Afro-Latin American Studies
An Introduction

'This ground-breaking volume is a rich must-read text for academics, practitioners, and activists. An interdisciplinary approach brings together some of the most prominent scholars, from a wide range of fields, to analyze the complex role of African descendants in the Americas. Chapters masterfully investigate the arrival of African descendants and their social movements, the historical roots of inequality, the struggle for political identity, and the role of gender. The text places African descendants at the center of our understanding of Latin America - the significance of this analysis demonstrates why this field is worthy of deep academic exploration.' Judith Morrison, Inter-American Development Bank

'Distinguished historians Alejandro de la Fuente and George Reid Andrews have compiled a first-rate volume with essays by many of the leading thinkers of race in Latin America. Afro-Latin American Studies reviews the literature and offers cutting-edge work on diverse areas including slavery, contemporary politics and social movements, art and literature. Anyone who wishes to understand the rapidly growing field of Afro-Latin American Studies, or Afro-American studies in the continental sense, should read this book.' Edward Telles, University of California, Santa Barbara

'The political, cultural and social landscape of Afro-Latin America has undergone significant transformation on the cusp of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. de la Fuente and Andrew's handbook is a timely, insightful collection of essays by some of the most important specialists of the region, tracking the proliferation and transformation of Afro-Latin political mobilization and identification, its variation and diversity, while situating these contemporary transformations against the backdrop of racial slavery and exceptionalist credos of racial democracy found throughout the region.' Michael G. Hanchard, University of Pennsylvania