Spanish for “attack of nerves,” a term for a sudden emotional outburst common among El Barrio women. As a gendered, culturally bound term, “ataque de nervios” signifies that retaliation against an abusive partner or unfulfilling home life is acceptable for women within certain parameters. For instance, when Candy shoots her abusive, cheating husband Felix, her family explains her behavior as an “ataque de nervios” and accordingly does not blame her for it.
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Ataque de Nervios Term Timeline in In Search of Respect
The timeline below shows where the term Ataque de Nervios appears in In Search of Respect. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 6: Redrawing the Gender Line on the Street
...her go. Her family explains her behavior by reference to the idea of an “ ataque de nervios ” (nerve attack), “culturally scripted violent outbursts by [often abused] women.”
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Chapter 8: Vulnerable Fathers
...has a breakdown when Primo says yes—Bourgois notes that this is a kind of masculine ataque de nervios (a category usually reserved for women). Feeling disempowered and displaying his “despair and helplessness in...
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