Latin America, Its Problems And Its Promise: A Multidisciplinary Introduction, Second Edition

This book conveys the unifying aspects of Latin American culture and society, along with the distinct characteristics of major subregions and countries. It presents problems with which Latin American states have tried to deal in their foreign policies and in their dealings with each other.

Table of Contents:
1. Introduction: Approaches to the Study of Latin America Part One: The Land and the People 2. Physical Landscape and Settlement Patterns 3. The Indian Populations of Latin America Part Two: Historical Setting 4. Colonial Latin America 5. The Continuity of the National Period Part Three: Cultural Expression 6. Philosophy and the Intellectual Tradition 7. Latin American Literature 8. Nationalism and Modern Latin American Art Part Four: Economic and Social Structures 9. Economic Aspects of Latin America 10. Social Structure and Social Change in Twentieth-Century Latin America Part Five: Political Processes and Trends 11. Participation and Political Process: The Collapsible Pyramid 12. "Normalization," Popular Struggles, and the Receiver State Part Six: External Relations 13. International Relations in Latin America: Conflict and Cooperation 14. United States Policy in Latin America 15. Latin America in the World Part Seven: Mexico 16. Mexico: Historical Foundations 17. Contemporary Mexico Part Eight: Central America and Panama 18. Central America: Background to the Crisis 19. Central America's Lost Decade 20. Panama and the Canal Part Nine: Cuba and the Caribbean 21. The Cuban Revolution 22. The Caribbean: The Structure of Modern-Conservative Societies Part Ten: The Andes 23. Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador 24. Peru and Bolivia Part Eleven: The Southern Cone 25. Chile: The Development, Breakdown, and Recovery of Democracy 26. Argentina: Development and Decay 27. Uruguay and Paraguay Part Twelve: Brazil 28. Brazil: From Independence to 1964 29. Brazil Today: A Study in Frustrated Democratization 30. Conclusion

About the Author :
Jan Knippers Black teaches at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and is research professor of sociology at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California. Previously, she has served as research professor of Public Administration at the University of New Mexico and as senior research scientist and chair of the Latin American Research Team in the Foreign Area Studies Division of American University.