Long characterized as an exceptional country within Latin America, Costa Rica has been hailed as a democratic oasis in a continent scorched by dictatorship and revolution; the ecological mecca of a biosphere laid waste by deforestation and urban blight; and an egalitarian, middle-class society blissfully immune to the violent class and racial conflicts that have haunted the region. Arguing that conceptions of Costa Rica as a happy anomaly downplay its rich heritage and diverse population, The Costa Rica Reader brings together texts and artwork that reveal the complexity of the country’s past and present. It characterizes Costa Rica as a site of alternatives and possibilities that undermine stereotypes about the region’s history and challenge the idea that current dilemmas facing Latin America are inevitable or insoluble. This essential introduction to Costa Rica includes more than fifty texts related to the country’s history, culture, politics, and natural environment. Most of these newspaper accounts, histories, petitions, memoirs, poems, and essays are written by Costa Ricans. Many appear here in English for the first time. The authors are men and women, young and old, scholars, farmers, workers, and activists. The Costa Rica Reader presents a panoply of voices: eloquent working-class raconteurs from San José’s poorest barrios, English-speaking Afro-Antilleans of the Limón province, Nicaraguan immigrants, factory workers, dissident members of the intelligentsia, and indigenous people struggling to preserve their culture. With more than forty images, the collection showcases sculptures, photographs, maps, cartoons, and fliers. From the time before the arrival of the Spanish, through the rise of the coffee plantations and the Civil War of 1948, up to participation in today’s globalized world, Costa Rica’s remarkable history comes alive. The Costa Rica Reader is a necessary resource for scholars, students, and travelers alike.
Provides a new understanding of the relationship between Church and State in 20th-century Costa Rica. Understanding the relationship between religion and social justice in Costa Rica involves piecing together the complex interrelationships between Church and State — between priests, popes, politics, and the people. This book does just that. Dana Sawchuk chronicles the fortunes of the country’s two competing forms of labour organizations during the 1980s and demonstrates how different factions within the Church came to support either the union movement or Costa Rica’s home-grown Solidarity movement. Challenging the conventional understanding of Costa Rica as a wholly peaceful and prosperous nation, and traditional interpretations of Catholic Social Teaching, this book introduces readers to a Church largely unknown outside Costa Rica. Sawchuk has carefully analyzed material from a multitude of sources — interviews, newspapers, books, and articles, as well as official Church documents, editorials, and statements by Church representativesto provide a firmly rooted socio-economic history of the experiences of workers, and the Catholic Church’s responses to workers in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is a country known internationally for its eco-credentials, dazzling coastlines, and reputation as one of the happiest and most peaceful nations on earth. Beneath this façade, however, lies an exclusionary rhetoric of nationalism bound up in the concept of the tico, as many Costa Ricans refer to themselves. Beginning by considering the very idea of national identity and what this constitutes, this book explores the nature of the idealised tico identity, demonstrating the ways in which it has assumed a white supremacist, Central Valley-centric, patriarchal, heteronormative stance based on colonial ideals. Chapters two and three then go on to consider the literature and films produced that stand in opposition to this normative image of who or what is tico and their creation as vehicles of soft power which aim to question social norms. This book explores protest literature from the 1970s by Quince Duncan, Carmen Naranjo, and Alfonso Chase who narrate their experiences from the margins of society by virtue of their identity as Afro-Costa Rican, feminist, and homosexual authors. Cinema from the twenty-first century is then analysed to demonstrate the nuanced position chosen by national directors Esteban Ramírez, Paz Fábrega, Jurgen Ureña, and Patricia Velásquez to challenge the dominant nation-image as they reinscribe youth culture, a female consciousness, trans identity, and Afro-Costa Rica onto the fabric of the nation.
