Special Collections Research Center
Jennifer Bickham Mendez Papers
Mendez, Jennifer Bickham
MS 00238
/repositories/2/resources/9068
2.92 Linear Feet
circa 1990-2005
Spanish
Conditions Governing Use
Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Curator of Manuscripts and Rare Books, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.
Scope and Contents
This collection details the vast women's labor movement in Central America (mostly concentrating on Nicaragua) in the 1990s and early 2000s as a part of Dr. Jennifer Bickham Mendez's dissertation research. The collection includes newspaper clippings, secondary source articles, publications from various women's labor organizations in Central America, personal field notes and contacts, along with many other materials pertaining to her research. Dr. Bickham Mendez's research acquainted her with many women's labor organizations, giving her an opportunity to explore the work being done in Nicaragua related to women's working conditions and human rights. A majority of her research focused on zonas francas, specific areas within Nicaragua and other Central American countries that face inhumane working conditions in maquilas, or factories that export their manufactured goods to other countries. As the collection progresses, Dr. Bickham Mendez contributed material related to the feminist movement in Nicaragua, including various pamphlets and brochures that discuss various feminist topics such as domestic violence, reproductive health rights, and machismo/toxic masculinity. The collection concentrates on specific women's right organizations that organize around establishing better working conditions for women in these maquilas as well as the national and international responses that resulted from these organizations.
Arrangement
Series 1: María Elena Cuadra's work in the women's labor movement, circa 1994-2006
This series extensively covers information pertaining to the María Elena Cuadra organization in supporting the women's labor movement in Nicaragua. Reports written by and about this labor organization provide an understanding regarding their work and their ability to cause change. These reports cover the working conditions, economic role of women in Nicaragua, and successes of María Elena Cuadra in raising the voices of women laborers in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Series 2: María Elena Cuadra's La Boletina publications, 1994-2004
This series contains various published pamphlets from María Elena Cuadra ranging from 1994-2004. These pamphlets discuss many women's issues that directly relate to the labor movement and work conditions, including sex and sexual health, women's rights, and gender violence.
Series 3: Other Nicaragua voices related to women's labor movements, 1974-2001
This series shows how Nicaraguan voices outside of María Elena Cuadra were examining the labor conditions and efforts to combat exploitation in Nicaragua. Various annual reports and materials published by other organizations demonstrate just how pervasive this issue was all throughout Nicaragua.
Series 4: International voices related to Central American women's labor movements, 1992-2003
This series highlights perspectives outside of Nicaragua discussing labor conditions and movements throughout Central America. Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala are also covered as areas undergoing labor reform. Many of these sources write about the labor exploitation in Central America and how to combat it from afar.
Series 5: Newspaper clippings and public documents regarding the labor situation in Central America, 1993-2001
Various newspaper clippings, laws, and reports that examine the labor problem in Central American during this time. More of the newspaper clippings discuss the exploitation and worsening labor conditions of those working in maquilas in Nicaragua in the mid-1990s. Other information within this series consider zonas francas and proposed changes to laws that regulate working conditions.
Series 6: Secondary source material that contextualize the labor fight
This series contains secondary source materials that Dr. Bickham Mendez used when writing her dissertation. A full list of secondary sources related to labor movements and the Nicaraguan case study can be found in this series. All of the material in the series could not be found on WorldCat, but all publications available to William and Mary community members do not appear in the collection and are available on WorldCat.
Series 7: Dr. Bickham Mendez's personal notes and material, 1993-1997
This series highlights all of Dr. Bickham Mendez's personal field notes and work while abroad in Central America. It includes personal correspondence with Nicaraguan labor contacts and her writing in different stages of her dissertation process.
Biographical / Historical
Dr. Jennifer Bickham Mendez compiled this collection while writing her History dissertation at the University of California, Davis. She spent significant time in Central America, especially Nicaragua, in order to conduct her research on women's labor movements throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. Her dissertation research would be published in her first book, From the Revolution to the Maquiladoras: Gender, Labor and Globalization in Nicaragua, in 2005. Since then, her work has focused on questions of Latino identity, immigration, social and labor movements, and border studies. Dr. Bickham Mendez arrived at William and Mary in 1999 as an Assistant Professor and has held various leadership positions within the university since. Currently, Dr. Bickham Mendez serves as a Professor of Sociology and Director of the Global Studies Program at William & Mary.
