Ebook: Bachata and Dominican Identity

Bachataa guitar-based romantic music that debuted in Santo Domingo's urban shantytowns in the 1960sis today one of the hottest Latin genres. Dominicans at home and abroad have embraced bachata as synonymous with national identity. Still, fans and musicians have not forgotten the social stigma the genre carried for decades. This book interweaves bachata's history and development with the socio-political context of Dominican identity in both the national and international community, often told in the voices of musicians and producers. The author argues that bachata's early disfavor was a result of the political climate of its origins and deeply rooted ties between class and race, and proposes that the genre's growing popularity and ultimate acceptance as a symbol of Dominican identity arise from its instrumental and lyrical innovations, the growth of the lower class, and a devoted following among the migrants of the Dominican diaspora.