Reseña

Robert H. Jackson's study reveals that the Jesuit missions of Paraguay and Chiquitos, despite their geographical separation, shared demographic patterns and cultural resilience. Both regions' indigenous populations, prior to contact with Jesuits, practiced agriculture supplemented by hunting and gathering. Upon joining the missions, they experienced improved nutrition due to intensified agricultural activities and livestock farming, while maintaining their social structures. Jackson's comparative analysis highlights similarities and differences in population dynamics between these missions and other Spanish colonial frontier zones, using a combination of historical records, demographic data, and ethnographic observations. The study also examines the devastating impact of smallpox on mission populations and post-1768 demographic shifts following the expulsion of Jesuits. Supported by extensive documentation and visual aids, this work provides a nuanced understanding of the long-term effects of missionary activities on indigenous communities in Spanish South America.

Álvarez Icaza Longoria, M. T. (2016). Reseña. Estudios de Historia Novohispana, 54, 103–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ehn.2015.11.002