Recognition Politics

Reviews / Votes

'Fontana's book is a major contribution to our understanding of recognition. Speaking to political science and sociology, this innovative study tackles 'post-recognition' to show how recognition rights can feed conflicts between groups, just as they open new avenues for accessing resources and rights. However, there is hope as thoughtful policies can help make recognition conflicts not zero-sum. Recognition Politics is a must and should be widely read by social scientists interested in contemporary politics in Latin America and beyond.' Michele Lamont, Harvard University 'Fontana seeks to shift arguments about the politics of indigenous identity forward to an analysis of the consequences of ethnic recognition in Latin America, bringing class analysis back into the frame. Her book is a major contribution to thinking about the problems that continue to underscore rural poverty in settings where ethnic identities are recognised.' John Crabtree, Oxford University 'By empirically examining cases from three Andean countries, Fontana's powerfully argued book challenges the primary logic of recognition reforms by delineating the circumstances under which they fuel inter-communal conflict and competition-rather than, as usually assumed, contribute to conflict prevention and mitigation. Fontana's set of cases reveals a "dark side" to recognition under which the poorest communities are further marginalized.' Jean E. Jackson, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Choice 'Recommended.' M. Becker, Choice 'The book is a valuable addition to the literature and a must-read for students of Indigenous politics in Latin America. The book is characterised by rigorous research, compelling arguments and original theoretical contributions. It challenges us to re-think recognition politics and the policies that flow from these generally lauded reforms. These themes should be of interest to scholars well beyond the Andean region.' Pascal Lupien, Journal of Latin American Studies