Article Version of Record

Social representations of Latin American history and (post)colonial relations in Brazil, Chile and Mexico

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Brasil, Julia Alves
Cabecinhas, Rosa

Abstract / Description

Social representations of history play an important role in defining the identity of national and supranational groups such as Latin America, and also influencing present-day intergroup relations. In this paper, we discuss a study that aimed to analyse and compare social representations of Latin American history among Brazilian, Chilean, and Mexican participants. We conducted a survey with 213 university students, aged 18 to 35 years old, from these three countries, through an online questionnaire with open-ended questions about important events and people in the region's history. Despite the reference to different historical events and the existence of national specificities, several common topics were noteworthy across the three samples. There was a centrality of events involving political issues, conflicts and revolutions, as well as a recency effect and a sociocentric bias, replicating previous research about social representations of world history in different countries. There was also a strong prominence of colonization and independence issues in all samples. Through an emphasis on a common narrative of struggle and overcoming difficulties, the participants’ social representations of Latin American history may favour mobilization and resistance, challenging the stability and legitimacy of the existing social order. Furthermore, the findings are discussed in terms of their potential connections with present-day intergroup relations within Latin America, and between Latin America and other parts of the world.

Keyword(s)

Latin America social representations of history intergroup relations social identity (post)colonialism América Latina representações sociais da história relações intergrupais identidade social (pós)colonialismo

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2018-01-11

Journal title

Journal of Social and Political Psychology

Volume

5

Issue

2

Page numbers

537–557

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Brasil, J. A., & Cabecinhas, R. (2018). Social representations of Latin American history and (post)colonial relations in Brazil, Chile and Mexico. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 5(2), 537–557. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v5i2.701
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Brasil, Julia Alves
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Cabecinhas, Rosa
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-11-26T12:45:05Z
  • Made available on
    2018-11-26T12:45:05Z
  • Date of first publication
    2018-01-11
  • Abstract / Description
    Social representations of history play an important role in defining the identity of national and supranational groups such as Latin America, and also influencing present-day intergroup relations. In this paper, we discuss a study that aimed to analyse and compare social representations of Latin American history among Brazilian, Chilean, and Mexican participants. We conducted a survey with 213 university students, aged 18 to 35 years old, from these three countries, through an online questionnaire with open-ended questions about important events and people in the region's history. Despite the reference to different historical events and the existence of national specificities, several common topics were noteworthy across the three samples. There was a centrality of events involving political issues, conflicts and revolutions, as well as a recency effect and a sociocentric bias, replicating previous research about social representations of world history in different countries. There was also a strong prominence of colonization and independence issues in all samples. Through an emphasis on a common narrative of struggle and overcoming difficulties, the participants’ social representations of Latin American history may favour mobilization and resistance, challenging the stability and legitimacy of the existing social order. Furthermore, the findings are discussed in terms of their potential connections with present-day intergroup relations within Latin America, and between Latin America and other parts of the world.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Brasil, J. A., & Cabecinhas, R. (2018). Social representations of Latin American history and (post)colonial relations in Brazil, Chile and Mexico. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 5(2), 537–557. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v5i2.701
    en_US
  • ISSN
    2195-3325
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1442
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1750
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v5i2.701
  • Keyword(s)
    Latin America
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    social representations of history
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    intergroup relations
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    social identity
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    (post)colonialism
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    América Latina
    pt-PT
  • Keyword(s)
    representações sociais da história
    pt-PT
  • Keyword(s)
    relações intergrupais
    pt-PT
  • Keyword(s)
    identidade social
    pt-PT
  • Keyword(s)
    (pós)colonialismo
    pt-PT
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Social representations of Latin American history and (post)colonial relations in Brazil, Chile and Mexico
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    2
  • Journal title
    Journal of Social and Political Psychology
  • Page numbers
    537–557
  • Volume
    5
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record