Silence and screams : “Nueva Canción” and its impact on political movements in Chile, Argentina and Uruguay

This thesis has presented the organizational factors that made “Nueva Canción” so influential for socio-political movement in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay as well as the role that this genre of popular music played as a coalescing force for these social movements. This genre of music allowed a level of communication between artists and working classes as well as peasants that could not have been achieved through political literature, since most of them were illiterate. “Nueva Canción” also permitted an emotional connection to social causes for the listeners and among the artists. Through social networks created between musicians and resources that were facilitated through government (Salvador Allende’s Government in Chile), “Nueva Canción” affected influenced social movements and political structures. After military dictatorships came to power, their organization had to adapt because of government censorship and persecution. Through their continued musical efforts while in exile, “Nueva Canción” artists maintained social causes and the lack of democracy in the international limelight.Department of Political ScienceLiterary review : social movements in Latin America -- Popular culture and politics -- Theory -- Case study : "e;Nueva Cancion"e; in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay -- Content analysis : songs of outrage and humanity.Thesis (M.A.