Puerto Rico: The Battleground for Freedom: Recent Episodes
Malika
The social, political, and economic consequences of the relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico have made Puerto Rico a colony of the United States whose residents have lived as second-class American citizens for 124 years. The Battleground for Freedom is a podcast that sets out to frame this socio-political and economic history. Each episode will attempt to provide a detailed overview of each aspect of the island’s territorial status, including its economy, how the United States acquired Puerto Rico, the island’s pre-colonial history and political history, and will discuss the terrible hurricane that devastated the island five years ago and highlighted the turmoil caused by the territorial status. It will end with a discussion of where Puerto Rico is today and what solutions have been proposed to help the island.
This episode will discuss what has occurred on the island since María in 2017. The government corruption scandal of 2019 will be discussed, as well as the 2020 earthquakes and the impact of Covid-19 on the island. As the ultimate episode of this season, it will raise the question of what are the solutions to addressing the colonial status of Puerto Rico? What does its future look like and who decides this?
Sources for future reference:
- AlJazeeraEnglish. “Ricky Renuncia: Puerto Rico's Turning Point? | the Stream.” YouTube,
YouTube, 24 July 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTCQOWTWtqU. - Bossi, Andrea. “How Bad Bunny Influenced Puerto Rico's 2019 Movement, 'Ricky Renuncia'.”
Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 26 Dec. 2019, https://www.forbes.com/sites/andreabossi/2019/12/26/how-bad-bunny-influenced-puerto-ricos-2019-movement-ricky-renuncia/?sh=2ad842104b5d. - Developments in the Law — The U.S. Territories, 130 Harv. L. Rev. 1616, 1656 (2017).
- Jose Atiles Osoria. The COVID-19 Pandemic in Puerto Rico: Exceptionality, Corruption and
State-Corporate Crimes. State Crime Journal. Vol. 10(1):104-125. DOI: 10.13169/statecrime.10.1.0104 - Quintero, John. “Residual Colonialism in the 21st Century.” United Nations University, United
Nations University, 29 May 2012, https://unu.edu/publications/articles/residual-colonialism-in-the-21st-century.html. - Semanaz, Sofia Perez. “The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Puerto Rico.” American
University, American University College of Arts & Sciences, 1 Nov. 2020, https://www.american.edu/cas/news/catalyst/covid-19-in-puerto-rico.cfm. - UChicago Institute of Politics. “What Is the Future of Puerto Rico's Political Status?” YouTube,
YouTube, 7 Feb. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT9Sf-B54DI.
This episode tells the tragic story of Hurricane María's landfall on Puerto Rico in September 2017. It will discuss the thousands of lives lost due to the hurricane, the tragedies that occurred, the manner in which the Puerto Rican people were failed by their governments and the desperation for recovery.
Sources for future reference:
- Acevedo, Nicole. “Puerto Rico, Four Years after Hurricane Maria, Far from Recovery.”
NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 19 Sept. 2021, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/puerto-rico-four-years-hurricane-maria-far-recovery-rcna2073. - A. Kwasinski, F. Andrade, M. J. Castro-Sitiriche and E. O’Neill-Carrillo, "Hurricane Maria
Effects on Puerto Rico Electric Power Infrastructure," in IEEE Power and Energy Technology Systems Journal, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 85-94, March 2019, doi: 10.1109/JPETS.2019.2900293. - “Documentary Film: Fearless Science.” GW's Bicentennial Celebration: 1821-2021, George
Washington University, n.d., https://bicentennial.gwu.edu/hurricane-maria. - Jason Cortés (2018) Puerto Rico: Hurricane Maria and the Promise of Disposability, Capitalism
Nature Socialism, 29:3, 1-8, DOI: 10.1080/10455752.2018.1505233 - Klein, Naomi. The Battle for Paradise: Puerto Rico Takes on the Disaster Capitalists.
