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The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have emerged as a significant force in South African politics during the past eight years. Still, only a few scholarly studies have been published analysing its ideology, strategy, and tactics, who is voting for the party, and why. The authors argue that the EFF had emerged as a challenger to the African National Congress (ANC) by positioning itself to the left of the ruling party with a set of ideas and policy proposals that emerged from the ANC Youth League when current EFF leader Julius Malema led it. Survey and exit polling data analysed by the authors indicate that the EFF is gaining traction election by election with younger black voters in the townships on issues of land and jobs and, in the process, threatens the single-party dominance of the ANC in future South African elections. However, despite a good start, the party appears to have lost some momentum after the fall of former President Jacob Zuma and made some tactical mistakes.

This article explores the challenges to the African National Congress (ANC) in its traditional stronghold of the Port Elizabeth working­class township of Kwazakhele. The authors argue that this area has been the embodiment of single­party dominance for decades. Using exit polling and a post­election survey, the article details the challenges to the ANC from both reduced voter turnout and rising support for the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). The article concludes that the end of the ANC dominance in Kwazakhele in coming elections is possible but is not a foregone conclusion.

The Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) is an international trade agreement that aims to eliminate the remaining barriers to the free flow of money, goods, and services across borders in the Western hemisphere (excluding Cuba) to create one large, open, and integrated market. The FTAA falls within the wider free trade and free markets approach promoted by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Trade Organization (WTO) to be part of a solution to poverty and inequality. In reality, the rules and practices of liberalized trade are designed primarily to create a stable and profitable environment for corporations and investors. Like other previous economic integration projects, the primary backers are the business community and the politicians over whom they have the most influence. Not surprisingly, the opponents of the FTAA can be found among groups concerned with labor rights, human rights, the environment, and indigenous concerns. The authors detail how the administration of George W. Bush succeeded in overcoming opposition to the FTAA within the U.S. Congress by regaining "fast track" negotiating authority in the wake of the September 11 attacks on the United States. In the process of gaining that authority the United States placed renewed pressure on the Latin American nations to complete the FTAA by its scheduled start date of 2005.

"This encyclopedia reviews and interprets a broad array of research on Latin American politics, including topics related to political institutions, processes, and parties; social movements; political economy; racial and gender politics; and Latin America's international relations. Under the editorial directorship of Harry E. Vanden and Gary Prevost and associate editors Jennifer Cyr, Kwame Dixon, Mary K. Meyer McAleese, Gabriel Ondetti, and Richard Stahler-Sholk, this publication brings together peer-reviewed contributions by leading researchers and offers the definitive resource for understanding contemporary politics in the region. As a result, the Oxford Encyclopedia of Latin American Politics is a necessary resource for students and as well as both new and established scholars"--

An introduction to twenty-first century Latin America -- Early history -- Democracy and dictators : a historical overview from independence to the present day - The other Americans -- Society, family, and gender -- Religion in Latin America -- The political economy of Latin America -- Democracy and authoritarianism : Latin American political culture -- Politics, power, institutions, and actors -- Struggling for change : revolution, social and political movements in Latin America -- U.S.-Latin American relations -- Mexico / Nora Hamilton and Patrice Olsen -- Argentina / Aldo C. Vacs -- Brazil / Wilber Albert Chaffee -- Chile / Eduardo Silva -- Colombia / John C. Dugas -- Venezuela / Daniel Hellinger -- Bolivia / Waltraud Q. Morales and Annabelle Conroy -- Cuba / Gary Prevost -- Guatemala / Susanne Jonas and Harry E. Vanden -- Nicaragua / Gary Prevost and Harry E. Vanden -- Appendix 1: Presidential elections -- Appendix 2: Recent legislative elections.

United States-Cuban Relations breaks new ground in its treatment of this long and tumultuous relationship by arguing that U.S. policy toward the island is not driven primarily by the political position of the U.S.-based Cuban community, but rather by a long-standing desire of U.S. leaders to dominate this island, a position that for fifty years has met with stubborn resistance from Cuba's revolutionary leaders