Description: Indigenous Writings from the Convent examines ways in which indigenous women participated in one of the most prominent institutions in colonial times--the Catholic Church--and what they made of their experiences with convent life.
Review Quotes: "This superbly researched study of Mexico's indigenous female religious should be read by any scholar interested in gender, race, and conventual writing."--Colonial Latin American Historical Review
"One of the great strengths of this study is Díaz's detailed discursive analysis of the numerous examples of religious literature that proliferated during the period . . . which have often been neglected by historians and literary scholars alike. Mónica Díaz's fascinating and highly interdisciplinary study will be of great interest to specialists in the history and literature of colonial Latin America."--Chasqui "Contributes significantly to colonial studies, women's and religious history, as well as to a more nuanced understanding of late colonial Hispanic American (especially Mexican) institutions and peoples. More specifically, it provides a context for and analysis of the written record surrounding the establishment and running of the Corpus Christi convent for indigenous women. Mónica Díaz's study of a richly complex society provides a clear theoretical framework, brings together useful material about colonial religious discourses, and paves the way for further research and investigation."--Hispanic Review "[Díaz] has forged new interpretations by correlating her re-reading with knowledge from little-known sources. Her book is an elegant and well-written exploration of the complexities of colonial discourse about gender and ethnicity."--The Americas "A welcomed addition to the growing research on the adaptations and transformations of Indian elites in colonial society, as well as the study of convent writings in Colonial Spanish America."--South Atlantic Review "Díaz has done a very good job of acknowledging precursive and pioneering works in history, literature, and ethnic studies while establishing her own critical originality. Her occupation of a cultural studies viewpoint is in contrast to previous studies by both historians and literary critics, supporting her conclusions and opening new lines of dialogue."--Jennifer L. Eich, author of The Other Mexican Muse: Sor María Anna Águeda de San Ignacio (1695-1756)