Working Hard, Drinking Hard: On Violence and Survival in Honduras

By Adrienne Pine

Book Overview

"Honduras is violent." Adrienne Pine situates this oft-repeated claim at the center of her vivid and nuanced chronicle of Honduran subjectivity. Through an examination of three major subject areas--violence, alcohol, and the export-processing (maquiladora) industry--Pine explores the daily relationships and routines of urban Hondurans. She views their lives in the context of the vast economic footprint on and ideological domination of the region by the United States, powerfully elucidating the extent of Honduras's dependence. She provides a historically situated ethnographic analysis of this fraught relationship and the effect it has had on Hondurans' understanding of who they are. The result is a rich and visceral portrait of a culture buffeted by the forces of globalization and inequality.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0520255445
• ISBN13: 9780520255449
• Release Date: May 2008
• Publisher: University of California Press
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.87 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.1" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

An excellent ethnography!

I enjoyed reading Working Hard, Drinking Hard immensely. I had very little knowledge of Honduras before reading it, but Pine's background information was more than sufficient for my understanding. It is an incredibly accessible ethnography that kept me enthralled like a novel, which I value as essential for public anthropology. Pine's book includes theory but isn't overburdened by it. It includes her personal perspective and experiences but simultaneously greatly values the perspectives of her Honduran collaborators. A fascinating read!

Working Hard Drinking Hard

Working Hard and Drinking Hard is required reading for people who are concerned about the real-life consequences of globalization and misguided US policy in Latin America. It connects imperical (often times gut wrenching) evidence of the affect of gang violence, and substance abuse in Honduras, without being maudlin. The book is a a triumph and a challenge to those "whose compassion may wither" if not put into action. Readers of Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein will enjoy Working Hard and the real life details Pine weaves through the book.

An inspiring and accessible journey

Pine's "Working Hard, Drinking Hard" left me feeling impressed with her grasp and relay of the often confusing social and economic landscape in Honduran life. Her willingness to grapple with modern issues of inequality, globalization, and violence were an eye-opening and shocking view into modern Honduras. Similarly, the sensitivity and commitment to both macro and micro level issues was refreshing and thought provoking. Pine has a real knack for making often overwhelming issues very digestible to academicians and non-academicians alike. This is a satisfying read that imparts important and valuable knowledge. It deserves a place on the shelves of all persons concerned about and interested in social, political, and economic change.