Haiti Rising: Haitian History, Culture and the Earthquake of 2010 - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 9766402485 ISBN 13: 9789766402488

Publisher: University Press of the West Indies, 2011

Synopsis

The earthquake that struck Haiti on 12 January 2010 thrust the nation into the public consciousness as never before. There is now an unprecedented empathy for and interest in Haiti, and a related need for information on Haitian reality, beyond the clichés often associated with the nation. In particular, there is a special interest in the earthquake and the questions of Haiti’s future development.

Haiti Rising responds to this public interest and has three fundamental aims: to raise awareness of Haiti, its people, culture and history; to allow some who were in Haiti during the earthquake a chance to testify; and to raise funds for artists living and working in Haiti.

The book brings together more than twenty essays written by some of the most prominent authorities on Haiti, and offers insights on the political, social and historical contexts, as well as the uniquely rich culture of the nation. The first part features survivor testimonies – moving accounts of the earthquake and its aftermath written by authors and academics, Haitian nationals and foreign visitors. The second part presents essays on economics, politics, society and culture (music, religion, visual art), and the ways in which they are interrelated in history and in contemporary life. The third section focuses on the history of Haiti from colonial times to the present and shows the ways in which history has shaped Haitian society. It shows how colonial class and colour structures have persisted, how the revolution has shaped subsequent political, cultural and social structures, and how the legacy of the Duvalier dictatorship has lingered. The final section features contributors who were not in Haiti at the time of the earthquake, but who have strong ties to Haiti. These authors write about their personal connections to Haiti, their reactions to the earthquake, and their hopes and recommendations for reconstruction.

All author royalties from this book will be donated to the Haitian Art Relief Fund, a charity working to support the many visual artists in Haiti who have suffered from the earthquake. The book stands as a written document of this cataclysmic event and as a monument to those who were in Haiti at the time of the earthquake. It is vital reading for anyone who wants to find out about Haiti, its remarkable history and culture, and its prospects for the future.

About this title

About the Author

Martin Munro is Associate Professor of French and Francophone Literatures at Florida State University.

Review

This collection, which benefits will be paid to the Fund of Soutien of the Haitian Art Haitian Art Relief Fund (p. 2), undoubtedly remains a rare book which gives the possibility to hear, read and see the words back to the dignity of a country whose history, humanity, cultural generosity, human and literary wealth us outside more often and are rarely considered in itself as worthy of interest. * Etudes Litteraires africaines * This slim volume paints a valuable portrait of Haiti's striking past and its painful present, its varying perspectives embodying and conveying a message of hope. * French Studies, vol 66, no 2 *

Edition details

• Publisher: University Press of the West Indies
• Publication date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9766402485
• ISBN 13: 9789766402488
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 224
• Editor: Munro Martin