On the occasion of her book Sueños, experiencias y resistencia política de mujeres tsotsiles zapatistas (2024) [Dreams, experiences and political resistance of Tsotsil Zapatistas women], María Isabel Pérez-Enríquez interviewed journalist Ioanna Lazarou about Greek News and Radio FL, talking about her work, her personal journey and the contribution of women to the social and political life of Mexico.
Personal – Human Dimension
Q: If you could talk again with one of the women who inspired you most in your work, what would you tell her?
A: I would like to speak to Comandantes Ramona and Esther and tell them that I admire them, because they sought gender, ethnicity, and class equality in social and political action, for both urban and rural women in Mexico. I would also like to speak to Maya Tsotsil woman “S” and tell her how much I admire her for becoming a leader of women in her community. To “M” I would like to express my admiration for her family and their role in resistance and autonomy. To “AM” I would emphasize the importance of the “Revolutionary Legislation of Women”. I want to thank them all for their contributions to feminism and dignity, in Mexico and around the world.
Q: What is your dream for the next generation of women in society?
A: My dream is for the young women and men of the next generations to build equal relationships, demand respect, and create leadership within their families and communities, against gender inequalities, class exploitation, ethnic discrimination, and domination between nations. I hope that science and knowledge will be accompanied by a sense of justice.
Studies and First Steps
Q: What led you to study Philosophy and then turn to Sociology?
A: I chose Philosophy because it analyzes knowledge, asks questions, and engages in critical studies of society, culture, and languages. Sociology, on the other hand, explains the sources of social problems of class, ethnic identity, and gender, through a systemic lens. I studied Philosophy in the 70s and then Sociology because I wanted to understand the theoretical frameworks of critical movements. I was particularly interested in the thoughts of Karl Marx and Louis Althusser. When I read Feuerbach's 11th thesis, "philosophers have only interpreted the world; the point is to change it," I realized that Sociology would allow me to better understand social movements.
Q: How did your life in San Cristóbal de las Casas (Chiapas) influence your engagement with indigenous communities, especially women?
A: I worked for 33 years at the Autonomous University of Chiapas, in the Department of Sociology. I taught "Social Research" and "Theory of Ideology" and at the same time I studied rural sociology, to understand the rural struggles of the 80s for land and survival. I researched the migration of the indigenous Maya Tsotsil to coffee and corn plantations, as well as internal religious conflicts. I wrote two books: The Impact of Political and Religious Problems on the Migratory Movements of the Tsotsil Zone and Indigenous ExpulsionsAfter the Zapatista uprising on January 1, 1994, I understood the importance of the role of women in the struggle for housing, land, food, work, independence, justice, democracy and dignity.
Writing – Literature and Politics
Q: Your work combines literature with social and political analysis. Do you believe that poetry can be a form of resistance?
A: Yes. Poetry is resistance because it expresses the "feeling-thought" of the moment, combining emotion and logic. Indigenous peoples have a strong worldview where feeling and thought are united; something that in Western culture is often considered separate.
Q: In your book Love in Times of Low-Intensity War, what was your main intention? How do love and war meet?
A: This collective work was written by students and professors of the University of Chiapas, after the EZLN uprising in 1994. We expressed our feelings and thoughts about freedom, resistance and anti-capitalist dreams. Love is power and intensity, while low-intensity war oppresses and limits. Through poetry we showed how passion tries to overcome these limits.
Social Research – Indigenous Women
Q: What inspired you to study the experiences of the women of the Tsotsil Zapatistas?
A: I admired their “awakening.” While they were the most marginalized and humiliated, they stood up courageously and claimed their voice. I was impressed by how they challenged the traditional “machismo” of their communities and gained a place in the assemblies as leaders. This was a huge step for change.
Q: How do indigenous women perceive their power and participation in political life?
A: Power lies in the assemblies. Women actively participate, make decisions, and demand respect so that their voices carry weight in their communities.
Science and Politics
Q: In your collective work on cooperatives in Cuba and Mexico, what similarities and differences did you observe?
A: In Mexico, women struggle to implement collective practices in a capitalist environment. In Cuba, women live in a socialist society and integrate collectivism into a state framework. In both cases, women fight “machismo” and strengthen community through spirituality and tradition.
Q: What is the role of sociology today, in a time of crisis and inequality?
A: Sociology must confront the crisis of the capitalist and neoliberal system, which reproduces patriarchal, class and ethnic inequalities. It must strengthen knowledge, community and solidarity, so that we can build societies with justice, dignity and respect for different cultures and languages.
In closing, we warmly thank the author María Isabel Pérez-Enríquez for the honor of sharing her thoughts, experiences and vision with us.
