COMUNICATION

The doctoral thesis “Revolución e indulgencia. La política de indultos en la última Nueva España, 1808-1821”, written by the Mexican researcher Óscar Zárate Miramontes, won the 7^th Research Prize to Ibero-American Doctoral Theses that is granted by the European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation. (22/03/2023)

The prize was presented in the framework of the 3^rd International Congress on “Relations between Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe: Images and Views on Both Shores”, which has been held on the 21^st and 22^nd of March at the Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Guadalupe (Cáceres). The prize consists of the publication of the thesis in the Foundation’s book collection known as “Tesis Doctorales” and is endowed with €3,000.

To Dr. Zárate Miramontes, this award is a recognition of the effort involved in doing historical research, as well as a great motivation to continue working. “This award is a double recognition because it is given in the framework of a congress that favours relations between Latin America, Europe and Spain”, he claimed. In this sense, Dr. Zárate pointed out that recognising works that rescue the historical perspective between both regions is important because “it contributes to give continuity to the good bonds of solidarity, friendship and brotherhood between both parts of the world”.

The thesis “Revolución e indulgencia. La política de indultos en la última Nueva España, 1808-1821” studies the uses of pardons or criminal waivers in New Spain during the process of political crisis, civil war and imperial disintegration that, as a consequence, led to the independence of these northern provinces of Hispanic America.

The circumstantial part of the research work focuses on examining the pardons that the governments of the viceroyalty of New Spain decreed during their last thirteen years of existence and on determining the reasons and the specific purposes of their concession, as well as their political implications in the troubled circumstances of the kingdom. In that sense, the thesis identifies two main functions in the uses of pardon in that period: legitimising and pacifying.

Óscar Sergio Zárate Miramontes holds a PhD in History from the Colegio de México (College of Mexico). He has participated in numerous courses and seminars in Spain, France and the United States and received various awards in Mexico and Spain. He has also received scholarships from the National Council of Science and Technology, the Ibero-American General Secretariat and the Centre for the Study of Mexican History.

The jury of the 7^th Research Prize to Ibero-American Doctoral Theses was made up by doctors Juan Carlos Moreno Piñero, the director of Yuste Foundation and president of the jury, Rosa María Perales Piqueres, Elena Jurado Mangas, Sigfrido Vázquez Cienfuegos and Gabriel Moreno González.

In this 7^th edition, the following research works were finalists: “A República de Monroe versus o Império de Pedro I: Uma perspetiva histórica sobre o pragmatismo americano”, by Leonídio Paulo Martins Ferreira; “Traducción y recepción de la literatura brasileña en España entre 1855 y 1936”, by Francielle Piuco Biglia; “La identidad cultural como patrimonio vivo en los inmigrantes polacos, ucranianos, rusobielorrusos y alemanes de Misiones”, by Zulma Mónica Pittau Sevilla, and “Gentias da terra: gênero e etnia no Rio de Janeiro colonial”, by Suelen Sequeira Julio.