The Tango Metaphor: The Essence of Argentina’s National Identity

Abstract

This paper develops the tango as a cultural metaphor for Argentina. Analysis reveals that the tango metaphor has been forged through socioeconomic and political forces integral to the development of Argentine national identity. Examination of the tango’s four primary elements provides partial support for cultural dimensions ascribed by traditional frameworks. However, the tango metaphor goes beyond this to illuminate signifcant Argentine cultural characteristics that defy classification along simple dimensional lines. The metaphor method enables us to extend and deepen our knowledge of a culture’s more complex nature.