A Fervent Crusade for the National Soul: Cultural Politics in Colombia, 1930-1946

A Fervent Crusade for the National Soul explores how cultural policies in Colombia between 1930 and 1946 implemented a bureaucratic apparatus for cultural intervention that celebrated "popular culture" and rendered culture a social right. However, Catalina Muñoz argues that this definition of popular culture as authentic and static was also a tool for domination that reinforced enduring structures of inequality.

Format: Hardback
Length: 204 pages
Publication date: 04 January 2022
Publisher: Lexington Books

A Fervent Crusade for the National Soul delves into the intricate interplay between cultural policies and the contentious construction of citizenship in Colombia during the period between 1930 and 1946. As the Americas underwent a profound re-imagining of national identities, progressive artists and intellectuals aligned with the liberal governments that governed Colombia established an unprecedented bureaucratic apparatus for cultural intervention. This apparatus celebrated the so-called "popular culture" and granted culture a social right, marking a significant departure from previous narratives of state failure in the country.

In her book, Catalina Muñoz challenges the pervasive notion that the Colombian state was incapable of effectively governing. Instead, she highlights the complex confrontations, negotiations, and entanglements that occurred between bureaucrats and ordinary citizens, shaping the relationship between the ruler and the ruled. Muñoz argues that while culture was employed as a tool for inclusion, the liberal definition of popular culture as authentic and static also served as a means of domination, perpetuating enduring structures of inequality rooted in region, race, and gender.

The liberals, in their pursuit of governance, crafted the state as the paternalistic protector of acquiescent citizens, rather than a guardian of political participation. This approach allowed the elites to rule without making the necessary structural changes to create a more egalitarian society. Muñoz suggests that this form of governance ultimately hindered progress and perpetuated the cycle of inequality.

A Fervent Crusade for the National Soul offers a valuable insight into the complex dynamics between cultural policies, citizenship, and power in Colombia during a pivotal period of history. Through its examination of the interactions between bureaucrats, artists, and intellectuals, the book sheds light on the ways in which cultural intervention can both promote inclusion and reinforce existing inequalities. It serves as a reminder of the importance of a nuanced and inclusive approach to governance that addresses the root causes of social and economic disparities.

Weight: 485g
Dimension: 228 x 160 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781793618115