Haymarket Books, 2018. - Morales, Iris. Voices from Puerto Rico: Post-Hurricane María = Voces Desde Puerto Rico:
Pos-Huracán María. Red Sugarcane Press, Inc., 2019. - Meléndez, Edwin, and Kathya Severino. Center for Puerto Rican Studies, 2017, Hurricane
Maria: Immediate Impact and Response, https://centropr-archive.hunter.cuny.edu/sites/default/files/CENTRO_SOMOS_Hurricane_Maria.pdf. Accessed 17 Apr. 2022. - Robles, Frances, et al. “Hurricane Irma, One of the Most Powerful in History, Roars across
Caribbean.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 6 Sept. 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/06/us/hurricane-irma-caribbean.html.
A detailed overview of the beginning of U.S. colonialism in Puerto Rico, starting with the Spanish-American War.
Sources for future reference:
- “1868-1878: Ten Years' War in Cuba.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service,
https://www.pbs.org/crucible/tl1.html. - Cheatham, Amelia, and Diana Roy. “Puerto Rico: A U.S. Territory in Crisis.” Council on
\Foreign Relations, Council on Foreign Relations, 3 Feb. 2022, https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/puerto-rico-us-territory-crisis. - Developments in the Law — The U.S. Territories, 130 Harv. L. Rev. 1616, 1656 (2017).
- Franqui-Rivera, Harry, and Monique Aviles. “The Puerto Rican Experience In The U.S. Military:
A Century Of Unheralded Service.” Origins | Centro De Estudios Puertorriqueños, Center for Puerto Rican Studies Hunter College, n.d., https://centropr-archive.hunter.cuny.edu/digital-humanities/pr-military/origins. - Fernández Ronald. Prisoners of Colonialism: The Struggle for Justice in Puerto Rico. Common
Courage Press, 1994. - Quintero, John. “Residual Colonialism in the 21st Century.” United Nations University, United
Nations University, 29 May 2012, https://unu.edu/publications/articles/residual-colonialism-in-the-21st-century.html - Rodriguez, F. and Huizar, R., 2019. The Politics of Inclusion and Exclusion: Puerto Rico,
Colonialism and Citizenship. Middle Atlantic Review of Latin American Studies, 3(2), pp.119–140. DOI: http://doi.org/10.23870/marlas.235 - “The Spanish-American War, 1898.” Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State, n.d.,
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1866-1898/spanish-american-war. - Suchlicki, Jaime. “This Day in Cuban History - October 10, 1868. Grito De Yara.” Cuba Insight,
Cuban Studies Institute, 10 Oct. 2018,
https://cubanstudiesinstitute.us/this-day-in-cuban-history/this-day-in-cuban-history-october-10-1868-grito-de-yara/. - Torruella, Juan R. “Ruling America’s Colonies: The ‘Insular Cases.’” Yale Law & Policy Review,
vol. 32, no. 1, Yale Law & Policy Review, Inc., 2013, pp. 57–95, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23736226.
An explanation and overview of the independence movement that has endured on the island for over a century. This episode will also review the various options for the political status of Puerto Rico.
Sources for future reference:
- Bigelow, Justin D., "A New State of Puerto Rican Politics: Framing the Plebiscites on Status"
(2007). Political Science Honors Projects. Paper 5.http://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/poli_honors/5 - Caban, Pedro, "Redefining Puerto Rico's Political Status" (1992).Latin American, Caribbean,
and U.S.Latino Studies Faculty Scholarship. 29. https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/lacs_fac_scholar/2 - Fernández Ronald. Prisoners of Colonialism: The Struggle for Justice in Puerto Rico. Common
Courage Press, 1994. - Meléndez, Edgardo. “The Politics of Puerto Rico’s Plebiscite.” Caribbean Studies, vol. 24, no.
3/4, 1991, pp. 117–50, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25613042. Accessed 11 Apr. 2022. - Staudenmaier, Michael. “Puerto Rican Independence Movement, 1898-Present.” International
Encyclopedia of Revolution and Protest, Edited by Immanuel Ness, Blackwell Publishing, pp. 2766–2774. - UChicago Institute of Politics. “What Is the Future of Puerto Rico's Political Status?” YouTube,
YouTube, 7 Feb. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT9Sf-B54DI. - “War against All Puerto Ricans: Inside the U.S. Crackdown on ... - Youtube.” Democracy Now!,
Youtube, 21 Apr. 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khkONOYSB8Q.
