The University of Arizona Press
Specters of War
The Battle of Mourning in Postconflict Central America
Specters of War explores mourning practices in postwar Central America, particularly in El Salvador and Guatemala. Ignacio Sarmiento delves into the intricate dynamics of grieving through an interdisciplinary lens, analyzing expressions of mourning in literature, theater, and sites of memory. At the heart of this analysis is the contention over who has the right to mourn, how mourning is performed, and who is included in this process. Sarmiento reveals mourning not as a private affair but as a battleground where different societal factions vie for the possibility of grieving the dead.
Through meticulous research and theoretical nuance, Specters of War sheds light on the politics of mourning in postconflict societies. Sarmiento argues that mourning is not merely a personal experience but a deeply political act intertwined with power struggles and societal divisions. From victims of state terrorism to military elites, various groups engage in a complex dance of grief, revealing the fraught nature of public mourning in postwar Central America. By examining cultural artifacts and memorialization projects, Sarmiento uncovers the multifaceted nature of mourning and its implications for memory, justice, and reconciliation.
This groundbreaking work is essential reading for scholars, students, and professionals interested in Central American history and culture, as well as post-authoritarian societies. Specters of War promises to deepen our understanding of postwar Central America and the legacy of loss in shaping collective identities and narratives of the past.
“Specters of War is an original contribution to Central American literary and cultural studies. With its focus on the politics of mourning, this theoretically nuanced yet accessible book offers an alternative optic beyond that of trauma and memory studies to examine and engage with Central America’s postwar reality.”—Yajaira Padilla, author of Changing Women, Changing Nation: Female Agency, Nationhood, and Identity in Trans-Salvadoran Narratives
"Specters of War is a necessary book that presents us with a theory of mourning that is conceptually informed and aware of the nuances and enigmas that characterize the problem of mourning in the Central American context. Through a sustained interrogation of cultural and literary practices, the book manages to show the infinite yet necessary character of the work of the loss, which is, in turn, a condition of possibility for a life in common. No democracy without specters.”—Sergio Villalobos-Ruminott, author of La desarticulación: Epocalidad, hegemonía e historicidad
