Ton Salman
On May 22 he died, too early and suddenly, the Dutchman Willem Assies known Latin Americanist. He had 55. It is an irreplaceable loss to the world of studies on the continent, within the Netherlands but also beyond. Willem Assies was a prolific political anthropologist and worked at several universities in Holland, but he was a teacher and researcher, often a guest in Mexico, Guatemala, Spain, Germany, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Brazil and Bolivia. His subjects were neighborhood organizations, social movements, indigenous rights, land disputes and territories, decentralization policies, management policies and local, ethnic political parties, sustainable management of tropical forests, democratization and civil rights. And conducted studies on Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Chile and Bolivia. Published in Portuguese, French, English, Dutch, and English. He wrote four books, was editor of six collections of articles, and published over one hundred articles, often in prestigious journals. Oversaw six projects PhD, mostly in Latin America - and at the time of his death all these activities were in full swing. Death surprised him and a few others.
Willem Assies, however, will not be remembered only for its publications and its impressive track record. It will also be remembered for his personality, at once irascible and friendly, grumpy and entertaining, and being good refractory to all protocol and formality. Willem was also very hospitable, no matter where home was, there were always people talking, sleeping, eating and drinking, and having fun in it. Willem Assies was bohemian and a tireless worker, and his energy was because of envy and admiration for all who knew him.
Although almost never been an explicit theme in discussions with him, all his research efforts had a common denominator: the subject, unalterably, was the effort to give voice to the underdog, to look for human dignity and justice. Underneath an apparent bite, a big heart lataba humanist, and hid a constant search for strategies that subordinates could improve their lives, could make self-respect and respect for others, to fight if necessary. Willem was not utopian, he knew the world and history were too illogical and quota for that paradise could be done. However, in his view, did not mean that it would have to throw in the towel: the fight for dignity and worth justice, no matter how contradictory and capricious human effort and the course of history was. So, when he wrote about Bolivia, wrote about the struggles and paradoxes of the struggles of social movements, indigenous rights and community justice, on the wars of the gas and water, and the efforts of poor voice achieved and vote in national politics.
In Willem Assies, researchers on the continent and Bolivia lost a colleague, a inspiring author and scholar, and a prolific researcher and engaged. And many lost a willing but very loyal and dear friend.
Ton Salman, 2010
Ton Salman, 2010
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