The Five Hundred Year Rebellion

Provides helpful background information for understanding today’s leftist politics and indigenous movements in Latin America: There is considerable interest among readers in the US regarding the contemporary rise of leftist political parties and people’s movements in Latin America. This book tells the story of the rise of movements that transformed Bolivian politics in the 21st century, describing the roots of these struggles, and showing how five hundred years of indigenous resistance has shaped contemporary politics. It includes a much-needed overview of the influential Andean Oral History Workshop and other under-studied indigenous movements in Bolivia. It offers a useful toolbox for activists and radical-scholars seeking new organizing strategies and research methods: This book focuses on the unique aspect of how movements use histories of resistance, oral history, and grassroots historical research methods to build their movements, win victories, and develop their political vision. This would be of interest to activists seeking new organizing strategies, as well as scholars and students looking for new ways to practice oral history techniques and grassroots research methods. For organizers and academics, this book provides an original and exciting resource on the political uses of history within movements. Will appeal to: Students, scholars, historians: People who are interested in the Andes, indigenous movements, Bolivian politics, and oral history from an academic and research-oriented perspective. Activists, organizers, radicals: People are who are interested in learning more about how movements in Bolivia work, and about their histories, tactics, strategies, and political vision, with an aim to put those strategies and theories to use themselves. Solidarity activists and close followers of Latin American politics: People who follow the region closely and want to be more informed about the politics and history of indigenous movements and leftist politics in Bolivia and the wider region.