Mexico Today: An Encyclopedia of Life in the Republic [2 volumes]

by Ana Paula Ambrosi (Editor), Silvia D. Zárate (Editor), Alex M. Saragoza (Editor)

Overview

Providing over 200 entries on politics, government, economics, society, culture, and much more, this two-volume work brings modern Mexico to life.

Viva Mexico! Border sharer. Major trade partner. Exporter of culture and citizens. Tourist destination. Mexico has always been of the utmost significance to the United States, with the shared 2,000-mile border, historical ties in mutual territory, and history of Mexican labor coming north and American tourists heading south. Fresh, current information on Mexico, the North American hotspot and gateway to Latin America, is always in demand by students and general readers and travelers. This is the best ready-reference on the crucial topics that define Mexico today. More than 200 essay entries provide quick, authoritative insight into the Mexican politics and government, society, institutions, events, culture, economy, people, issues, environment, and states and places.

Written mostly by Mexicans and Mexican Americans, this set gives an accurate and wide view of the United States's dynamic southern neighbor. Each entry has further reading suggestions; a chronology, selected bibliography, and photographs complement the text.

• Comprises information from approximately 100 contributors
• Provides a timeline of events of modern Mexico from 1968 to the present day
• Includes about 50 photographs that illustrate many aspects of contemporary Mexico
• Provides a helpful bibliography and subject index

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313349485
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	03/09/2012
Pages:	780
Product dimensions:	7.20(w) x 10.30(h) x 2.20(d)

About the Author

Alex M. Saragoza is associate professor in the Chicanos Studies Program at the University of California, Berkeley, CA, and has written frequently on Mexico in books and essays.

Ana Paula Ambrosi is an independent scholar with a background in political analysis and communications for the Mexican president as well as migration and health issues concerning Mexicans coming to the United States.

Silvia D. Zárate is an independent scholar specializing in art history and the arts in Mexico.

Editorial Reviews

"The editors have provided a very good research tool for scholars. This encyclopedia is recommended very highly for all types of library collections that serve students, researchers, and scholars." - ARBA

"This solid reference introduces our southern neighbor in language that is accessible to high school students, but has enough scope and content to be helpful for assignments and studies at the undergraduate level." - Library Journal

"The two volumes provide an honest overview of the third-largest U.S. trading partner, a country in turbulence where corruption and poverty rule. However, although such issues are not ignored, the editors have been successful in delivering a more balanced look, paying considerable attention to popular culture, traditional folklore, and the depth of the fine arts. . . . Well presented, this set offers a clear picture of contemporary Mexico and is recommended for highschool and academic libraries." - Booklist

"Articles are concise and easy to read. . . . This new set could be useful for undergraduate collections desiring more timely information. Summing Up: Recommended." - Choice

From the Publisher

Saragoza (Chicano studies, Univ. of California, Berkeley; Monterrey Elite and the Mexican State, 1880–1940), Ambrosi (a former political analyst for the Mexican President), and Zárate's 147 entries are preceded by an alphabetical table of contents, a political map of Mexico, a chronology of major events in the country from 1968 to 2011, and a thorough topic-finder list. This list groups articles under subheadings such as "Business & Economy," which offers article on "Maquiladoras," large foreign-owned manufacturers that exist in major Mexican cities along the U.S.-Mexican border; "Cities & States," with entries on each place preceded by an illustration of the state's coat of arms; "Politics & Government," which offers material on former presidents and foreign policy; and "Society," which has entries such as "Indigenous People." Each entry is followed by a further-reading list and several cross-references. Sporadic photos, maps, and illustrations break up the text enough to engage readers, and the set concludes with an extensive selected bibliography, with a majority of titles published after 2004. The editors focus here on political and economic events that led to the tide-turning 2000 presidential election that ended the 70-year dominance of the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI), and its consequences, including the highly contested 2006 election. While the work aims to link all aspects of life for an "in-depth, contextual understanding," the arts are a little shortchanged, with only a few mentions of Carlos Fuentes, Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and other familiar figures. VERDICT This solid reference introduces our southern neighbor in language that is accessible to high school students, but has enough scope and content to be helpful for assignments and studies at the undergraduate level. Use as a supplement to David Dent's Encyclopedia of Modern Mexico (Scarecrow, 2002) and Don Coerver's Mexico Today: An Encyclopedia of Contemporary History and Culture (ABC-CLIO, 2004). —Shelley Diaz, School Library Journal

Library Journal