In Portraits of Persistence, a group of ethnographers from the Urban Ethnography Laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin presents a rich tapestry of stories that explore social persistence throughout Latin America. The book examines the complex ways in which people resist state control, economic hardship, and marginalization. It covers a diverse range of communities, from the crowded neighborhoods of Argentina to a chemical-poisoned Afro-descendant community in Ecuador. The authors present the voices of twelve individuals to highlight everyday acts of defiance, illustrating persistence as a multifaceted phenomenon.
In their introduction, Javier Auyero (the editor of the volume) and Alison Coffey frame the collection’s chapters around a central question: “How and why do people legitimize or challenge the inequities—the structural oppression, discrimination, interpersonal violence, or bureaucratic manipulation—that they experience?” (8). The stories in the volume illustrate how resistance often manifests subtly through cultural practices, community networks, and informal economies rather than through overt political action. Notable examples include Soraya, a Nicaraguan woman who challenges gender norms as a drug dealer; Rodrigo, a Mexican security guard grappling with urban violence; and Fabio and Angélica, Colombian farmers resisting state-led development. Additional chapters delve into resistance in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia, and the United States.
The book’s individual stories show the “contradictory ways in which people cope” with marginalization and oppression, highlighting how persistence is a complex and dynamic phenomenon (9). The book is marked by the provocation to confront a range of mixed emotions, from anger and resentment to optimism, all while engaging in a broader political reading of the current situation in the continent. In this way, the themes explored in this fascinating volume resonate with ongoing discussions about social resistance in Latin America. Its publication comes at a critical juncture in the region, marked by growing polarization, economic challenges, and the resurgence of authoritarianism. By spotlighting grassroots efforts, this collection provides timely perspectives on how the most vulnerable communities navigate these challenges.
The book also deepens our understanding of resistance by highlighting how micro-level actions can be used to analyze a broader range of global inequalities. In this way, it pushes beyond the boundaries of conventional social movement analysis, showing how resistance is not always abrupt and disruptive and is often more than a conflict between the oppressed and their oppressors. Instead, the volume uncovers a diverse range of everyday acts of defiance that function within, and occasionally against, the prevailing social order. This insight is crucial for those seeking to grasp the intricate power dynamics at play in the region, especially amidst a changing political landscape. Furthermore, the authors also engage in ongoing cross-disciplinary discussions, offering a nuanced understanding of the tools that social movements use and how these are woven into everyday life.
The authors’ ethnographic method offers readers an intimate portrayal of both visible and hidden forms of persistence. These firsthand accounts provide authenticity, helping readers to see how these stories could be reproduced in other contexts. The book’s integration of personal narratives, archival materials, and local media sources also enhances our contextual understanding, as well as the need to democratize academic knowledge and provide rigorous theoretical content to a wider audience.
While the conceptualization of violence is a key theme in the book, a more evident epistemological consensus on its meaning might have helped readers better understand each individual story. One of the authors frames her case through the concept of “slow violence,” emphasizing its environmental aspect. The book could also benefit from further exploration of other oppressive factors in Latin America, such as gender-based violence and the expansion of militarization.
This edited volume offers a compelling examination of the lives of ordinary people in extraordinary situations, going beyond the insights provided by traditional sociological analysis. The book is both an engaging and educational read on its own and an excellent resource for scholars seeking to understand how persistence is enacted in the daily lives of people across Latin America.
