Democracy in Latin America Political Change in Comparative Perspective

* Coverage of democracy in Latin America for six main countries
* Examines historical, economic, and social factors
* Photographs, Maps, Tables, Figures, Boxed Material, Appendices, and Suggested Readings

This book details the processes of democratization in Latin America today. Smith looks at some of the key issues that inhere in the move toward democracy - elections, culture, representation, poverty, and criminality, among others - through a focus on six paradigmatic "case studies" in the region: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Examining factors such as history, the economy, and individual societies, Smith analyzes what is new and different about the current phase of democracy in the region. Accompanying the text are numerous photographs, maps, tables, figures to aid his analysis. There is particular attention to providing extensive empirical data necessary to convey basic information and analysis. To enhance readability, boxed material is diffused throughout the text, presenting illustrative anecdotes, explantions of methodology, and comments on perceptual approaches.
Peter Smith is a highly respected scholar, Director of Latin American Studies at the University of California at San Diego. His Talons of the Eagle focuses on the relationship between Latin America and the United States, and he is the co-author of the seminal contemporary history of the region, Modern Latin America . Both of these titles are published by OUP, and both have gone through multiple editions. This book fits neatly into the Latin American studies course market.

Contents
Tables, Figures, and Maps
Preface
Introduction: Dimensions of Democracy
PART I. Historical Perspectives, 1900-2000
1. Cycles of Electoral Democracy
2. Transitions and Continuities
3. The Military: Heading for the Exits?
4. Global Contexts, International Forces
PART II. The Electoral Arena
5. Exploring Institutional Alternatives
6. Varieties of Presidentialism
7. Elections: Voters, Winners, and Losers
PART III. Qualities of Democracy
8. State Capacity and Policy Performance
9. The Politics of Social Equity
10. Freedoms, Rights, and Illiberal Democracy
11. The People's Verdict
PART IV. Democracy Considered
12. The Taming of Democracy
Epilogue: The Future of Democracy
Appendices
1. Classification of Electoral Regimes, 1900-2000
2. Military Coups in Latin America, 1900-2000
3. Key Variables in Statistical Analysis
Suggested Readings
Index