Stronismo

Overview & Synopsis

This book is a testament to the renewal of the field of social and human sciences and, specifically, to the bold and innovative perspectives of generations who, without being direct witnesses of Stronismo, investigate—through critical political standpoints and with a new theoretical and empirical arsenal—an authoritarian and repressive system that enjoyed high levels of social legitimacy. It could perhaps be said that the failed political experience of Fernando Lugo, along with the staging of a neo-coup, shaped these young researchers’ desire to probe into a past that was far from having receded. It has often been said that Paraguay is one of the least-studied countries. However, this book, like many other signs from recent decades, compels us to question whether that assertion can still describe a reality that, at least in terms of intellectual production, has begun to change. These new currents, which bring forth renewed reflections on this country, are likely due to various factors. Among them are the inauguration and the process of consolidation of political freedoms in Paraguay and in the Southern Cone following the end of the dictatorships, as well as the expansion of the scientific research and graduate education system in the region. In this sense, it is fair to say that the democratization of society is also accompanied by the democratization of the sciences—in their content, methodologies, sources, writing processes, and professional recruitment.