Maria Isabel Kalbermatten, Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Maria Isabel Kalbermatten (Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures) published the article “Depicting ‘La Grieta‘: The Role of Political Satire and Humor in Argentinean Polarization.” In this article, Kalbermatten explores “la grieta” in Argentine society, the deep and irreconcilable division, primarily between Kirchneristas and Anti-Kirchneristas, that fragments and polarizes the nation. It significantly shapes political, social, cultural, and even personal relationships in the nation. Introduced by Jorge Lanata during the 2013 Martin Fierro Award Ceremony, la grieta extends beyond politics, impacting friendships, families, and workplaces. Argentina’s main newspapers align themselves with different sides of la grieta, made evident in their satirical approaches in political columns and editorial cartoons. Página 12 takes a progressive stance, La Nación leans conservative, and Clarín leans center-right. These newspapers reinforce existing beliefs, deepening the ideological and political divide. Selected texts like “Life begins at 30: The beautiful Página” (Página 12), “Cristina vs. Alberto: Call the firefighters!” (La Nación), and “Let the rift not wane” (Clarín) shed light on how satirists portray la grieta as a problematic phenomenon. Political satire both reflects and critiques the polarizing aspect of the division in Argentine society. This analysis provides perspectives on the role of satire in addressing societal wrongs within the context of la grieta in Argentina. Understanding the impact of this division can provide deeper insights into the social, cultural, and political dynamics of Argentine society.