The Grammar of Civil War
A Mexican Case Study, 1857-61
Published on 1. July 2022
Book
Hardback
332 pages
978-1-4962-3046-1 (ISBN)
Description
Unlike wars between nations, wherein the population generally comes together to defend its borders and is united by a common national goal, civil wars tear countries apart, divide families, and turn neighbors against each other. Civil wars are a form of self-harm in which a country's people seek redemption through self-destruction, punishing or severing those parts that are seen to have made the nation ill. And yet civil wars-with their characteristically appalling violence-remain chillingly common, defying the notion that they are somehow an aberration.
In The Grammar of Civil War Will Fowler examines the origin, process, and outcome of civil war. Using the Mexican Civil War of 1857-61 (or the War of the Reform, the political and military conflict that erupted between the competing liberal and conservative visions of Mexico's future), Fowler seeks to understand how civil wars come about and, when they do, how they unfold and why. By outlining the grammatical principles that underpin a new framework for the study of civil war, Fowler stresses what is essential for one to take place and explains how, once it has erupted, it can be expected to develop and end, according to the syntax, morphology, and meanings that characterize and help understand the grammar of civil war generally.
In The Grammar of Civil War Will Fowler examines the origin, process, and outcome of civil war. Using the Mexican Civil War of 1857-61 (or the War of the Reform, the political and military conflict that erupted between the competing liberal and conservative visions of Mexico's future), Fowler seeks to understand how civil wars come about and, when they do, how they unfold and why. By outlining the grammatical principles that underpin a new framework for the study of civil war, Fowler stresses what is essential for one to take place and explains how, once it has erupted, it can be expected to develop and end, according to the syntax, morphology, and meanings that characterize and help understand the grammar of civil war generally.
Reviews / Votes
"The Grammar of Civil War is a remarkable contribution to mid-19th-century Mexican history. It is a well-written work supported by both primary and secondary sources that allow the author to typify how violence unfolded during the conflict. His proposal on how to tackle civil wars and, specifically, the Mexican Civil War, invites us to study with a fresh view in which new origins, processes, and outcomes must be taken into account."-Flor de MarIa Salazar Mendoza, American Historical Review "The Grammar of Civil War will certainly interest scholars of nineteenth-century Mexico; and its clarity and concision recommend it for both undergraduate and graduate classrooms in history and related fields, such as political science. . . . [The Grammar of Civil War is] a significant contribution to our understanding of a highly complex time and place."-Brian Stauffer, H-LatAm "Deeply researched, well thought out, and exceptionally sophisticated theoretically. . . . This much-needed, provocative monograph will give readers a better understanding of nineteenth-century Mexico and provide them with a useful road map and insights for approaching the very complex problem of civil war."-Erika Pani, professor at the Center for Historical Studies at El Colegio de MExico "A major contribution to the field of Mexican history. The archival material is deep and varied. The breadth of secondary sources utilized, commented upon in the notes, or simply cited is truly impressive and alone would make consulting the book worthwhile for any scholar or dedicated reader interested in the climactic period of civil conflict in Mexico."-Eric Van Young, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History at the University of California, San DiegoMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Lincoln
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
11 photographs, 4 maps, 3 tables, index
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 22 mm
Weight
658 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4962-3046-1 (9781496230461)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
07/2022
1st Edition
University of Nebraska Press
€107.99
Available for download
Person
Will Fowler is a professor of Latin American studies at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and an international member of the Mexican Academy of History. His books include Independent Mexico: The Pronunciamiento in the Age of Santa Anna, 1821-1858 (Nebraska, 2016), Santa Anna of Mexico (Bison Books, 2007), and Tornel and Santa Anna: The Writer and the Caudillo, Mexico, 1795-1853, among others.
Content
List of Illustrations
Preface
Acknowledgments
1. A New Framework for the Study of Civil War
2. The Mexican Civil War of 1857-61: An Overview
3. The Grammar of Origin in Context: The Causes of the 1857-61 Mexican Civil War
4. The Grammar of Process in Context: Mexico's Descent into Hell, 1857-61
5. The Grammar of Outcome in Context: The Resolution and Memory of the 1861 Liberal Victory
Conclusion: The Grammar of Civil War
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Preface
Acknowledgments
1. A New Framework for the Study of Civil War
2. The Mexican Civil War of 1857-61: An Overview
3. The Grammar of Origin in Context: The Causes of the 1857-61 Mexican Civil War
4. The Grammar of Process in Context: Mexico's Descent into Hell, 1857-61
5. The Grammar of Outcome in Context: The Resolution and Memory of the 1861 Liberal Victory
Conclusion: The Grammar of Civil War
Notes
Bibliography
Index