"Thirty-four short contributions make this akin to a reference work, albeit one varying greatly in flavor, topic, and scholarliness, i.e., from group self-promotion to politico-legal endorsements to scholarly pieces. Among the scholarly topics: colonial women, 19th-century women, feminist organizational theorizing, popular music, caesarean births, and women at the Univ. de Costa Rica (where they are one-third of faculty). Almost all social-feminist topics are touched on, save perhaps language; sexuality,violence, disability, class/race/gender, art and artists, and more"--Handbook of Latin American Studies, v. 57.
Practical travel guide to Costa Rica featuring points-of-interest structured lists of all sights and off-the-beaten-track treasures, with detailed colour-coded maps, practical details about what to see and to do in Costa Rica, how to get there and around, pre-departure information, as well as top time-saving tips, like a visual list of things not to miss in Costa Rica, expert author picks and itineraries to help you plan your trip. The Rough Guide to Costa Rica covers: San José, The Valle Central and the highlands, Limón Province and the Caribbean coast, The Zona Norte, Guanacaste, The Central Pacific and southern Nicoya, The Zona Sur Inside this travel guide you'll find: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EVERY TYPE OF TRAVELLER Experiences selected for every kind of trip to Costa Rica, from off-the-beaten-track adventures in San José to family activities in child-friendly places, like Liberia or chilled-out breaks in popular tourist areas, like Limón. PRACTICAL TRAVEL TIPS Essential pre-departure information including Costa Rica entry requirements, getting around, health information, travelling with children, sports and outdoor activities, food and drink, festivals, culture and etiquette, shopping, tips for travellers with disabilities and more. TIME-SAVING ITINERARIES Carefully planned routes covering the best of Costa Rica give a taste of the richness and diversity of the destination, and have been created for different time frames or types of trip. DETAILED REGIONAL COVERAGE Clear structure within each sightseeing chapter includes regional highlights, brief history, detailed sights and places ordered geographically, recommended restaurants, hotels, bars, clubs and major shops or entertainment options. INSIGHTS INTO GETTING AROUND LIKE A LOCAL Tips on how to beat the crowds, save time and money and find the best local spots for bird spotting, beach hopping and turtle-watching. HIGHLIGHTS OF THINGS NOT TO MISS Rough Guides' rundown of San José, Cartago and Heredia's best sights and top experiences help to make the most of each trip to Costa Rica, even in a short time. HONEST AND INDEPENDENT REVIEWS: Written by Rough Guides' expert authors with a trademark blend of humour, honesty and expertise, to help to find the best places in Costa Rica, matching different needs. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Comprehensive 'Contexts' chapter features fascinating insights into Costa Rica, with coverage of history, religion, ethnic groups, environment, wildlife and books, plus a handy language section and glossary. FABULOUS FULL COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHY Features inspirational colour photography, including the stunning Teatro Nacional and the spectacular Rio Celeste Waterfall. COLOUR-CODED MAPPING Practical full-colour maps, with clearly numbered, colour-coded keys for quick orientation in The Valle Central, southern Nicoya and many more locations in Costa Rica, reduce need to go online. USER-FRIENDLY LAYOUT With helpful icons, and organised by neighbourhood to help you pick the best spots to spend your time.
The Rough Guide to Costa Rica is the ultimate travel guide to this incredible country, offering astute information on everything from its magnificent national parks to its lively cultural festivals. Find detailed practical advice on what to see and do throughout Costa Rica, whether you want to go turtle-watching in Tortuguero or surfing in Santa Teresa. Plus, you can rely on up-to-date descriptions of the best hotels, eco-lodges, restaurants and caf�s for all budgets. The guide also includes a full-colour section highlighting some of the country's amazing outdoor activities, with an engaging field guide to its abundant wildlife. Explore every region of this picturesque country with easy-to-use maps that make sure you don't miss the unmissable. Make the most of your trip with The Rough Guide to Costa Rica.
Many analysts are looking to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as the promoters of more equitable and democratic forms of development because of their status as actors in civil society. Based on a critical evaluation of six rural development projects in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, Supporting Civil Society shows that NGOs often perpetuate paternalism and dependency. It is argued that both international and national NGOs need to support social movements which are best able to express the demands of people at the grassroots.
