National Identities in Central American in a Comparative Perspective: The Modern Public Sphere and the Celebration of Centennial of Central American Independence September 15, 1921

Abstract

In each of the Central American countries, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, the degree of development of the public sphere and political practices determined the way in which national identity discourses were elaborated, disseminated, and appropriated by society. The public sphere and political practices also shaped these discourses in each national culture, and in the long run they develop a democratic culture. Through the study of the public sphere and political practices, this study shows how collective action opened or widened spaces for popular participation and how it transformed the understanding of politics in the first decades of the twentieth century Central America. This study analyzes national identity discourses, specifically those given during the Independence Day celebrations in Central America from 1870 to 1921. In addition, this study examines how diverse social actors approached national identity during the celebration of the centennial of Independence in September 15, 1921 to understand the role of celebrations and the alliances between political leaders and popular groups, and the function of intellectuals in the social organization. This approach provides a different way to examine the relationship between the Liberal state and its "citizens," and how Central American society understood citizenship in the 1920s.