An overview of the exploitative relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico. This episode will discuss the industrialization of the Puerto Rican economy and the economic dependence Puerto Rico has on the U.S., which has had grave consequences for the island, including a mass debt crisis and neoliberal austerity measures.
Sources for future reference:
- CBSNewsOnline. “Fighting for Paradise: Puerto Rico's Future | CBS Reports.” YouTube,
YouTube, 24 June 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfO5RwyEWfg. - Cheatham, Amelia, and Diana Roy. “Puerto Rico: A U.S. Territory in Crisis.” Council on
\Foreign Relations, Council on Foreign Relations, 3 Feb. 2022, https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/puerto-rico-us-territory-crisis. - Espada, Mariah. “How Puerto Ricans Are Fighting Back against Using the Island as a Tax
Haven.” Time, Time, 19 Apr. 2021, https://time.com/5955629/puerto-rico-tax-haven-opposition/. - Kranz, Michal. “Here's How Puerto Rico Got into So Much Debt.” Business Insider, Business
Insider, 9 Oct. 2017, https://www.businessinsider.com/puerto-rico-debt-2017-10. - Klein, Naomi. The Battle for Paradise: Puerto Rico Takes on the Disaster Capitalists.
Haymarket Books, 2018. - Lind, Dara. “Puerto Rico's Debt Crisis, Explained in 11 Basic Facts.” Vox, Vox, 10 July 2015,
https://www.vox.com/2015/7/10/8924517/puerto-rico-bankrupt-debt. - Trines, Stefan. “Economic Storm: The Crisis of Education in Puerto Rico.” WENR, WENR, 8
May 2018, https://wenr.wes.org/2018/05/economic-storm-the-crisis-of-education-in-puerto-rico.
An introduction to Puerto Rico and its beautiful culture and people.
Sources Used and For Further Information:
- Davis, Chelsea. “This Is Where the Piña Colada Was Born.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 10 July
2019, https://www.forbes.com/sites/chelseadavis/2019/07/10/this-is-where-the-pia-colada-was-born/?sh=19aa46142957. - “A Guide to Music in Puerto Rico.” Discover Puerto Rico, DiscoverPuertoRico,
https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/article/guide-to-music-puerto-rico. - “Music & Dance.” Discover Puerto Rico, DiscoverPuertoRico,
https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/island/music-dance. - “National Park Service.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 22 Mar. 2005,
https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/explorers/sitec58.htm. - “Puerto Rico.” The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 3 Mar. 2022,
https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/puerto-rico/. - “Visit El Yunque National Forest.” Discover Puerto Rico, DiscoverPuertoRico,
https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/article/visit-el-yunque-national-forest. - “Why Puerto Rican Bomba Music Is Resistance.” Why Puerto Rican Bomba Music Is
Resistance, WETA, https://weta.org/watch/shows/sound-field/why-puerto-rican-bomba-music-resistance.
This episode will take a look at the indigenous population of Puerto Rico and how Spanish colonization impacted the island.
Sources for future reference:
- Anderson-Córdova Karen Frances. Surviving Spanish Conquest: Indian Fight, Flight, and
Cultural Transformation in Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. The University of Alabama Press, 2017. - Schimmer, Russell. “Hispaniola.” Hispaniola | Genocide Studies Program, Yale University, 1
Jan. 2022, https://gsp.yale.edu/case-studies/colonial-genocides-project/hispaniola. - Schimmer, Russell. “Puerto Rico.” Puerto Rico | Genocide Studies Program, Yale University, 1
Jan. 1970, https://gsp.yale.edu/case-studies/colonial-genocides-project/puerto-rico . - WATLINGTON, FRANCISCO. “Cassava and Carrying Capacity in Aboriginal Puerto Rico:
Revisiting the Taino Downfall at Conquest.” Southeastern Geographer, vol. 49, no. 4, University of North Carolina Press, 2009, pp. 394–403, http://www.jstor.org/stable/26225581. - Yong, Ed. “How Ancient DNA Can Help Recast Colonial History.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media
Company, 18 Sept. 2019, https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/09/what-ancient-dna-says-about-puerto-ricos-history/598246/.