Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 October 2022
In his acclaimed synthesis of the Mexican Revolution of 1910, Alan Knight observed that “the social bandit's career in Academe has somewhat paralleled his life under the greenwood tree. Introduced by Professor Hobsbawm, he was initially welcomed, even feted, and he put in many appearances in academic company; but then (inevitably, after such uncritical acceptance) some academics grew leery, and the recent trend-especially among experts—has been to qualify, de-emphasise and even deny his role.”
The author gratefully acknowledges support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies at the University of California, San Diego, in the preparation of this study. He wishes to thank Eric Van Young, Paul Vanderwood, and Christopher Birkbeck for their rigorous critiques of an earlier version of the essay.