The memory of mestizaje. Questioning official narratives of “our” histories /

CATELLI, LAURA

New Bruswick

Conferencia; Seminario Centennial Narratives of Latin American Independence.; 2022

Department of Spanish and Portuguese Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, The Language Center, SAS Dean?s Office Humanities Pathways

Since the nineteenth century, the idea of mestizaje has dominated our imaginaries about Latin American and Hispanic-Caribbean identities. At the same time, many have been critical of official narratives of mestizaje, and have warned that embracing them entails not being able to think of our societies as heterogenous and diverse. Can we all actually identify with the same narratives of mestizaje? What are the implications of doing so? What is the place that “minor histories” (such as family memories like anecdotes, secrets, photographs, names) have in reflecting about who we are, as individuals and as collective groups? This activity is an open invitation, during Hispanic Heritage Month, to think and talk together about how we construe personal and collective identities and memories, both along official narratives but also against their grain.