With or Without Gringos: When Panamanians Talk about the United States and Its Citizens

eng: In local and informal contexts, Panamanians talk about the power of the United States and describe its citizens in multifaceted and complex terms. In this article I examine those views as they are articulated in informal urban settings in Panama City and in conversa- tions with middle-class Panamanians. My respondents evaluate the US-Panama relationship and discuss individual North Americans with realism, reflecting a graceful but critical spirit of forgiveness toward their more powerful ally. A broader awareness of US colonialism in the past is combined with a pragmatic acknowledgement of opportunities in the present and the desire for a more equal relationship in the future. I argue that the opportunity to voice unreserved opinions about power- ful Others can potentially empower local actors.

• Fecha de publicación: 2022
• Institución: Universidad de Caldas
• Repositorio: Repositorio Institucional U. Caldas
• Idioma: eng
• OAI Identifier: oai:repositorio.ucaldas.edu.co:ucaldas/17477
• Acceso en línea: https://repositorio.ucaldas.edu.co/handle/ucaldas/17477
• Palabra clave: Anti-americanism; politics; stereotypes; US-Panama relationship; gringos; Panamá; Política; Poder político; Geografía; Antropología
• License: http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2