Study of a storm

Alternate Titles

• Analysis of Zapatista propaganda
• Zapatista propaganda

Description

The beginning hours of 1994 rang in both the New Year and the Zapatista uprising in Chiapas. Although in existence since 1983, the Zapatista movement was relatively unknown to the rest of the world until Subcomandante Marcos' propaganda offensive against the Mexican government. Steeped in historical references to indigenous exploitation and Emiliano Zapata, the Zapatista's call to arms and governmental reformation has continued to make effective use of symbols and rituals, reshaping the images of Indianness and economic suffering within Chiapas. The organization continues to garner support abroad as well as within Mexico through the use of the Internet, public media and effective appropriation of nationalist symbols. What marks the Zapatista rebellion as extraordinary is its emergence as one of the first information age insurgencies to make such efficient use of these mediums. This study presents a framework for analyzing propaganda, drawing from the fields of symbolic politics, cultural anthropology, and marketing. This symbolic frame is then applied to the Zapatistas in order to better understand the entire movement. The propaganda goals of the organization are examined, specifically addressing the areas of legitimacy, member unification, support both outside and within Mexico, recruitment and challenges presented to the government.

Subjects