Latin American Politics and Society

Course description:

This course deals with politics and society in the Latin American region, focusing on the period 1980-2020. Latin American studies is a vast field of research, which comprises various disciplines, but this module will focus on those developments that fall with the social and political sciences. Politics and society are intertwined and shape each other in various manners. The module explores events, trends and processes of change and continuity that have shaped this region in the last decades, including the transitions to democracy in the 1980s, the neoliberal agenda of the 1990s and its consequences, the left-turn of the 2000s, and the different waves of contestation of these decades. The module introduces students to the recent history of this region, and discuss its developments in light of larger debates in the social sciences such as populism, elites, ethnicity and race, class politics, gender and sexuality, contentious politics, and political institutions. PhD students interested in conducting research in the countries of the region, or that consider a comparative research design between Europe and Latin America, might find this module of interest. The module is organized as a seminar: students adopt an active role by bringing in their own research topics to the sessions, which are discussed by the group. The module also invites scholars who have published relevant works in some of the areas mentioned here, to introduce their research and discuss it with the seminar’s participants.

 

Learning objectives.

After taking this course, students will be able to:

-       Identify the main debates in the social sciences among researchers of Latin America, as well as their connections and influences with similar debates among scholars studying other geographical areas (e.g. Europe, North America, industrialised countries, etc.)

-       Recognize the main authors and intellectual trends within the field of Latin American studies.

-       Identify similarities and differences between Latin American countries and regions, as well as between Latin American and European countries, in terms of contexts, historical processes, and outcomes.

-       Use the concepts and authors discussed in the course in a creative and original fashion, for their own research purposes.

 

Course Format.

The course is organized in eight sessions, one per week, with four sessions lasting 120 minutes and the other four lasting 180 minutes. The sessions are divided into three sections: 1) an introductory lecture by the instructor; 2) a student’s presentation on the assigned readings or on their research project; and 3) a collective discussion and close reading of the assigned texts. The course will also invite some outstanding scholars in this field to offer a lecture (either in presence or online).

 

Assessment

Overall, assessment consists of the students’ presentations in class (which amounts for a 50% of the total), and class attendance and participation (which amounts for a 50%).

Exceptionally, and upon request at the beginning of the course, doctoral students can submit a paper for their evaluation. Those who opt for this modality of assessment must talk with the lecturer and agree on the topic. In this case, the paper must consider, use and discuss the reading materials of this course. Papers should be no longer than 7,000 words, including references. Deadline for submissions is 5 June 2024.

 

Session 1 – 9 April 2024 (10h-13h)

Introducing Latin America as a research field.

 

[Those items marked with an asterisk (*) are those to be discussed during the session]

 

*Hoffman, K., & Centeno, M. A. (2003). The Lopsided Continent: Inequality in Latin America. Annual Review of Sociology, 29(1), 363–390. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.29.010202.100141

*Fukuyama, F. (2008). Poverty, Inequality, and Democracy: The Latin American Experience. Journal of Democracy, 19(4), 69–79. https://doi.org/10.1353/jod.0.0035

*Gobat, M. (2013). The Invention of Latin America: A Transnational History of Anti-Imperialism, Democracy, and Race. The American Historical Review, 118(5), 1345–1375.

* Kaufman, R. R. (2012). State of the Field: Political Regimes and the Study of Democratic Politics. In P. Kingstone & D. J. Yashar (Eds.), Routledge Handbook of Latin American Politics. Routledge.

Schneider, B. R. (2012). Contrasting Capitalisms: Latin America in Comparative Perspective. In J. Santiso & J. Dayton-Johnson (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Latin American Political Economy (p. 0). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199747504.013.0016

Munck, G. L., & Luna, J. P. (2022). Latin American Politics and Society: A Comparative and Historical Analysis. Cambridge University Press.

Rossi, F. (Ed.). (2023). The Oxford Handbook of Latin American Social Movements. Oxford University Press.

 

Session 2 – 16 April 2024 (10h-12h)

Transformations of the state, political parties and institutions (1)

 

Garretón, M. A. (2003). Latin America in the Twenty-first Century: Toward a New Sociopolitical Matrix (1° edition). North-South Center Press.

