Silvia Sanchez Diaz

My research examines work, gender, ethnicity, development, and the circulation of goods in Guatemala. My dissertation is a multi-sited ethnography of artisanal production, its incorporation into eastern Guatemala's informal rural economy, and the everyday lives of Ch'orti' Maya women who manufacture handmade goods to fulfill their dual role as breadwinners and homemakers. My work shows that Ch’orti’ Maya women create the possibility of a viable and meaningful livelihood through the small-scale production of handmade goods.