*** Sources must use “The Zapatista Reader” by Tom HaydenTHE PROMPT
“You are an expert on the Zapatista uprising in Chiapas. The revolutionaries
in Bellamy have read your writings on the movement in Chiapas and seek your
advice on how they might gain the support of the people and wage an effective
campaign against the Bellamian government and its foreign backers. They have
asked you to produce a short (4-5 page!) report on the movement in Chiapas – how
it got started, what kind of actions proved effective, what challenges it faced as it
strove to achieve its objectives. They are hoping you can enlighten them about the
question of leadership (i.e., how to win the trust and respect of people so that they
are willing to fight with you; how to gain the support of people in the rest of the
nation and around the world) and help them determine which kinds of
objectives/goals they should emphasize in their organizing strategies and media
campaigns. You are flattered by their invitation and agree to write the report.”
GUIDELINES OF WHAT SHOULD/COULD be included
what information (thus, which readings) are relevant?
a. before we get started, here is a brief summary of what happened in Chiapas (the plot)
–find the readings that give you these details (consult the timeline for the trajectory of the
story, but will need other readings as well) … select only those details (those events) that
seem particularly important (dont want to spend too much time just rehearsing the plot)
… this probably the best place to talk about why this rebellion occurred (what motivated
the Zapatistas to take up arms and launch a rebellion)
b. several factors seem particularly important in any evaluation of the Zapatistas
strategy (you will have to choose carefully – only a 4-5 page report … I provide
this list to be helpful, dont expect you can talk in depth about everything that
follows … your task is to incorporate as much information as you can into a
coherent report (something that will be helpful to Bellamian rebels)
2. the appeal of the Zapatistas message – to their supporters in Chiapas, to the rest
of Mexico, and the rest of the world … here, you will want to pull some
information out of the declarations/speeches of Subcomandante Marcos … other
readings can guide you to important themes/issues in his writings, but you should
cite some of them directly … can use Haydens commentary to help you make
connections between 1″ (above) and 2″ (i.e., demonstrate Marcos gravitation
towards an indigenous perspective) … what goals/objectives/issues does he
emphasize in his various appeals for support and understanding?
3. the role of the media … a number of readings discuss this … Zapatistas were
savvy in use of various media outlets and platforms … how did this figure in their
success?
4. how the movement functioned internally … how decisions were made … role of
women, nature of gender relations in rebel communities … general tenor and spirit
of the movement, as that might be distilled from some of the readings
5. the role of religion, Catholicism … some readings emphasize the importance of
outreach work done by priests (Bishop Samuel Ruiz Garcia) in the years leading
up to the Zapatista rebellion … you read an interview with Ruiz … the Bellamian
rebels will need to find a strategy for handling the religious convictions – pagan and
Christian – of those they aspire to lead …
