Specters of War – The Battle of Mourning in Postconflict Central America

Specters of WarThe Battle of Mourning in Postconflict Central America\nAuthor(s): Ignacio Sarmiento\nFormat: Hardback\nPublisher: University of Arizona Press, United States\nImprint: University of Arizona Press\nISBN-13: 9780816554287, 978-0816554287\nSynopsis\nSpecters of War explores mourning practices in postwar Central America, particularly in El Salvador and Guatemala. Ignacio Sarmiento delves into the intricate dynamics of grieving through an interdisciplinary lens, analyzing expressions of mourning in literature, theater, and sites of memory. At the heart of this analysis is the contention over who has the right to mourn, how mourning is performed, and who is included in this process. Sarmiento reveals mourning not as a private affair but as a battleground where different societal factions vie for the possibility of grieving the dead. Through meticulous research and theoretical nuance, Specters of War sheds light on the politics of mourning in postconflict societies. Sarmient.