How has Mexican food changed during your period of study? In particular, how much has food from the United States or further afield affected the diet of the average Mexican?

For women who joined in the Cristero War on the side of rebellion, (like the Guerrilleras de Cristo) how were they portrayed by the Mexican government and pro-government media at the time? How did the Catholic Church react to these groups, as I imagine they were probably thinking women should be kept in a traditional role. And finally, why did these women so fervently back the Church and its priests - from what little I can find, many women fought or supported the revolution for more rights, and the Church was not supportive of feminism at the time.

During the period of PRI governments, how did the average Mexican relate to the party? My understanding was that the PRI was genuinely popular with the Meixcan people, or at least an accepted part of life. How did it achieve this?

How do comic books and other forms of popular mass media represent / interact with radical leftist movements in Mexico such as the EZLN and others?

Some people say "El Chavo del Ocho" was a program full of propaganda that conveyed a message that it was good to be poor and mediocre, what are your thoughts in that?

Hi, Professor Rubenstein! Thank you for hosting this AMA.

The publisher page for your book says:

Since their first appearance in 1934, comic books enjoyed wide readership, often serving as a practical guide to life in booming new cities.

Comic books can and have covered basically everything. Are you talking about a specific kind of comic book here? Did the ebb and flow of popular types of comics and themes in comics in Mexico parallel developments in the US? (You're talking about specifically Mexican comics, not imports, right?)

Also, especially given your discussion of nationalism and morality, did Mexico develop a similarly strong urban/rural dichotomy to the US? (Or if that's too boring, what does the rural-urban dynamic look like?)

We don't often think of Mexico as a nation of immigrants, but today several of the most prominent figures of Mexican business and media are descended from immigrants from Italy or the middle east. Carlos Slim and his clan are probably the most famous example of this.

Do you have any readings on how these groups have participated in Mexican narratives of nationhood? Can any meaningful comparison be drawn to the United States nativist movements of the 1920s and 1930s in terms of the construction of the burgeoning "mestizo" movement in the arts during the mid-20th century?

Where do the seemingly strict gender roles and patriarchy in Mexican society stem from? Is it a holdover from the pre-conquest peoples such as the Aztec or is it a Spanish holdover?

First off, that book sounds awesome and I need to get it. Thanks for doing an AMA!

How was the Mexican comic book industry affected (it at all) by World War II and the formation of the Comics Code Authority?

Hello and thank you very much for doing an AMA.

How did Mexico grew so fast in the period between 1945 and 1980? To add to the question by u/WARitter, was the PRI popular in the vein of Singapore's PAP and China's CCP for delivering fast growth?

How has pornography and other obscenity filtered into Mexico and been distributed? Are we seeing European material or American material that is translated into Spanish? Were there groups that organized against this material or laws that were passed?

Thank you so much for doing this AMA, Professor Rubenstein! I'd like to ask you: What role did comics, cinema and other aspects of popular culture play during Cárdenas' time in the office, in regards to nation building and shaping the narrative of collective Mexican past?

How did Mexico handle the influx of refugees from Europe during the Second World War?

Just speaking into your time range: how was Mexico affected by prohibition and the ending of it? Were the border towns changes significantly during this period?

My mom is from Jalisco. There is a family rumor that her great great grandmother was Japanese. My granparents were born early 1900s. Both in Cocula Jal. Is there any veracity to the story historically? And muchisimas gracias for being here!

Holy cow, you all ask fabulous questions. I'm going to quit for a while, but I'll try to come back later and get to at least some of the rest. This has been really fun. Thanks to all of you!

How were the civil wars in Central America of the 60's, 70's and 80's portrayed in Mexican media? What about the U.S. intervention into these conflicts?
Did they have a chilling effect on opposition movements within Mexico?

Correct me if I am wrong, but between 1929 and 2000, every single Mexican President served for one term of six years, during which he wielded a lot of power. Mexico was only sort of a democracy, so why did no president ever try to amend the constitution? What were the forces making this difficult?

Hey Prof. Rubenstein,

I'll join the chorus of folks thanking you for taking the time to do this AMA.

My question is this: Can you speak a bit about what Mexican engagement with comics can teach us about how Mexican popular culture engages with other cultures? I suppose I'm especially thinking here of the US and Japan (both of whom have large, influential comic/manga industries) and Native American cultures in Mexico.

Dr. Rubenstein, I do not know about comics in Mexico, but in the US they objectify women in clothing at the same time that they provide more examples of female agency and power than most other forms of media.

Is this true in the comics you studied? If not, why not? What are the representations? If so, why is this the case?

Could you give me a rundown of PRI since its inception post-revolution? How has it maintained power? Also speak to the connection between the Mexican state and narcoterrorism? I've heard that the ability to label any any application of violence as drug related has shielded criticisms of indiscriminate state violence.

Also, I wrote this question before reading that this wasn't really your field, but I'll still ask anyways :)

Does Americanized Mexican food actually derive from authentic Mexican food of the past or is it more Tex-Mex/Southwestern? I often hear from Mexicans that they don't put lettuce tomatoes and cheese in their tacos and also they don't use hard shell tacos nor flour tortillas. Just to name a few examples

Could you speak a bit about how Mexico has urbanized in this time period?

Have you ever been at or lived in Mexico?

Mexican here! do you think that the PRI was able to get away with so many things say, an American party , would not be able to get away with because of the poor education on the country?

BONUS (if you feel like answering this one) do you think the presence of many religious organizations, specifically in the north, affected Mexican education in any way?

Thanks in advance!

What had been the role of the CIA in Mexican affairs during the Cold War? Was there much of a communist movement in Mexico? If so how did the central government respond as well

Part of my family is Mexican from Guadalajara. The elders always swear that promiscuity was very minimal and very frowned upon. They say it was due to the influence of the Catholic church. I say it was really because people rarely moved and you lived next to the same families for generations. So gossip and rumors never went away and they reached extended family. Unlike the US where there is so much movement and diversity that people can move and start over. What do you think.

If you've read it - could you tell me something about the historical accuracy of The Power and the Glory, especially regarding the Mexican suppression of Catholicism?

What do you know about the Rojero surname. Its not very common, but its my grandmothers last name, born in Zacatecas. I've never met another Rojero from Mexico that wasn't somehow related to my family.

Hi! Mexican here. This AMA is very interesting. To my question:

Does mexican media show if there was a tipping point where corruption and political apathy became part of the country's culture? or is it something that has always kind of been there since the revolution?.