Table of Content

Inside El Barrio aims to acquire deeper understanding of Cuban Society by exploring what it means to live in a people-centered nation by examining the role of households and neighborhoods in mitigating hard times and helping residents grapple with the complexities of urban life, particularly during El Período Especial.  The book argues that because households are embedded in neighborhoods, and neighborhoods shape everyday life and culture, understanding the interrelationship between the two is central to learning how Cubanos managed daily life.  With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the reemergence of international tourism, it is the stable, hyper-organized neighborhoods that have anchored Cuban society.  Investigating how they operate will aid in understanding the sustainability of Castro’s Cuba by showing how the society operates “on the ground” in vulnerable neighborhoods, where ordinary people live, work, play, and raise their families.

Preface………………..........……………………………..xi

Acknowledgements …………………………………….xv

Abbreviations and Acronyms……........………………..xvii

Prologue………………………………….......…………..1

1 The Unfinished Revolution………………….....…….9

        Ideological Dualism and Establishing Ties

        of Singular Intimacy

2 This Time the Revolution is for Real………………39

3 Inside El Barrio………………………...…....………..71

4 Using Capitalism to Save Socialism……..............111

        Making Ends Meet during the Special Period

5 The San Isidro Neighborhoo....……………………149

        A Case Study

Epilogue: Where Does Cuba Go from Here…...…..167

          The Post-Castro Era

Notes…......................................………………………..181

Bibliography………….......................…………………..187

Index………......................………………………………205

About the Author…………………......…………..……..219