"In Call the Mothers, Shaylih Muehlmann takes readers on a riveting journey into the lives of mothers in Mexico who have lost their loved ones to the war on drugs. Honing in on the collective struggle and resilience of these women, this book explores how--in a context of government incompetence, ineptitude, collusion, and corruption--women spearhead the search for the disappeared. Muehlmann sheds light on how the war on drugs affects the daily lives of people in Mexico, particularly examining the gendered dimensions of drug-war politics and how women-led activism has become a powerful force. In the face of over 100,000 disappearances, women have become forensic specialists, fundraisers, even negotiators with drug traffickers. Call the Mothers is a fascinating look at how everyday people create systems of mutual aid and build social movements when their governments fail"--
A gripping portrait of the relentless women taking missing persons, kidnapping, and extortion cases into their own handsand building a movement for one another.
In this riveting exploration of the lives of mothers whose children are among the 100,000 disappeared in Mexicos war on drugs, Shaylih Muehlmann shows how families have mobilized on the ground to get answers and justice. It is often mothers who confront government corruption, indifference, and incompetence by taking on the responsibilities of searching for missing persons and dealing with kidnapping and extortion cases.
In bringing the voices of these women to the fore, Muehlmann demonstrates how the war on drugs affects everyday life in Mexico and how these activists have become detectives, forensic specialists, and even negotiators with drug traffickers. Call the Mothers provides a unique look at a grassroots movement that draws from the symbolic power of motherhood to build a network of collectives that redefine traditional gender roles and challenge injustice and impunity.