Processing Information
Materials have been arranged in alphabetical order according to subject.
Women in the labor movement
Women -- Central America
Research notes
Series 1: María Elena Cuadra's work in the women's labor movement, circa 1994-2006/repositories/2/archival_objects/4484800.417 Linear Feetcirca 1994-2006Primary source materials are in Spanish.Scope and ContentsThis series extensively covers information pertaining to the María Elena Cuadra organization in supporting the women's labor movement in Nicaragua. Reports written by and about this labor organization provide an understanding regarding their work and their ability to cause change. These reports cover the working conditions, economic role of women in Nicaragua, and successes of María Elena Cuadra in raising the voices of women laborers in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Articles and Reports about María Elena Cuadras and their work, 1996, 1998/repositories/2/archival_objects/44848111Campaign - "Empleo sí... pero con Dignidad," 1997/repositories/2/archival_objects/44848212Information and Materials about María Elena Cuadra, 1994-1995/repositories/2/archival_objects/44848313María Elena Cuadra Newspaper Coverage, 1997/repositories/2/archival_objects/44848414María Elena Cuadra Report on Labor Conditions in Zona Franca, 1999/repositories/2/archival_objects/448485English15Popular Culture Publications by María Elena Cuadra - Human Rights Focus, 1994-1998/repositories/2/archival_objects/44848616Publications by María Elena Cuadra, 1995-1999/repositories/2/archival_objects/44848817Report Evaluating María Elena Cuadra in Zonas Francas, circa 2006/repositories/2/archival_objects/44848918Series 2: María Elena Cuadra's La Boletina publications, 1994-2004/repositories/2/archival_objects/4484920.417 Linear FeetPrimary source materials are in Spanish.Scope and ContentsThis series contains various published pamphlets from María Elena Cuadra ranging from 1994-2004. These pamphlets discuss many women's issues that directly relate to the labor movement and work conditions, including sex and sexual health, women's rights, and gender violence.
Punto de Encuentro - La Boletina Pamphlets, 1994/repositories/2/archival_objects/44849721Punto de Encuentro - La Boletina Pamphlets, 1995/repositories/2/archival_objects/44849822Punto de Encuentro - La Boletina Pamphlets, 1996/repositories/2/archival_objects/44849923Punto de Encuentro - La Boletina Pamphlets, 1997-1999/repositories/2/archival_objects/44850024Punto de Encuentro - La Boletina Pamphlets, 2000-2004/repositories/2/archival_objects/44850125Series 3: Other Nicaragua voices related to women's labor movements, 1974-2001/repositories/2/archival_objects/4485030.417 Linear FeetPrimary source materials are in Spanish.Scope and ContentsThis series shows how Nicaraguan voices outside of María Elena Cuadra were examining the labor conditions and efforts to combat exploitation in Nicaragua. Various annual reports and materials published by other organizations demonstrate just how pervasive this issue was all throughout Nicaragua.
