The postromantic works of the Spaniard Rosalía de Castro and the Colombian José Asunción Silva are indispensable in any anthology of 19th century Spanish and Latin American poetry. However, they found few appreciative readers during their lifetimes, even while displaying two of the most sincere voices of the day. Dever's book is unique: it is the first comparison of Castro's and Silva's poetry. Their works have meaningful differences but share remarkable likenesses in theme, tone, and style, though it is doubtful that either was aware of the other's existence. Of interest to feminist critics is an interpretation of Castro's literary vocation within a patriarchal society. Using the ideas of three 20th century Spanish thinkers, José Ortega y Gasset, Xavier Zubiri, and Pedro Laín Entralgo, Dever applies the concept of radical insufficiency to a comparison of the poets' works. Radical insufficiency holds that humans lack a determined being and fixed course for life, thus norms are not available to make the world intelligible. Humans experience feelings of uncertainty and emptiness, which inevitably lead to anxiety. Confronted by the mystery and pathos of human life, Castro and Silva both describe futile attempts to overcome this insufficiency through creation and contemplation of art, human relationships, and religion. The significance of these writers has transcended their own time; when examined in the context of Spanish and Latin American authors and thinkers who succeeded them, the importance of their works will continue to grow.

Published by Boydell & Brewer Inc.

At an assembly of liberals in Ponce, Puerto Rico, in 1887, Inocencia Martínez eagerly looks for Sotero Figueroa, a journalist and independence movement activist whose politics—and handsome visage—she finds extremely exciting. She is so intent on keeping him in her sights that, when he stops to speak to someone, she almost runs right into him! Inocencia, the daughter of a Spanish bureaucrat, was 18 when she first heard Figueroa speak about freedom from colonial repression and an independent Puerto Rico. Hearing the speakers at the assembly fueled her dreams of becoming a leader in the movement. Inocencia’s parents are initially horrified that a mulatto, someone of African descent, wants to court their daughter. Ultimately, just before the couple’s seditious activities force them into exile, her parents give approval for their marriage. While living in New York City, Inocencia starts her own women’s group to aid the revolutionaries. Ranging from Puerto Rico to Cuba and the United States, this engaging novel for teens follows historical figures that were instrumental in the fight for self-determination in Puerto Rico. Addressing issues that remain relevant today—racism, women’s rights and Puerto Rico’s status—The Season of Rebels and Roses also sheds light on women’s involvement in their nations’ liberation—and their own.

This collection highlights multidisciplinary approaches toward better understanding the discourses of extremism, exploring the ways in which insights from linguistics and other disciplines might inform each other in enacting meaningful reforms in policy, social media, and education. The volume is divided into three sections, bridging different disciplinary perspectives in examining different dimensions of the language of extremism in case studies from around the world. The first section features contributions on extremist language from a political lens, such as in election campaigns and media discourse. The second section looks at religious extremism and language used for the purposes of jihadist radicalisation and recruitment. A final section reflects on policy development, peace education, and conflict resolution, toward discussing ways to subvert radicalised discourses and future research building on these efforts. This book will be of interest to students and scholars in discourse analysis, language and communication, and language education, as well as related fields such as psychology, political science, and sociology.