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The Culture of men in Curaçao: Women on the social identity of their partners

by Valdemar Marcha and Paul Verweel

128 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #08-0337; ISBN 1-4251-7348-9; US$14.16, C$14.16, EUR9.67, £7.31

The Curaçaoan man is attractive, charming, sexy - all the experts agree on that. But as far as his family and wife are concerned, he backs out. Most of the time he is absent.

About the Book

The Culture of Men in Curaçao Women on the Social Identity of their partners

The Curaçaoan man is attractive, charming, sexy – all the experts agree on that. But as far as his family and wife are concerned, he backs out. Most of the time he is absent. The reason for this is explained by the many Curaçaoan women who tell their story in this book.

The authors, Valdemar Marcha and Paul Verweel, used the method of ethnographic interviewing in the numerous conversations they had with women from various social backgrounds and different levels of education. The result is a clear and quite unanimous view on the cause of absence of the Curaçaoan man. His absence is not seen as a conscious choice or his intention. It is a complex cultural phenomenon which is maintained by both men and women. Changing this situation demands a cultural revolution for which the interviewed women provide numerous original suggestions.

The New Curaçaoan man is already beyond the embryonic stage. This book is a modest contribution to the process.

About the Author

Valdemar Marcha:

Gained his degree in civil engineering at the H.T.S. in Tilburg (1965) and primary education mathematics on Curaçao (1968). He subsequently studied in New York at Columbia University where he obstained his ‘Master of Science’ (1972) and ‘Doctor of Engineering Science’ (1975). He was employed at A.L.M in the years 1976-1983 as VP Marketing and later VP Finance. In that time he was also a part-time lecturer at the University of the Netherlands Antilles where he became later a full-time lecturer in the Faculty of Social and Economic Scienes since 1983. From 1987 to 1993 he was rector-magnificus of the University of the Netherlands Antilles and in 2001 he was appointed as Professor on the Special Chair of Social Cohesion and Multiculturality at the University of Utrecht (The Netherlands). Amongst others, he has published about good governance, on the cultural differences between the Netherlands and Belgium and the future of the Antilles.

Paul Verweel:

Is professor in Organization and Management from a Multicultural Perspective at the Utrecht School of Governance, Utrecht University, the Netherlands. He has published widely on topics such as diversity in organizations, mergers, strategic management, organizational culture and the construction of meaning in sport organizations.