Contemporary Latin America

by Ronaldo Munck

• ISBN13: 9780333980910
• ISBN10: 0333980913
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2003-08-02
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Summary

A wide-ranging critical introduction to contemporary Latin America, written in an accessible and student-friendly style by a well-known authority on the region. Ronaldo Munck provides a broad introduction to historical context, contemporary politics, political economy, society and culture, and of the prospects of the continent in a changing world.

Author Biography

Ronaldo Munck is Professor of Political Sociology, University of Liverpool.

Table of Contents

List of Figures, Tables, Boxes and Maps	ix
Preface and Acknowledgements	xi
List of Abbreviations	xiii
Map of Latin America	xvi
Introduction: Setting and Issues	1	(22)
Physical setting	1	(7)
Population setting	8	(6)
Social issues	14	(4)
Political economy issues	18	(2)
Structure of the book	20	(3)
Historical Context	23	(20)
Beyond oligarchy	23	(6)
National-statism	29	(4)
Military authoritarianism	33	(5)
Democratic openings	38	(5)
Political Economy	43	(19)
Dependent development	43	(5)
State-led industrialization	48	(4)
The new economic model	52	(4)
Beyond neo-liberalism	56	(6)
Governance	62	(20)
Electoral and party systems	62	(5)
The (mis)rule of law	67	(4)
Bureaucracy and administration	71	(5)
NGOs: filling the gap	76	(6)
Social Patterns	82	(19)
Social structures	82	(4)
Social relations	86	(4)
Urbanization	90	(5)
Poverty and welfare	95	(6)
Social Movements	101	(20)
Nationalist movements	101	(5)
Labour movements	106	(3)
Rural movements	109	(5)
New movements	114	(7)
Culture	121	(17)
Ideologies of change	121	(5)
Religion and society	126	(4)
The literary boom	130	(3)
Popular culture	133	(5)
International Context	138	(19)
Colonialism to globalism	138	(5)
Regional integration	143	(4)
Security issues	147	(4)
In the world today	151	(6)
Conclusion: Futures Imperfect	157	(18)
The global context	157	(4)
Economic prospects	161	(4)
Political challenges	165	(5)
After modernity	170	(5)
Recommended Reading	175	(5)
Bibliography	180	(9)
Index	189