In the realm of Argentine studies, few works have had as profound an impact as Nicolas Shumway's "La invención de la Argentina" (The Invention of Argentina). First published in Spanish in 1991, this comprehensive and thought-provoking book has been widely acclaimed for its incisive analysis of the country's formation and identity. This article aims to provide an in-depth examination of Shumway's seminal work, exploring its key arguments, historical context, and lasting influence on Argentine historiography.
efforts to establish an official national history to legitimize a specific liberal, centralized state. University of California Press Why It Matters Today
Romanticism and the struggle against the dictator Rosas.
"La invención de la Argentina" is Shumway's magnum opus, a meticulously researched and engagingly written book that challenges traditional narratives of Argentine history. The work's central thesis is that the modern Argentine nation was not a naturally occurring entity, but rather a deliberate construct, invented by a group of influential intellectuals, politicians, and writers during the country's formative period (1810-1880). Shumway argues that these individuals, driven by a shared vision of a unified, Europeanized Argentina, actively created a national identity through a process of myth-making, cultural engineering, and strategic manipulation of historical narratives. nicolas shumway la invencion de la argentina pdf
The final section explores the consolidation of Argentina as a modern nation-state (1860s-1880s), marked by large-scale European immigration, rapid economic growth, and the imposition of a liberal, secular order. Shumway argues that this period saw the culmination of the invention of Argentina, as a distinct national identity, rooted in European values and a mythologized past, became entrenched.
Shumway defines these as shared myths that give a people a sense of common purpose. In Argentina, these fictions were "mythologies of exclusion," meaning they defined who was not a true Argentine (immigrants, gauchos, or political rivals), leading to perpetual fragmentation.
Nicolás Shumway's book "La invención de la Argentina" (The Invention of Argentina) is a seminal work that explores the construction of Argentine identity and the country's historical narrative. Published in Spanish in 1991, the book has been widely acclaimed for its thought-provoking analysis of how Argentina's history has been invented, mythologized, and contested over time. This article provides an overview of Shumway's main arguments, the book's significance, and its relevance to understanding Argentina's complex past. In the realm of Argentine studies, few works
The author would like to thank Nicolas Shumway for his contributions to the field of Argentine studies and for providing a groundbreaking work that continues to inspire new research and debate.
Shumway's book can be divided into three main sections, each exploring a distinct aspect of Argentina's invention. The first part examines the early 19th century, when a group of liberal intellectuals, known as the "porteños," began to shape a new national identity. These individuals, including prominent figures like Juan Martín de Pueyrredón and Manuel Belgrano, sought to create a secular, modern state, distinct from the colonial past and Spanish heritage.
The emergence of modern nationalist thought. Accessing the Text efforts to establish an official national history to
Shumway's work has had a profound impact on Argentine historiography, sparking a reevaluation of the country's formation and identity. By challenging traditional narratives and highlighting the constructed nature of national identity, "La invención de la Argentina" has influenced a new generation of historians, encouraging a more nuanced understanding of Argentina's complex past.
The creation of an official national history.