The Relevance of Martí’s Thought in the essay “Our America”: a Theoretical Analysis from Latin American Identity and Emancipation

Abstract

This article focuses on one of the most profound works in Martí’s literature, the essay Our America. This work represents one of the most significant expressions of the author’s thought, as he critically addressed not only the situation of his country but also that of the entire continent, warning about the dangers associated with imperialism.

The study was conducted under a qualitative, documentary approach, based on discourse analysis, which enabled the identification and systematization of the main analytical categories present in the text, particularly those of denunciation and proposal. Through the application of methods such as analysis–synthesis, historical-logical method, and hermeneutics, the content of the essay was examined and organized into meaningful units for scientific interpretation.

The results reveal that the essay articulates a coherent set of denunciations related to cultural colonialism, racism, caudillismo, and imperialism, which are dialectically linked to proposals aimed at self-knowledge, continental unity, the construction of identity, and the development of forms of government rooted in local realities.

It is concluded that these reflections remain highly relevant in the contemporary context, serving as a theoretical reference for understanding current issues in Latin America and as a call for conscious action among its peoples.