Revolutionizing Motherhood: The Mothers of the Plaza De Mayo (Latin American Silhouettes)

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Summary: A New Argentine Mother
Review: This is an academic look at the organization of middle-aged Argentine mothers that began in the wake of widespread political and state sponsored terrorism in the period of 1976-1982, more commonly called the Dirty War. It began as a network of mothers who met while trying in vain to search for their children who had been 'disappeared' by the government and grew into an internationally recognized and admired group committed to changing the structure of the Argentine political system from the bottom up. This book focuses on the journey of these women from traditional housewives, many with no formal education, confined to the private sphere of home and family, to a highly politicized, ever present and very out spoken activist organization. They have taken the traditional role of 'mother' and used it to their advantage to bring to light the atrocities committed by the military junta against their children. As the title suggests, their organization has revolutionized the concept of motherhood by taking the concerns and duties of mothers out of the private sphere into the public and even international political arena. This book is an interesting documentation of the group and includes interviews with many members as well as commentary from many Argentine and international publications about the Mothers. It discusses their activities from the group's conception during the Dirty War through the transition to democracy as well as their continuing struggle in Argentine political life today. The book also documents the enormous obstacles they faced and continue to face economically, socially, and within their own families as well as their political struggles. It also talks about their interaction and reception in the international sphere, as they captured the attention of human rights and women's organizations from all over the world. It even discusses the ideological split among the Mothers after the return to democracy in 1982 that caused some Mothers to break away from the original group to form another group of Mothers with slightly different ideologies. One of the most interesting aspects of this book is the focus on the development of the women themselves. A great deal of time is devoted to the transformation that has taken place among these women as they came together to find solace in each other that only someone experiencing the purgatory of not knowing the fate of their children could offer. It documents the courage, dedication, successes and disappointments of a group of women who came together to help each other look for answers. It is detailed documentation of a very personal and painful journey of political awakening through collective struggle and pain. It is one of the most valuable and moving aspects of this book. By focusing on this personal transformation, one begins to understand the almost incomprehensible corruption and brutality of the government. For these women, protesting meant standing in the face all traditional social, religious and cultural roles for women, especially middle-aged women. By the end of the book, one can't help but share in their frustrations and pain as they continue to fight for the integrity of the family and the supreme sanctity of human life. It is ironic that it was precisely because they were quintessential Argentine mothers that they became political activists that began to transform the concept of motherhood and the role of women in Argentine society. The abduction of their children was not only a painful, emotional loss, but also a direct assault on the institution of the family. It is interesting to note that throughout the book they emphasize their occupation, as a mother, has remained intact. However, the activities involved with being a mother have changed. To them, now to be a mother also meant fighting for the rights of their children, left voiceless by the government and carrying on their children's work and memory in their absence. This book is an excellent source of information about the Mothers themselves as well as about the atmosphere of Argentina as a whole during this time. It has many pictures of the mothers from the past and present and mixes academic fact easily with first person accounts, quotes and interview. It equally discusses successes and mistakes of the group, as well as various controversies that have surrounded the group's history. It's content and style make it an emotional and informative book.