Bibliographic details and abstracts are available to all. Downloads of full-text dissertations are restricted to University of Portsmouth members who must login. MPhils may be accessed by all.

Abstract

The aim of this dissertation is to examine the culture and attitudes of the Cuban American diaspora, and explore how these impacted the US political sphere between the Cuban Revolution and the turn of the twenty-first century. Mostly drawing on secondary literature around the topic, this analysis considers the specific culture that developed within the group exiled in the US after Castro’s seizing of power, and how this ‘exile culture’ influenced US political action through the alliances that were forged and the stances that were adopted.
The argument posed here asserts that the strong anti-communist attitude of the Cuban diaspora contributed to the group escaping the negative racialisation of other Latino communities, meaning they could be cast as deserving of safe haven in the Cold War backdrop of the period. This precedent allowed strong links to develop between the Cuban American leadership and Reagan administration, leading to significant influence at the top of the US government. Anti-communist, anti-Castro exile culture had, however, lost influence by 2001, with changing demographics within the diaspora and differing attitudes in the White House regarding Cuban American interests following the end of the Cold War.

Course: American Studies and History - BA (Hons) - C1690

Date Deposited: 2021-03-11

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis13687.html