{"product_id":"reunion-finding-the-disappeared-children-of-el-salvador","title":"Reunion: Finding the Disappeared Children of El Salvador","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review of Reunion: Finding the Disappeared Children of El Salvador, the bottom line is straightforward: this is a deeply reported, humane ethnography for readers who want a close, person-centered account of forced family separation and reunion. Elizabeth Barnert's narrative, drawn from fifteen years of interviews and field notes, offers the clearest single-volume look at the human consequences of the Salvadoran Civil War and the DNA-driven efforts to reconnect families; it is essential for anyone studying transitional justice, memory, or restorative activism.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLong-term fieldwork:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fifteen years of interviews and field notes provide sustained, longitudinal perspective on families' experiences and reintegration processes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDNA-driven reunification focus:\u003c\/strong\u003e The book centers on the practical project of building a DNA bank and how genetic tools were used to reconnect disappeared children with their families.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFirsthand collaborations:\u003c\/strong\u003e Barnert writes from direct work with Father Jon Cortina, Pro-Busqueda, former guerrilla fighters, and reformed gang members, offering a range of activist and survivor viewpoints.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRich human stories:\u003c\/strong\u003e Chapters trace military attacks, disappearances, joyful reunions, and the arduous work of reintegration, grounding policy in lived experience.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEthnographic method:\u003c\/strong\u003e The narrative uses interviews and participant observation to illuminate cultural and social dynamics in postwar El Salvador.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is best for scholars and students in \u003cstrong\u003eLatin American studies\u003c\/strong\u003e, human rights practitioners, and general readers who want narrative-driven social science about displacement, memory, and family reunification. Its focus on activism and a DNA bank makes it useful for those studying the intersection of science and social justice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReaders seeking a concise textbook or a broad history of the Salvadoran Civil War should look elsewhere; Reunion is a focused ethnography that privileges participant voices and case-based accounts over comprehensive military or political chronology.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeep, long-term ethnographic engagement yields nuanced portraits of survivors and activists.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClear description of the practical efforts to build a DNA bank and use genetics for reunification.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes diverse voices, from Jesuit activists to former combatants and reformed gang members, which broadens perspective.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe book's narrow focus on reunification cases means readers seeking broader political or military synthesis may find gaps.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eReunion: Finding the Disappeared Children of El Salvador\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eElizabeth Barnert\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eResearch period\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFifteen years of interviews and field notes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGeographic focus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEl Salvador\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMain themes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eForced separations, DNA reunification, reintegration, survivor voices\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCollaborators featured\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFather Jon Cortina, Pro-Busqueda, former guerrillas, reformed gang members\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReunion is a valuable, humane ethnography that excels at translating long-term fieldwork into moving, concrete case studies of separation and reunion. Readers interested in \u003cstrong\u003esocial justice\u003c\/strong\u003e and the human impact of forced migration will find it good value: it combines methodological rigor with narrative clarity, making complex reunification work accessible and emotionally resonant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes the book describe the DNA bank project?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes. Barnert documents her work building a DNA bank in 2005 and how genetic tools were used to reconnect families.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho are the primary voices in the book?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe narrative is told through activists and survivors, including Jesuit priest Father Jon Cortina, former guerrilla fighters, and reformed gang members.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this a general history of the Salvadoran Civil War?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo. Reunion is a focused ethnography that centers reunification cases and survivor experiences rather than a comprehensive military or political history.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Elizabeth Barnert","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48778717528283,"sku":"0520386140","price":83.6,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/81iBX4eP5EL._SL1500.jpg?v=1778929937","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/reunion-finding-the-disappeared-children-of-el-salvador","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}