A Companion to Mexican History and Culture

A Companion to Mexican History and Culture features 40 carefully chosen essays that focus on new approaches to the rich tradition of Mexican history. Essays by a variety of international scholars serve to broaden accounts of the Mexican experience through the incorporation of ethnic, gender, environmental, and cultural studies. An introductory section providing overall context is followed by essays focusing on the major chronological eras in Mexican history: Indigenous Cultures before Columbus, Colonial New Spain, and Independent Mexico, which is divided into two sections. Principal historic figures, institutions, the environment, and scientific and medical developments are discussed in individual essays. Also covered are recent historical interpretations with critical historiographical sources. The readings in A Companion to Mexican History and Culture reflect the important new trends in the study of history that have led to a more sensitive narrative and revealing portrait of Mexico's dramatic and complex past and rich cultural traditions.