Congratulations to Liza Grandia, winner of the LACS-SHA 2025 Murdo J. Macleod Book Prize!
From the Prize committee: “Kernels of Resistance is a powerful case study of Mesoamerican resistance to genetically-modified foods. Collective organizing by indigenous milperos at the level of production offers a counterpoint to individualistic, consumer-focused parochial food policies of the global North. Capturing sustained ethnographic fieldwork in vivid prose and often-intimate reflections, Grandia shows how the pan indigenous movements in Mexico and Guatemala defeated Monsanto and re-planted seeds of democracy. This engaging book employs anthropological and historical methods to tell a local story with global significance. Kernels of Resistance deftly explores the cultural significance of maize and makes an important contribution to indigenous, environmental, and Mesoamerican studies. Grandia writes passionately and her book will engage a wide readership.”
This book is freely available to download as an open access book thanks to the generous support by the University of California Davis Library. The book can now be purchased or downloaded in English, and will soon be available in a Spanish translation.
Read more about Kernels of Resistance and support Dr. Grandia's work here.