Tres Caminos Hacia el Sur
offers three different approaches to understanding Latin American culture. The first is a concise informative introduction that highlights the ethnic and geographical diversity of the area, before examining the causes of its socioeconomic and political divisions. The second, in contrast, is an in-depth exploration of the common values and traits that constitute the cultural mainstream of Latin America. Discussed as causes are language and religion, the search for a Latin American identity frequently opposed to that of the US, the effects of an overwhelming geography, and the inclusion of Indians in the Colonial hierarchy, starting a process of racial and cultural mixing that has continued to this day. Noted, among others, are the following traits:
personalism
and
verbalism,
the mentality of the extended family, the special role of women, aristocratic attitudes and class distinctions, people's pride in their shrewdness, and their use of language. Finally, the third approach, from the perspective of the author's personal experience, seeks to bring the cultural values and traits of Latin America into a sharper focus through an analysis of mutual Latin and Anglo American stereotypes.
(TEXT IN SPANISH)