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September 14, 2012 Ariana E. Vigil (UNC-Chapel Hill) War Narratives: From Mexican-Americans proportionally earning more Medals of Honor than any other ethnic group to the high casualty rates of Latina/os in the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. Latina/os have a rich and complex relationship with U.S. militarism. This paper introduces the term “g(l)ocal war narrative” to capture the complexity of said relationship, looking at how Latina/os have responded to their engagements with U.S. militarism in the 20th and 21st centuries. Applying this new theoretical perspective to the memoir Road from Ar Ramadi: The Private Rebellion of Sergeant Camilo Mejia, the paper illustrates how Nicaraguan-American veteran and activist Camilo Mejía locates violence within traditionally patriarchal and oppressive institutions – including the family, the military, and the state – as well as within “everyday” acts and practices. Ariana E. Vigil is Assistant Professor in the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Her talk is part of a book-length project entitled Ni Aquí Ni Allá: Military Intervention, Domestic Violence and Latina/o Literature (1979 – 2005). The seminar starts at 4:15 pm. Refreshments will be served before the seminar. Co-convener: Co-sponsored by the Triangle Institute for Security Studies |