Civilizing Argentina: Science, Medicine and the Modern State (review)
ernization of the state. Eric Van Young examines a psychiatric hospital, Manicomio General, that operated in Mexico City from 1910-1968. He views mental patients as subalterns and the institution as part of the Mexican government's modernization efforts. In a concluding essay Alexandra Stern discusses how science employed various approaches to avoid the use of "race" to characterize and describe Mexicans from 1920 to 1960. These approaches, rather than ending racism, contributed to the growth of new stereotypes.