Democratic Latin America

"The third edition of Democratic Latin America retains its classic institutional approach to understand contemporary Latin American politics. Each chapter focuses on a different institution and compares how they are constructed differently across countries. Placing a premium on accessibility, the chapters open with a story and end with a detailed country case study, making use of contemporary examples to feed student interest in current events, with comparison-based tables and box features interspersed throughout to stimulate analysis. Every chapter finishes with a set of questions and recommended readings. This approach allows for a very practical approach to politics that encourages critical analysis. Updates to this New Edition include: Updated comparison-based tables and box features to stimulate analysis. New "Country in the Spotlight" to include developments unique to each country. Discussions on political change in Cuba, indigenous peoples and political power, neopopulism, impeachment procedures, transitional justice, the 2019 protests, the new militarism, the mobilization of women against violence, LGBT rights, the evangelical movement, and the Colombian peace process. A clear-eyed look at political institutions to provide a roadmap to the political activity in a country, Democratic Latin America continues to offer an original way of teaching and learning about Latin American politics"--

chapter 1 An Institutional Approach to Democracy and Democratization in Latin America -- chapter 2 State and Nation in Colonial Latin America -- chapter 3 Constitutions: From States and nation's to Regimes, and Back Again -- chapter 4 The Executive Branch: Latin American Style -- chapter 5 The Legislative Branch: The Centerpiece of Democracy Under Fire -- chapter 6 The Judiciary in Latin America: Separate but Unequal -- chapter 7 Electoral Systems: The Core of Democratic Politics -- chapter 8 From Civil Society to Political Parties: Putting Democracy into Practice -- chapter 9 Federalism and Unitarism: Learning to Share -- chapter 10 The Armed Forces: Bridging the Civil-Military Divide.

Half Title Page -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- 1 An Institutional Approach to Democracy and Democratization in Latin America -- Institutions and the Study of Democratic Politics -- What Is an Institution? -- What Is an Institutional Approach to Politics? -- Democracy in Latin America -- Democratic Transition -- Defining Democracy -- The Struggle for Democracy in Guatemala -- Conclusion -- Key Terms -- Discussion Questions -- Suggested Readings -- References -- 2 State and Nation in Colonial Latin America -- Pillars of Democracy: State and Nation -- Land and People -- Human Settlements in the Pre-Colombian Period -- The Colonial Impact on Settlement and Demography -- The Colonial Period -- The Arrival, and Conquest -- The Expansion of Spanish Colonialism -- Colonial Institutions -- Religious Institutions in Colonial Latin America -- The Long Road to Independence -- Explaining the Exceptionalism of Colonial Legacies in the United States -- Conclusion -- Key Terms -- Discussion Questions -- Suggested Readings -- References -- 3 Constitutions: From States and Nations to Regimes, and Back Again -- Constitutional Foundations: The Consolidation of Independent States and the Search for National Identity in Latin America -- The Caudillo Period (1820s-1870s) -- The Export Economy (1860s-1930s) -- The Opening of the U.S. Umbrella (1898) -- The Great Depression (1929) -- The Populist Era (1930s-1960s) -- Bureaucratic Authoritarianism and the Cold War (1960s-1980s) -- From the Washington Consensus to the "Pink Tide" (1980s to Present) -- Constitutions: The Rules of the Game and More -- Constitutional Development in Latin America -- Constitutionalism and Democracy -- Constitutions and Political Pacts -- Constitutions and National Identity -- The Politics of Constitutional Change -- Types of Constitutional Reform

Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Table of Contents -- Preface -- Chapter 1 An Institutional Approach to Democracy and Democratization in Latin America -- Institutions and the Study of Democratic Politics -- What Is an Institution? -- What Is an Institutional Approach to Politics? -- Comparing Countries: Do Authoritarians Follow Institutional Rules? Military Regimes and Institutional Design -- Democracy in Latin America -- Democratic Transition -- Defining Democracy -- Country in the Spotlight: The Struggle for Democracy in Guatemala -- Conclusion -- Chapter 2 State and Nation in Colonial Latin America -- Pillars of Democracy: State and Nation -- Land and People -- Human Settlements in the Pre-Colombian Period -- The Colonial Impact on Settlement and Demography -- The Colonial Period -- The Arrival, and Conquest -- The Expansion of Spanish Colonialism -- Comparing Countries: Conquest in Brazil Contrasted with Spanish America -- Colonial Institutions -- Religious Institutions in Colonial Latin America -- The Long Road to Independence -- Country in the Spotlight: Explaining the Exceptionalism of Colonial Legacies in the United States -- Conclusion -- Chapter 3 Constitutions: From States and Nations to Regimes, and Back Again -- Constitutional Foundations: The Consolidation of Independent States and the Search for National Identity in Latin America -- The Caudillo Period (1820s-1870s) -- The Export Economy (1860s-1930s) -- The Opening of the U.S. Umbrella (1898) -- The Great Depression (1929) -- The Populist Era (1930s-1960s) -- Bureaucratic Authoritarianism and the Cold War (1960s-1980s) -- From the Washington Consensus to the "Pink Tide" (1980s to present) -- Constitutions: The Rules of the Game and More -- Constitutional Development in Latin America -- Constitutionalism and Democracy -- Constitutions and Political Pacts.