Identidades y alteridades en el Rí­o de la Plata. Una visión histórica desde la banda oriental del "rí­o mar"

Abstract

From a long-term historical perspective, this article studies the itineraries and core elements that have influenced the construction of the Uruguayan national identity, referred to particular dialectics kept with its regional alterities. Special emphasis is made on the roots and effects of the “antiporteñista”, or anti Buenos Aires, sign (frequently turn into plain “anti-argentinism”) of Uruguayan nationalism in its most classical version. Under this perspective, the paper analyses the influence of some topics such as geopolitical changes within the Rio de la Plata basin; controversial trajectories of predominant accounts on the notion of “nation” in Uruguayan history, in its cosmopolitan profiles and in its regional alterities; and this issue’s liaison with the challenges for the construction of an “international Uruguay”. The article closes with a reflection that seeks to pinpoint some historical roots of the contemporary contentious agenda between Argentina and Uruguay.