|
Looking at Cuba;
Essays on Culture and Civil Society
Hernandez, Rafael. Univ. Press of Florida.
(Contemporary Cuba). Oct. 2003. c.152p. tr. from Spanish by Dick Cluster.
photogs. 0-8130-2642-3. $24.95. SOC SCI
Hernandez (researcher, Centro de Investigacion de la Cultura Cubano, Havana;
ed., Temas: A Cuban Journal) first published these essays in his country
between 1993 and 1997. Published here in English for the first time, the
provocative pieces examine the relationship between culture and society
in Cuba, offering the insight of a social scientist actually working in
Havana.
While the author is too bogged down in ideology for the casual reader,
he challenges many preconceived notions of free thought and expression
in his country, as well as the belief that "all the citizens capable
of thought or action had moved to Hialeah or Coral Gables."
His best essays are in Chapters 2 and 6, where the focus is more on Cuba
and less on sociology and theory, and they further illustrate his view
that artistic or cultural expression is not limited to dissidents and
those who express the party line. Including 40 photographs of Cuba by
four native photographers, this is recommended for all research collections.
Library
Journal book review,
September 15, 2003 Monday;review by Boyd Childress, Auburn University
Library, AL
Cuban Constitution available on-line
The complete, correct and up-to-date official version of the Cuban Constitution,
including all amendments up to and including those adopted in June 2002,
are available at the website of the Cuban National Assembly of People's
Power. It includes a brief note explaining the history of the constitution
and of the various amendments.
There is no individual URL for each separate page, so you'll have to look
around for Constitution. There you'll
be led to the Spanish original, and at that page there's a link to the
English translation in the upper right
corner. Many of the major pieces of Cuban legislation also are found at
this address, but they are in Spanish only.
http://www.parlamentocubano.cu
We are not prepared to renounce our sovereignty, by Felipe
Perez Roque, Editora Politica, 2003, ISBN 959-01-0521-1; Cuban Libraries
Solidarity Group Book Review by John Pateman; full review available here
(PDF)
We are not prepared
to renounce our sovereignty is the proceedings of a press conference held
in Havana on 9 April 2003 by Foreign Minister of the Republic of Cuba,
Felipe Perez Roque. The purpose of the press conference was to explain
the Cuban government's position on "the mercenaries at the service
of the Empire" who stood trial on 3,4,5 and 7 April 2003.
CLSG recommends this
book to those who want to hear the Cuban point of view, as opposed to
the view of the right wing Miami Cubans or the mass media. It is obvious
that Cuba feels itself to be in clear and present danger from an attack
by the US as part of its "war on terrorism". The creation and
support of "dissident" groups, including "independent librarians",
is part of this strategy.
For more information
about the Cuban Libraries Solidarity Group, contact John Pateman at johnpateman9@hotmail.com
John
Pateman is a member of the Society of Chief Librarians and has
visited Cuban libraries in 1993, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2003.
HOME
| THE BLOCKADE | FACTS
| PARTNERS
Image-
detail of bookplate from the archives of the José Martí
National Library.
Last updated 7/18/03, ©
2000-03 Cuban Libraries Solidarity Group
Please
send comments, questions, and corrections regarding this website to
the Cuban Libraries Solidarity
Group.
|