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- Convenors:
-
Alexandrine Boudreault-Fournier
(University of Victoria)
Sabrina Doyon (Université Laval)
- Stream:
- Worlds in motion: Anthropology in movement/Mondes en mouvement: Anthropologie en mouvement
- Location:
- MNT 207
- Start time:
- 2 May, 2017 at
Time zone: America/New_York
- Session slots:
- 1
Short Abstract:
This panel explores the recent Cuban movements that take place since the recent diplomatic openings between Cuba and the United States, in addition to question their impact on the research conducted by anthropologists.
Long Abstract:
Since the 1970s, Cuban scholars argue that Cuba is in a state of transition. But Cuba has always been in movement. Yet, indicators suggest that this socialist island of the Caribbean is recently moving faster. On December 17, 2014 -Day of San Lazaro -Raúl Castro and Barack Obama announced that diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United Stated would be progressively 'normalized'. Since then, many things happened: the exponential increase of tourism, and the installation of wi-fi antennas in public spaces like parks are two striking examples. This panel digs into those Cuban movements, the cultural, political, environmental, economic and social undercurrents that are affecting Cubans' lives today. Questions of access, gender, race, and locality, among others, are explored and connected to other concerns, such as infrastructural, political, and technological.
In such a changing climate, we would like to gather a group of scholars who have been / are conducting research in Cuba to engage with the movements, dynamics and changes that are observed. We want to question how those movements do impact our works as anthropologists today. In reflecting on our experiences and thoughts, this panel aims at provoking a conversation about how those Cuban movements are being entangled within our research projects and questionings. Furthermore, we wish to explore how an expected increase of exchanges between foreign and Cuban scholars can potentially create new frontiers of research in anthropology.
Accepted papers:
Session 1Paper short abstract:
Since 2015, parks gained popularity in Cuba with the installation of Wi-Fi antennas, allowing Cubans to connect to the Internet. This paper explores the phenomenon of the Wi-Fi antennas in parks to discuss new opportunities of research in contemporary Cuban’s public spaces.
Paper long abstract:
On the 1st of July 2015, Cubans had, for the first time, access to legal Wi-Fi Internet connections. In Santiago de Cuba, Wi-Fi antennas were installed in four main areas of the city: three in parks and one in a popular back alley. At twilight, many Cubans head for these public areas to access the Internet. Most connect to get in touch with their family and friends living abroad. The antennas become the magnet around which Cubans sit to catch the best possible connection.
In this context, parks began to attract new crowd of people, including young teenagers, and older generations, who meet in parks to communicate -mainly through Facebook and an application called IMO -their family and friends living abroad. Accessing Internet is deeply social and public in Cuba, providing another model (in comparison to private navigation often taken for granted) on how surfing the net takes place.
After reviewing some of the most recent changes in telecommunication in Cuba, the paper addresses alternative ways of accessing information online. It discusses how these practices are linked to new forms of traffic in public spaces, mainly parks. It further explores how this new phenomenon influenced the experiences of public spaces in Cuba. In expanding from the park to bigger questions of anthropological fieldwork, this paper discusses new research opportunities for public anthropology in contemporary Cuba.
Paper short abstract:
L’objectif de cette présentation est d’analyser la trajectoire dynamique de la Révolution cubaine à travers l’étude de la coopération offerte avec le programme d’alphabétisation Yo, sí puedo. Cette recherche doctorale s’appuie sur les données recueillies lors d’un travail de terrain réalisé à Cuba.
Paper long abstract:
En 1961, l'État cubain a organisé une campagne nationale d'alphabétisation qui a permis de réduire le taux d'analphabétisme de 23,6% à 4%. Diverses mesures ont ensuite été établies pour favoriser l'éducation des adultes avec notamment l'organisation des « batailles » pour la 6e année (1975-1980) et la 9e année (1980-1985) et la création d'un sous-système scolaire. Ces initiatives mèneront à l'atteinte du taux d'alphabétisation actuel de 99,8%. Au fil des décennies, plusieurs pays dont l'Angola, le Nicaragua et Haïti ont sollicité l'aide de Cuba pour établir des initiatives d'alphabétisation ce qui a donné lieu à la création du programme Yo, sí puedo au tournant des années 2000. L'étude de ce programme international cubain permet, d'une part, de saisir la perspective locale sur l'alphabétisation, mais également de comprendre la trajectoire suivie par l'État révolutionnaire au fil des décennies. Ainsi, l'objectif de cette présentation est d'analyser le dynamisme de la Révolution cubaine à travers la coopération offerte dans de domaine de l'alphabétisation avec le programme Yo, sí puedo. Cette recherche doctorale est basée sur les données obtenues au cours d'une étude de terrain à Cuba incluant un séjour de recherche au sein de l'Institut pédagogique latino-américain et caribéen (IPLAC) où le programme d'alphabétisation a été créé.
Paper short abstract:
Discussion of the papers and the theme of the panel led by Sabrina Doyon (Université Laval)