Synopsis of Latin America in Crisis

Latin America in Crisis builds a clear-eyed consideration of the fundamental economic and political realities of Latin America today onto a framework of introductory history. It is a concise core text for Latin American survey courses that require both a historical perspective and an attention to contemporary issues. In its focus on patterns of political and economic inequality, and its concomitant concerns for human rights, Latin America in Crisis is also a book with a point of view. Chapter 1 offers a basic overview of theories explaining Latin American poverty. Chapters 2-4 sweep across the contours of history till the mid-twentieth century. Chapters 5-7 focus on political and military dimensions of revolution and counterrevolution through the 1980s. Chapters 8-10 interpret media-driven democracy, international financial institutions, and human rights in Latin America today.