Leadership in the Cuban Revolution

Antoni Kapcia is professor of Latin American history at the University of Nottingham, where he also directs the Centre for Research on Cuba. Since 1975, he has published extensively on aspects of modern and contemporary Cuban history, focusing especially on political and cultural history and on the questions of ideology and national identity. His books include Cuba: Island of Dreams (2000), Havana: The Making of Cuban Culture (2005), Cuba in Revolution (2008) and (in conjunction with Par Kumaraswami) Literary Culture in Cuba: Revolution, Nation-Building and the Book (2012).

• Introduction: The problem with 'Fidel-centrism'1. The core leadership: the familiar triumvirate2. The formation of 'the vanguard': 1953-583. Taking stock and finding direction: 1959-624. The years of 'revolutionary' flux: 1963-755. The stable years: systems, institutions and bureaucrats: 1975-866. The return of fluidity: 1986 to the present7. Inclusion and exclusion: 'within' and 'against' the Revolution8. Inclusion and collectivity: a revolutionary corporatism?

Antoni Kapcia skilfully draws on virtually all current research on the Cuban leadership, placing the role of leaders, decision-making processes, and debates between political actors and the base within their historical context. The result is an original, balanced and must-needed book which will be of value to all social sciences in analysing Cuba as it enters the "post-Castro" era.