*Weyland, K. (2004). Neoliberalism and Democracy in Latin America: A Mixed Record. Latin American Politics and Society, 46(1), 135–157. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1548-2456.2004.tb00268.x

Roberts, K. M. (2015). Changing Course in Latin America: Party Systems in the Neoliberal Era. Cambridge University Press.

*Mainwaring, S., Brinks, D., & Pérez-Liñán, A. (2001). Classifying Political Regimes in Latin. Studies in Comparative International Development, 36(1), 37–65. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02687584

 

Session 3 – 23 April 2024 (10h-12h)

Transformations of the state, political parties and institutions (2)

 

Olguín, V. A. (2013). La calidad de la democracia: Perspectivas desde América Latina. América Latina, Hoy, 65, 221–223.

*Pérez-Liñán, A., & Mainwaring, S. (2013). Regime Legacies and Levels of Democracy: Evidence from Latin America. Comparative Politics, 45(4), 379–397.

Przeworski, A. (2012). Latin American Political Regimes in Comparative Perspective*. In P. Kingstone & D. J. Yashar (Eds.), Routledge Handbook of Latin American Politics. Routledge.

 

Munck, G. L. (Ed.). (2007). Regimes and Democracy in Latin America: Theories and Methods. Oxford University Press.

*Mazzuca, S. L. (2010). Access to Power Versus Exercise of Power Reconceptualizing the Quality of Democracy in Latin America. Studies in Comparative International Development, 45(3), 334–357. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12116-010-9069-5

Mazzuca, S. L. (2013). The Rise of Rentier Populism. Journal of Democracy, 24(2), 108–122. https://doi.org/10.1353/jod.2013.0034

Garretón, M. A., & Selamé, N. (2023). New Social Movements in Latin America and the Changing Socio-political Matrix. In F. M. Rossi (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Latin American Social Movements (p. 0). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190870362.013.2

*Roberts, K. M. (2006). Populism, Political Conflict, and Grass-Roots Organization in Latin America. Comparative Politics, 38(2), 127–148. https://doi.org/10.2307/20433986

 

Session 4 – 30 April 2024 (10h-13h)

Social movements in Latin America

 

*Waylen, G. (1993). Women’s movements and democratisation in Latin America. Third World Quarterly, 14(3), 573–587. https://doi.org/10.1080/01436599308420343

*Albala, A. (Ed.). (2018). Civil Society and Political Representation in Latin America (2010-2015). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67801-6

Donoso, S., & Von Bülow, M. (Eds.). (2017). Social Movements in Chile. Palgrave Macmillan US. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-60013-4

Rossi, F. (Ed.). (2023). The Oxford Handbook of Latin American Social Movements. Oxford University Press.

*Almeida, P. (2023). Protest Waves in Latin America: Facilitating Conditions and Outcomes. In F. M. Rossi (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Latin American Social Movements (p. 0). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190870362.013.13

Daby, M., & Moseley, M. W. (2022). Feminist Mobilization and the Abortion Debate in Latin America: Lessons from Argentina. Politics & Gender, 18(2), 359–393. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1743923X20000197

 

Session 5 – 7 May 2024 (10h-12h)

Race, ethnicity and nation in Latin America

 

*Lange, M., Mahoney, J., & vom Hau, M. (2006). Colonialism and Development: A Comparative Analysis of Spanish and British Colonies. American Journal of Sociology, 111(5), 1412–1462. https://doi.org/10.1086/499510

*Mahoney, J. (2003). Long‐Run Development and the Legacy of Colonialism in Spanish America. American Journal of Sociology, 109(1), 50–106. https://doi.org/10.1086/378454

Mahoney, J. (2023). Agency and Nation-State Making in Latin American History. Latin American Research Review, 58(2), 477–489. https://doi.org/10.1017/lar.2022.81

Ryan, D. (1999). Colonialism and Hegemony in Latin America: An Introduction. The International History Review, 21(2), 287–296.

*Wade, P. (2010a). Blacks and Indigenous People in Latin America. In Race and Ethnicity in Latin America (pp. 24–40). Pluto Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt183p73f.7

Wade, P. (2010b). Studying Race and Ethnicity in a Postcolonial and Reflexive World. In Race and Ethnicity in Latin America (pp. 151–162). Pluto Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt183p73f.12

Wade, P. (2010c). The Meaning of ‘Race’ and ‘Ethnicity.’ In Race and Ethnicity in Latin America (pp. 4–23). Pluto Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt183p73f.6

 

Session 6 – 14 May 2024 (10h-13h)

Authority, domination and social control

 

Brinks, D. M. (2012). “A Tale of two Cities”: The Judiciary and the Rule of Law in Latin America. In P. Kingstone & D. J. Yashar (Eds.), Routledge Handbook of Latin American Politics. Routledge.