Asociación de Mujeres Nicaragüenses "Luisa Amanda Espinoza" (AMNLAE)/repositories/2/archival_objects/44850431Breaking Boundaries, Building Alliances Conference, 2001/repositories/2/archival_objects/44850532Central America Women's Network Workshop Report, 1999/repositories/2/archival_objects/44850633Centro de Estudios Internacionales (CEI) Programs, 1995-1997/repositories/2/archival_objects/44850734Lobbying Workshop - Red Centroamericana de Mujeres en Solidaridad con las Trabajadoras de la Maquila, 1996/repositories/2/archival_objects/44850835Movimiento de Mujeres de la Colonia López Arellano y Aledañas (MOMUCLAA) Brochures/repositories/2/archival_objects/44850936Popular Culture - Women's Agency and Power, 1992-1995/repositories/2/archival_objects/44851037Popular Cultural Pamphlets - Miscellaneous Women's Empowerment and Equality Material, 1995-1999/repositories/2/archival_objects/44851138Popular Culture Pamphlets - Women's Sexual Health and Reproduction, 1993-1997/repositories/2/archival_objects/44851239Popular Culture Pamphlets - Women Learning the Law and their Rights, 1974-1997/repositories/2/archival_objects/448513310Red Centroamericana de Mujeres en Solidaridad con las Trabajadoras de la Maquila, 1997/repositories/2/archival_objects/448515311Red Centroamericana de Mujeres en Solidaridad con las Trabajadoras de la Maquila, 1998/repositories/2/archival_objects/448516312Red Centroamericana de Mujeres en Solidaridad con las Trabajadoras de las Maquilas, 1999/repositories/2/archival_objects/44851941Red de Mujeres contra la Violencia, 1995-1996/repositories/2/archival_objects/44852042Series 4: International voices related to Central American women's labor movements, 1992-2003/repositories/2/archival_objects/4485170.417 Linear FeetPrimary source materials are in Spanish.Scope and ContentsThis series highlights perspectives outside of Nicaragua discussing labor conditions and movements throughout Central America. Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala are also covered as areas undergoing labor reform. Many of these sources write about the labor exploitation in Central America and how to combat it from afar.
American News Source Coverage of Labor Conditions and Central America, 1994-2000/repositories/2/archival_objects/44851843Collective of Honduran Women (CODEMUH) Material, 1995-1999/repositories/2/archival_objects/44852144Envío Magazine and Honduras Maquilas, 1997-1999/repositories/2/archival_objects/44852245Maquila Material from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, 1994-1999/repositories/2/archival_objects/44852346Maquila Network Update and International Labor Coverage, 1999/repositories/2/archival_objects/44852447Maquila Network Update Journal Issues, 1997-2003/repositories/2/archival_objects/44852548National Labor Committee Reports, 1997, 1999/repositories/2/archival_objects/44852649Reports on Nicaraguan Economic and Labor Conditions, 1992-1993/repositories/2/archival_objects/448527410Student Activism related to Sweatshop Conditions, 1999-2000/repositories/2/archival_objects/448528411Sweatshop Material and Living Wage Conference, 1997-1998/repositories/2/archival_objects/448529412US Apparel Industry Partnership, 1997/repositories/2/archival_objects/448530413Series 5: Newspaper clippings and public documents regarding the labor situation in Central America, 1993-2001/repositories/2/archival_objects/4485310.417 Linear FeetPrimary source materials are in Spanish.Scope and ContentsVarious newspaper clippings, laws, and reports that examine the labor problem in Central American during this time. More of the newspaper clippings discuss the exploitation and worsening labor conditions of those working in maquilas in Nicaragua in the mid-1990s. Other information within this series consider zonas francas and proposed changes to laws that regulate working conditions.
Barricada Newspaper, June 6, 1994/repositories/2/archival_objects/44853451Drafts of Law Reforms related to zonas francas, 1999, 2001/repositories/2/archival_objects/44853552Industrial Fortex of Nicaragua/repositories/2/archival_objects/44853653Miscellaneous Newspaper Clippings, 1993-1995/repositories/2/archival_objects/44853754Miscellaneous Newspaper Clippings and Labor Union Call, 1994, 1999/repositories/2/archival_objects/44853855Newspaper Clippings - Zonas Francas, 1995-1997/repositories/2/archival_objects/44853956Newspaper Clippings - Zonas Francas, 1995-1997/repositories/2/archival_objects/44854057Newspaper Clippings - Nicaraguan Election, 1996-1997/repositories/2/archival_objects/44854158Nicaraguan National Assembly Worker's Code, 1996-1997/repositories/2/archival_objects/44854259Nuevo Amanecer Newspaper, June 4, 1994/repositories/2/archival_objects/448543510El Nuevo Diario Newspaper, June 4, 1994/repositories/2/archival_objects/448544511US Census Data - Populations born in Central America, 2000/repositories/2/archival_objects/448545512US Government Committee on International Affairs on Current Issues in Nicaragua, 1996/repositories/2/archival_objects/448546513Zonas Francas Information and Pay Stubs, 1996-1997/repositories/2/archival_objects/448547514Series 6: Secondary source material that contextualize the labor fight/repositories/2/archival_objects/4485320.417 Linear FeetPrimary source materials are in Spanish.Scope and ContentsThis series contains secondary source materials that Dr. Bickham Mendez used when writing her dissertation. A full list of secondary sources related to labor movements and the Nicaraguan case study can be found in this series. All of the material in the series could not be found on WorldCat, but all publications available to William and Mary community members do not appear in the collection and are available on WorldCat.
