Unidos alcanzaremos un Vieques libre discourse as a reflection of social and geographic location /

by 1976- Sanders, Rebeccah Anne

The sixty-year history of United States Naval activity on Vieques Island, Puerto Rico has been plagued with protests by island residents who have varyingly applied environmental and social justice discourse in their movement to evict the Navy. The most current inception of demonstrations spans a wide geographic range, centering on the island itself and radiating to cities throughout the continental United States. As the island prepares for a referendum determining the fate of the Navy’s presence, the social and political influence of these campaigns has risen dramatically. The movement has gained political and popular support with its dedication to civil disobedience and its rhetoric of health, the environment, human rights, and, more controversially, political determination. This thesis considers how the discourse of the movement reflects the location of its supporters.