A gripping portrait of the relentless women taking missing persons, kidnapping, and extortion cases into their own hands—and building a movement for one another.

In this riveting exploration of the lives of mothers whose children are among the 100,000 disappeared in Mexico’s war on drugs, Shaylih Muehlmann shows how families have mobilized on the ground to get answers and justice. It is often mothers who confront government corruption, indifference, and incompetence by taking on the responsibilities of searching for missing persons and dealing with kidnapping and extortion cases.

In bringing the voices of these women to the fore, Muehlmann demonstrates how the war on drugs affects everyday life in Mexico and how these activists have become detectives, forensic specialists, and even negotiators with drug traffickers. Call the Mothers provides a unique look at a grassroots movement that draws from the symbolic power of motherhood to build a network of collectives that redefine traditional gender roles and challenge injustice and impunity.

About the Author

Shaylih Muehlmann is Professor of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia. She is the author of Where the River Ends: Contested Indigeneity in the Mexican Colorado Delta and When I Wear My Alligator Boots: Narco-Culture in the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands.

Contents

List of Illustrations

Introduction
1. “They Started Off as a Busload of Victims”
2. Until We Find Them
3. “Call the Mothers, Not the Police”
4. A Rage So Fierce She Didn’t Notice Her Feet
5. “Without a Body There Is No Crime”
Conclusions: Desert Colors

Acknowledgments
Notes
Works Cited
Index

Reviews

"Call the Mothers tackles an issue of enormous importance that has been treated journalistically and in some scholarly works, but does so from the perspective of the activism of mothers in search of their children. From this original perspective, Shaylih Muehlmann treats her subjects with sensitivity, urgency, and grace. The book's humility, humanity, and scrupulous research and scholarship make it a truly outstanding contribution."—Elizabeth Ferry, Brandeis University

"Call the Mothers stands alone as a short, insightful, and readable book on one of the fundamental stories of Mexico's last two decades. It has some strikingly original sections and is packed with intelligent discussions of key issues, including the police and impunity, the importance of innocence, and the role of women in contemporary social movements."—Benjamin Smith, author of The Dope: The Real History of the Mexican Drug Trade

"This timely and important book showcases Mexican women’s agency and activism when confronting state violence, corruption, and uncertainty. Well crafted and clearly written, this book treats a delicate subject with great empathy and sensibility, brilliantly showing Mexican people's resistance and resilience to the injustices committed in the name of the war on drugs."—María Cruz-Torres, author of Pink Gold: Women, Shrimp, and Work in Mexico

“While migration across the US-Mexico border garners attention, homicides, kidnappings, and other violence in Mexico are a profoundly important story. Call the Mothers offers rich accounts of women activists who take the initiative, demanding closure and justice. This eloquently written work, supported with thoughtful and informative context, makes for emotionally and factually compelling reading.”—Josiah Heyman, University of Texas at El Paso

"This is a book by an anthropologist who was disillusioned by what she perceived as academic writing's lack of resonance and became an activist, but was then asked by her fellow travelers to document the reality that she witnessed and present it to readers in the United States. And they were right to do so. It is vital that American readers learn about the plight of Mexico's more than 113,000 disappeared persons and their families and friends, whom the Mexican state continues to ignore."—Claudio Lomnitz, Columbia University

About the Book

About the Author

Table of Contents

Reviews