From Rebellion to Independence in the Andes: Soundings from Southern Peru, 1750-1830 (review)
For some two decades David Cahill has been one of the leading scholars contributing to our understanding of the southern Andes in the late colonial era. His work has focused primarily on the Cuzco region and the period from before the Tupac Amaru rebellion through the independence movement. Of this book Cahill states, "The essays in this volume deal with intersecting social, cultural and political moments and movements in late colonial southern Peru during its rocky transition from colony to republic" (p. xi). While From Rebellion to Independence in the Andes is a collection of previously published essays, several articles had appeared only in Spanish and in journals not always easily accessible. Thus, this collection makes available a wide range of Cahill's work to an English reading audience. Topics addressed range from ethnic and racial identity, the role of curas in local society, repartos, and yanaconas to social and political violence and Andean alternatives for governance.