In the Land of Mirrors

In the Land of Mirrors is a journey through the politics of Cuban exiles since the 1959 Cuban Revolution. It explores the development of Cuban exile politics and identity within a context of U.S. and Cuban realities, as well as within the broader inquiry of the changing nature of nation-states and its impact on the politics and identity of diaspora communities. Topics covered include: the origins of the post-revolution exile enclave of the 1960s; the evolution of the Cuban community over the 1960s; the pluralization of exile politics in the 1970s, particularly regarding the relationship with the island; the emergence of Cuban-American political action committees in the 1980s; post-Cold War developments; and the transition of Miami by the coming of age of a second generation of Cuban-Americans and the arrival of a new wave of exiles.

Interspersed with vignettes from the author's own experiences and political activism, In the Land of Mirrors explores the meanings and ramifications of exile, of belonging, and of seeing the self in the other. It will appeal to political scientists, Latin Americanists, and those studying the politics of exile.

María de los Angeles Torres was born in Cuba and came to the United States as a young child. She is Associate Professor of Political Science, DePaul University.

Praise / Awards

• "Ultimately, the author challenges the mainstream sources that feed the collective representation of what being a militant 'Cuban-American' means,and extends an open invitation to rethink the political agenda among Cuban exiles and get more engaged in what we know as 'Latino politics.' . . . In the final analysis, In the Land of Mirrors covers different angles of Cuban exile politics employing a refreshing approach that questions many mainstream ideological and political assumptions, while it constitutes a solid ground for further research. As such, this book is a must for both cubanologos as well as for any person interested in Cuban exile politics and Latino/a politics in general."
  —Ana Margarita Cervantes-Rodriguez, Latino(a) Research Review, Vol. 5, No. 1 (Spring 2002)

• ". . . a fascinating study of Cuban exile history and politics since the revolution. She has enriched her very careful analysis by revealing her own personal involvement as an exile and her resulting wish to develop what she describes as a 'desire to belong, to build, to have a coherent existence.'"
  —Caroll Ann Traut, University of South Dakota, MultiCultural Review, June 2000