Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations
The Human Robot: A Narrative Study of Identity Change in Mexico Through an Analysis of Mexican Films
Date of Award
2014
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Conflict Analysis & Resolution
Department
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences – Department of Conflict Resolution Studies
First Advisor
Marcia Sweedler
Second Advisor
Susanne Marshall
Third Advisor
Cheryl Duckworth
Keywords
film making, conflict resolution, role-identification, social interactions
Abstract
In order to succeed in an intellectually, economically, socially, and politically controlled system, as México, one has to develop a sense of inner direction and empowerment, where critical thinking is vital yet patriarchy becomes an impediment to the development of an inner compass and empowerment when it shapes and controls the masses’ identity and behavior through different strategies, methods, and institutions. One of the most powerful and popular identity shaping strategies is film making. Film is considered by most as a source of entertainment portraying social interactions. Yet it is a powerful identity-shaping tool for the establishment. It has been used by the Mexican government and its associates, for a long time, in an effort to sustain the status quo and justify its existence and social performance. The selected methodology of this study allowed comparison and contrasting of messages transmitted about identity, behavior, role-identification, values, and life scripts, using films from three different periods of the development of México: agricultural (1920s-1950s), industrial (1950s-1990s), and neoliberal (1990s-today). Religion, social interactions, gender, ethnicity, and nation-states are some of the main themes that emerged from this exploration of identity and behavior shaping strategies used in the Mexican films analyzed. The Identity shaping strategies are an efficient way of dealing with conflict because controlling and constraining is done by the individuals rather than by the nation-state.
NSUWorks Citation
Cesar Vela-Beltran-del-Rio. 2014. The Human Robot: A Narrative Study of Identity Change in Mexico Through an Analysis of Mexican Films. Doctoral dissertation. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences – Department of Conflict Resolution Studies. (42)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/shss_dcar_etd/42.