This pioneering translation of Alfonso Múnera's seminal work 'El fracaso de la nación' presents a new interpretation and innovative perspective on canonical Colombian history and the failure of the Colombian nation to English speaking readers.

Alfonso Múnera is a historian, researcher, lecturer, and former ambassador. Born in Cartagena in 1953, Múnera earned a law degree from the University of Cartagena in 1981 and an MA and PhD in Latin American studies and US history from the University of Connecticut in 1995. In 1981, he began teaching at the University of Cartagena, where he served as vice rector of research (2007-2010) and founded the International Institute for Caribbean Studies in 2005. Múnera has been a visiting professor in Spain and the United States at institutions such as Pablo de Olavide University (1999), the University of Wisconsin (2003-2004), and the University of Seville (2006). Múnera is one of Latin America's most recognized and respected historians and in 2010, was named as one of 12 renowned Afro-Colombians. His critique of the construction of the Colombian nation and the processes of independence, and his criticism of official history make him an outstanding researcher.

Introduction 1. New Granada and the Problem of Central Authority 2. The Colombian Caribbean: Authority and Social Control in a Frontier Region 3. Cartagena de Indias: Progress and Crisis in a Former Trading Post of Enslaved People 4. Economic Implications of the Conflict between Cartagena and Santa Fe de Bogotá 5. Cartagena's Struggle for Political Autonomy 6. Black and Mulatto Artisans and Independence of the Republic of Cartagena, 1810-1816 Conclusions Bibliography