The Autumn of the Revolutionary, August 1998/repositories/2/archival_objects/44854861La dinamica del mercado de trabajo urbano y sus implicaciones por género en Nicaragua, 1995/repositories/2/archival_objects/44854962Estudios de casos y educación obrera en zonas francas y empresas maquiladoras en países del istmo centroamericano y República Dominicana (El caso de Nicaragua)/repositories/2/archival_objects/44855063El fin de fetiche/repositories/2/archival_objects/44855164El infierno de los nuevos paraísos fiscales: La represión antisindical en las zonas francas, April 1996/repositories/2/archival_objects/44855265Labor Crisis in Free Trade Zone continues, August 2000/repositories/2/archival_objects/44855366El Observador Económico, Edition 52, April 1996/repositories/2/archival_objects/44855467El Observador Económico, Edition 71, December 1997/repositories/2/archival_objects/44855568El Observador Económico, Edition 72, January 1997/repositories/2/archival_objects/44855669El Observador Económico, Edition 119, December 2001/January 2002/repositories/2/archival_objects/448557610Nicaraguan feminists strategize for the future, Spring 1994/repositories/2/archival_objects/448558611Posición y propuesta de las organizaciones aglutinadas en ICIC y CACI con respeto a la evaluación del sistema de integración centroamericana, May-August 1997/repositories/2/archival_objects/448559612Ser empleada doméstica en Nicaragua - Estudio testimonial, November 1993/repositories/2/archival_objects/448560613A social conscience in the global marketplace? Labor dimensions of codes of conduct, social labeling and investor initiatives, 1999/repositories/2/archival_objects/448561614Un test ético para una sociedad en crisis, March 1998/repositories/2/archival_objects/448562615Toward a New Internationalism: Lessons from the Guatemalan Labor Movement, March/April 1995/repositories/2/archival_objects/448563616Twentieth-Century Nicaraguan Feminist and Antifeminist Discourse in Historical Perspective: Homosexuality and Abortion before the Revolution, March 2003/repositories/2/archival_objects/448564617Series 7: Dr. Bickham Mendez's personal notes and material, 1993-1997/repositories/2/archival_objects/4485330.417 Linear FeetPrimary source materials are in Spanish.Scope and ContentsThis series highlights all of Dr. Bickham Mendez's personal field notes and work while abroad in Central America. It includes personal correspondence with Nicaraguan labor contacts and her writing in different stages of her dissertation process. There are also negatives and developed photos in this series.
Dissertation Plan of Investigation, 1996/repositories/2/archival_objects/44856571Field Notes, 1993-1994/repositories/2/archival_objects/44856672Personal Correspondence with various Nicaraguan Women's Organizations and International Development Exchange, 1993-1994, 1998/repositories/2/archival_objects/44856773Personal Notes and Miscellaneous Nicaraguan Material, 1994-1995/repositories/2/archival_objects/44856874Personal Notes and Miscellaneous Nicaraguan Material, 1994-1995/repositories/2/archival_objects/44856975Reports and Personal Notes from Instituto Nicaragüense de la Mujer (INIM), 1996/repositories/2/archival_objects/44857076Presentation Paper on María Elena Cuadra, 1997/repositories/2/archival_objects/44857177Personal Photographs/repositories/2/archival_objects/44857278