798890878687)
Where can I buy Lydia Cabrera and the Construction of an Afro-Cuban Cultural Identity online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Lydia Cabrera and the Construction of an Afro-Cuban Cultural Identity from below
Where can I buy Lydia Cabrera and the Construction of an Afro-Cuban Cultural Identity?