Despite the weakness of the turn to multiculturalism in Guatemala, this chapter argues that the peace accords led to a new phase of construction of ethnic citizenship and new forms of indigenous authority. Operating within a complex field of power that is increasingly transnationalized, these processes largely depend on the agency of indigenous players in their search for new forms of identity, authority and governance, development, and an ethical and moral life. The chapter concludes that while not all indigenous people self-identify as “Mayas”, these changes may lead to a new phase of re-articulations and new counter-hegemonic movements.
(2009) “Entre la Multiculturalización y las Reivindicaciones Identitarias: Construyendo Ciudadanía Étnica y Autoridad Indígena en Guatemala,” in Santiago Bastos (comp.), Multiculturalismo y Futuro en Guatemala, FLACSO, Guatemala: 69-96. ISBN: 978-99939-72-75-4