Ernesto Sagás examines the historical development and
political use of antihaitianismo, a set of racist and
xenophobic attitudes prevalent today in the Dominican Republic that broadly
portray Dominican people as white Catholics, while Haitians are viewed as
spirit-worshipping black Africans. More than just a ploy to generate patriotism
and rally against a neighboring country, the ideology also is used by Dominican
leaders to divide their own lower classes.
Sagás looks at the notions of race held by Dominican elites
in their creation of an imaginary “white” nation, particularly as the ideas were
developed throughout the colonial era, then intellectually refined in the late
19
th
century, and later exalted to a state ideology during the
Trujillo era. Finally, he examines how race and nationalist anti-Haitian
feelings still are manipulated by conservative politicians and elites who seek
to maintain the status quo, drawing on examples from recent political rhetoric
and cartoons, campaign advertisements, and public school history
textbooks.
The first book-length study of antihaitianismo,
this work offers important lessons for studying racial and ethnic conflict as
well as nationalism and comparative politics.