*Levitsky, S. (2012). Informal Institutions and Politics in Latin America. In P. Kingstone & D. J. Yashar (Eds.), Routledge Handbook of Latin American Politics. Routledge.

*Holland, A. C. (2016). Forbearance. American Political Science Review, 110(2), 232–246. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003055416000083

Tommasi, M., & Scartascini, C. (2012). How (Not) to Produce Effective Policies? Institutions and Policymaking in Latin America. In J. Santiso & J. Dayton-Johnson (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Latin American Political Economy (p. 0). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199747504.013.0011

*Hilbink, L., Salas, V., Gallagher, J. K., & Restrepo Sanín, J. (2022). Why People Turn to Institutions They Detest: Institutional Mistrust and Justice System Engagement in Uneven Democratic States. Comparative Political Studies, 55(1), 3–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/00104140211024299

Bargsted, M., Ortiz, C., Cáceres, I., & Somma, N. M. (2022). Social and Political Trust in a Low Trust Society. Political Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11109-021-09762-2

Araujo, K. (2016). El miedo a los subordinados una teoría de la autoridad. Santiago: LOM Ediciones.

*Araujo, K., & Martuccelli, D. (2015). Las Individualidades Populares: Análisis de sectores urbanos en Chile. Latin American Research Review, 50(2), 86–106. https://doi.org/10.1353/lar.2015.0022

 

Session 7 – 21 May 2024 (10h-12h)

Class conflicts and economic elites

 

*Cardoso, F. H., & Faletto, E. (1979). Dependency and Development in Latin America. University of California Press.

*Valenzuela, J. S., & Valenzuela, A. (1978). Modernization and Dependency: Alternative Perspectives in the Study of Latin American Underdevelopment. Comparative Politics, 10(4), 535–557. https://doi.org/10.2307/421571

Coatsworth, J. H. (2005). Structures, Endowments, and Institutions in the Economic History of Latin America. Latin American Research Review, 40(3), 126–144.

*Coatsworth, J. H. (2008). Inequality, Institutions and Economic Growth in Latin America. Journal of Latin American Studies, 40(3), 545–569.

Karcher, S., & Schneider, B. R. (2012). Business Politics in Latin America: Investigating Structures, Preferences, and Influence. In P. Kingstone & D. J. Yashar (Eds.), Routledge Handbook of Latin American Politics. Routledge.

Daude, C., & Melguizo, Á. (2012). Taxation and Democracy in Latin America. In J. Santiso & J. Dayton-Johnson (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Latin American Political Economy (p. 0). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199747504.013.0020

 

Session 8 – 28 May 2024 (10h-13h)

Revolutions and political violence

 

*Mouly, C., & Hernández Delgado, E. (Eds.). (2019). Civil Resistance and Violent Conflict in Latin America: Mobilizing for Rights. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05033-7

Lust, J. (2019). Capitalism, Class and Revolution in Peru, 1980-2016. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91403-9

Berryman, P. (2004). The Religious Roots of Rebellion: Christians in Central American Revolutions. Wipf and Stock Publishers.

Paige, J. M. (1997). Coffee and Power: Revolution and the Rise of Democracy in Central America. Harvard University Press.

*Midlarsky, M. I., & Roberts, K. (1985). Class, State, and Revolution in Central America: Nicaragua and El Salvador Compared. The Journal of Conflict Resolution, 29(2), 163–193.

Booth, J. A. (1991). Socioeconomic and Political Roots of National Revolts in Central America. Latin American Research Review, 26(1), 33–73. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0023879100034919

Masullo, J. (2021). Civilian Contention in Civil War: How Ideational Factors Shape Community Responses to Armed Groups. Comparative Political Studies, 54(10), 1849–1884. https://doi.org/10.1177/0010414020912285

*Martí i Puig, S., & Martín Álvarez, A. (2023). Social Movements and Revolutions in Latin America: A Complex Relationship. In F. M. Rossi (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Latin American Social Movements (p. 0). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190870362.013.9