Towards a History of Latin American Exile in the Nineteenth Century. Introduction

Abstract

This dossier seeks to examine the role of exile in nineteenth-century Latin America, in order to give historical perspective to the growing literature on exile in the region in the twentieth century and provide a wider perspective to European-centered studies of exile in the period. Ranging from the independence period to the early twentieth century, it explores the continuities and the evolution in the practice of exile during the formative century that saw the birth of independent republics and the emergence of modern nation-states. The introduction highlights this historiographical contribution, exploring the particularities of Latin American exile. Using a broad definition of exile, it also addresses the legal and social categories used to understand and regulate exile in the period, independent of political ideology, and explores how the study of the mechanisms of exile can shed new light on the familiar political historiographies, or those of war, class, race, and gender. Finally it examines how exile intersects with questions of sovereignty, nation-building, and territorial dynamics, underscoring the transnational and foundational aspect of exile in the national and international politics of the region.