Politics and Power in Haiti, edited by Haiti Support Group’s very own Kate Quinn and Paul Sutton
Date: 25th April 2013, Time: 5.30, Venue: Room 103, Institute of the Americas, 51 Gordon Square, London WC1
Haiti’s history is one of revolution, intervention, and persistent underdevelopment. This book seeks to make sense of these challenging experiences through an examination of the political legacies of the Duvalier period and after.
Revisiting the work of the late David Nicholls, widely acknowledged as a leading authority on Haiti, the chapters examine crucial questions of politics and power in Haiti, touching on issues of race and ethnicity, foreign intervention, economic development, and the impact of the devastating earthquake of January 2010. Leading academics and experts in Caribbean and Haitian Studies provide some of the keys to understanding the turbulent world of Haitian politics and the persistent challenges at home and from abroad which have distorted the country’s development.
Reviews
‘This volume brings together fascinating contributions from internationally recognized scholars on Haitian politics and history, presenting important historical and international analysis which will be of relevance for a long time to come.’ – Amanda Sives, University of Liverpool, UK
‘Specialists and general readers alike will find in Politics and Power in Haiti a valuable ally in their efforts to disentangle the disconcerting web of tribalism, race hatred and class warfare that makes up political life in Haiti today.’ – Andrew Leak, University College London, UK
“This is an extraordinary collection. Together, the contributions illustrate how Haiti is much like other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, a colonized nation struggling to establish its identity (African, French, and Caribbean) and to reach stability against the legacy of colonialism (violence, escapism, color, and class). This book is a must for students of the region who wish to understand how Haiti’s historical, spiritual, and cultural life bears on its social, economic, and political reality.” – Tony Payan, James A Baker III Institute for Public Policy, Rice University, USA