Latin America has experienced a profound transformation in the first two
decades of the 21st century: it has been fully incorporated into the
global economy, while excluding regions and populations devalued by the
logic of capitalism. Technological modernization has gone hand-in-hand
with the reshaping of old identities and the emergence of new ones.
The transformation of Latin America has been shaped by social movements
and political conflicts. The neoliberal model that dominated the first
stage of the transformation induced widespread inequality and poverty,
and triggered social explosions that led to its own collapse. A new
model, neo-developmentalism, emerged from these crises as national
populist movements were elected to government in several countries. The
more the state intervened in the economy, the more it became vulnerable
to corruption, until the rampant criminal economy came to penetrate
state institutions. Upper middle classes defending their privileges and
citizens indignant because of corruption of the political elites
revolted against the new regimes, undermining the model of
neo-developmentalism. In the midst of political disaffection and public
despair, new social movements, women, youth, indigenous people, workers,
peasants, opened up avenues of hope against the background of darkness
invading the continent.
This book, written by two leading scholars of Latin America, provides a
comprehensive and up-do-date account of the new Latin America that is in
the process of taking shape today. It will be an indispensable text for
students and scholars in Latin American Studies, sociology, politics and
media and communication studies, and anyone interested in Latin America
today.
