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“The Border” has long been present in writings by both Mexican and U.S. authors. While certainly not the first bloody incident involving “gente de frontera,” the 1836 Battle of the Alamo has special historical significance for both Texans and Mexicans. The cinematographic retelling of the1901 Kenedy, TX tragedy as the Ballad of Gregorio Cortez only further highlighted the continuing, troubled relationship between the two heritages. More recently, however, the perception of border cities and areas as places of refuge, safety, and hiding-out for persons who find themselves on the wrong side of the law has only increased. Juárez, Mexico, in fact, is probably most recognized for the disappearance of maquiladora workers (depicted in Roberto Bolaña’s 2666), “wars” between various drug cartel factions (more than 1600 people in 2008 alone), threats against and assassinations of Mexican officials, the influx of army soldiers—the city now has a law enforcement presence of an estimated 3,000+ policemen and army soldiers—and the recent decision of the Juárez city mayor to send his family to the safer environment of El Paso, TX.
Other twin cities are also important to the cultural and social environment of Hispanics and Anglos along the border. Ojinaga and Presidio, Nuevo Laredo and Laredo, Ciudad Acuña and Del Rio, Piedras Negras and Eagle Pass, Reynosa and McAllen, Matamoros and Brownsville – all of these play a role in the psychological and social makeup of the “gente de frontera” in both Mexico and Texas.
To that end, the editors are requesting submission of manuscripts for a monograph tentatively entitled: Gente de frontera: The Mexico-Texas Border in Hispanic Literature. This volume will reflect on literary texts treating the psychological and social implications of the Mexico-Texas border, the opportunities and obstacles that such affords/confronts to people on both sides of the river, as well as the relationship between (il)legitimate activities and presence of the border. Manuscripts may include, but are not limited to, cultural studies, women’s issues, gender studies, and other literary approaches to the topic. Deadline for submission of original manuscripts only is September 1, 2009.
While questions may be addressed to either co-editor, please submit essays in electronic form, either as a Word or WordPerfect document (e-mail attachment or on diskette), to both:
Dr. Bob Hunter
Dept. of Foreign Languages
Schreiner University
2100 Memorial Blvd
Kerrville, Texas 78028
Phone: 830-792-7271
E-mail: rhunter@schreiner.edu
AND
Dr. Jeffrey Oxford
Spanish and Portuguese
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI 53201
Phone: 414-229-4257
E-mail: oxford@uwm.edu
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