Marianismo as a Philosophy of Life Amid the Epidemic of Loneliness

This book reevaluates a fundamental concept in Hispanic and Latin American studies, Marianismo, and reinterprets it not as a negative social script for Latina women, but as a profound philosophy of life, what we might call storgosophy, for men and women alike.

Marianismo is a concept that arose in 1972 to describe an idealized social expectation for Latinas that was influenced by Catholic devotion to the Virgin Mary. Through this concept, women were expected to serve as the moral and spiritual backbone of their families, contribute to their communities, and promote harmony at home. From its beginning, the term Marianismo quickly gained popularity in Hispanic studies. It was imbued with a highly pejorative connotation, as if it were the flip side of Latin American Machismo, which subjugates women and impedes their freedom. This work questions this last premise and redefines Marianismo not as a social script tied to a specific gender and ethnicity but rather as a philosophy of life, or a storgosophy, for all.