Dying for the Dawn

"Dying for the Dawn" offers an evocative, rigorous, and timely exploration of the multifaceted meanings and expressions of martyrdom in Latin America. Situating the region as a fertile terrain for examining the religious, social, and political forces that shape martyrial figures and narratives, the book illuminates how martyrdom continues to inform struggles over memory, justice, and political transformation. Highly interdisciplinary and accessible, the book establishes martyrdom as a vital lens for understanding Latin America’s histories of conflict, resistance, and social change.

Dr. Gema Kloppe-Santamaría

University College Cork, Ireland

Author of “In the Vortex of Violence: Lynching, Extralegal Justice, and the State in Post-Revolutionary Mexico”

This illuminating and thought-provoking collection traces shifting interpretations and uses of martyrdom in twentieth-century Latin America through a series of compelling case studies. Combining historical research, sociological insight and cultural analysis, it powerfully demonstrates how religious and secular ideas of martyrdom continue to shape contemporary debates on human rights, migration, democracy, and social justice. An essential resource for scholars of martyrdom and anyone interested in the history, politics and religious life of the region.

Dr. Lucy O’Sullivan

Department of Modern Languages

University of Birmingham, UK