Villagers in northern New Mexico refer to the south-facing side of a wall as la resolana, meaning “the place where the sun shines.” Every culture has a resolana, a place where the resolaneros—the villagers—gather, dialogue, and reflect on society, culture, and politics. The buried knowledge that emerges from this process may be “pure gold,” or el oro del barrio, a metaphor for the culturally contextualized knowledge gathered at the resolana.

Coming from diverse backgrounds in social work, sociology, public administration, literature, history, and education, three modern resolaneros take the twin concepts of resolana and el oro del barrio on a breathtaking journey from their rural roots to their application in an urban setting and on to a holistic view of globalization. The authors offer a humane perspective on transborder cultures and all communities struggling to maintain their cultural and linguistic identities. They share an optimistic view of how ordinary people everywhere can take back control of their own destinies. This book is about uncovering subjugated knowledge—el oro del barrio—through resolana, a dynamic process of thought and action.

Resolana will inspire dialogue and creativity from those interested in sociology, political science, social work, and Chicano studies, as well as public-policy makers and the general public.

Miguel Montiel is the Motorola Presidential Professor Emeritus at the North American Center for Transborder Studies at Arizona State University. He is co-author of Debatable Diversity: Critical Dialogues on Change in American Universities. Tomás Atencio is a community activist, co-founder of La Academia de la Nueva Raza (The Academy of the New Humanity), Emeritus Lecturer at the University of New Mexico, and author of Resolana: A Chicano Pathway to Knowledge. E. A. Mares is an essayist, historian, poet, and Emeritus Professor at the University of New Mexico. His most recent books are With the Eyes of a Raptor and his translation of poems by Ángel González, Almost All the Music.

“This is a major contribution by three senior scholars who have a mature and sophisticated approach to social commentary. There is no rival book of this kind—one that integrates contemporary discourse on globalization and the traditional values of Mexican culture.” —Richard Griswold del Castillo

“This book is on the cutting edge of Chicano studies and the possibilities for social action generated by ethnic studies. It takes a fresh approach to the traditional understanding of the clash between tradition and innovation.” —Robert Con Davis-Undiano