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How social movements of the past and present are shaping Latin American politics today These are uncertain times in Latin America. Popular faith in democracy has been shaken; traditional political parties and institutions are stagnating, and there is a growing right-wing extremism overtaking some governments. Yet, in recent years, autonomous social movements have multiplied and thrived. This book presents voices of these movement protagonists themselves, as they describe the major issues, conflicts, and campaigns for social justice in Latin America today. Latin America Bureau, a London-based, independent organization providing news and analysis on the region, spoke to people from fourteen co...
Blending reportage, travel writing and analysis, 'Crossed off the map: Travels in Bolivia' uses a journey through Bolivia, from the Andes to the Amazon, to explore the country's turbulent history and contemporary challenges, painting a picture of a country that "was the building block of the modern world, but is now lost in time".
Mexico Inside Out provides an introduction to the country for the student and traveller alike, people who want to know more about the real Mexico than is found in an ordinary guidebook. This short book offers an up-to-date analysis of all aspects of life in Mexico today. It includes a look at Mexico's history and geography; its society, economy and cultural life; and the political problems facing the current administration, from drugs violence to severe environmental challenges. President López Obrador has promised to achieve Mexico's 'fourth transformation' Mexico Inside Out examines what that means and requires.
B. Kucinski tells the story of a father-son relationship that begins intense and loving and ends up in pieces. Three factors come together in the story of the boy's life: adoption, drug addiction and racism. The father asks "Would it have been possible at any point to alter the course of this story? Or was it all destined to be?"
Kaiowcide: Living through the Guarani-Kaiowa Genocide is an analysis of the genocidal violence perpetrated against indigenous peoples in Brazil and towards the Guarani-Kaiowa. The ongoing indigenous genocide is defined as “Kaiowcide,” in place since the 1970s, when the Guarani-Kaiowa mobilized a reaction to land grabbing and oppression in the final years of the military dictatorship. The book is based on years of research on the agribusiness frontiers, on the indigenous geography of the Guarani-Kaiowa, and on sustained engagement with indigenous communities. Instead of merely describing the genocidal tragedy, the focus is on the life through genocide and trying to collectively go beyond it. One of the main contributions is to provide a robust interpretative analysis of the causes and the ramifications of the genocidal experience lived by the Guarani-Kaiowa. Rather than focusing on formalist notions of “direct intent” by settlers and governments, as a prerequisite for the tagging as genocide, this book emphasizes the destructive potential of the actors actively involved in agrarian capitalist transformations promoted by the national state in socio-economic frontiers.
"This path-breaking book of investigative journalism lifts the veil on fumigation: why is it happening, and who really benefits? The authors travel to the Putumayo and Bolivar departments of Colombia, where most of the spraying takes place, to talk to those affected. A complex and disturbing story emerges, one which connects the fumigation programme to Colombian politics, US hemispheric interests, and international drugs policy. Through first-hand investigative reporting Branford and O'Shaughnessy draw a vivid and damning picture of a futile and indiscriminate chemical war, waged largely on the poor."--BOOK JACKET.
Access to land is one of the key issues for developing countries - and Brazil has one of the most inequitable land distributions in the world, with vast tracts of land held by often absentee landowners. Meanwhile thousands of peasants live in marginal lands in cities and rural areas. The Brazilian Landless Workers' Movement (MST) has proved a huge success with the disenfranchised rural and urban poor in Brazil - becoming one of the largest social movements in the world. Cutting the Wire is the first account in English of the origins, history and current challenges faced by Brazil's poor majority. The authors have traveled the vast expanse of the country to record the words and actions of hundreds of activists who have taken their lives into their own hands. Cutting the Wire is how the MST describes the act of occupying the land, the cornerstone of their movement. It is the baptism of fire for the militant, an essential part of their identity and it plays a key role in the mistica, the moment of collective ritual that kicks off all MST events. Cutting the Wire is the story of the MST told in their own words, in vivid first-hand accounts of a continuing struggle.
Rodolfo Walsh was a writer of crime novels, a tireless investigative journalist who uncovered real political crimes, an instant historian of a turbulent and violent era in Argentinian and Latin American politics.This is an account of Rudolfo Walsh's life. It includes extended excerpts from his varied writings.
The volume takes a broad view of recent social, political, and economic developments in Latin America. It contains six essays, focused on salient and cross-cutting themes, that try to construct a thread or narrative about the highly diverse region, highlighting its main idiosyncrasies and analyzing where it might be headed in coming years. While the essays recognize considerable advances, they also point out setbacks and missed opportunities that have stood in the way of sustained progress. Strengthening state capacity emerges as a significant challenge.
This history of popular education looks at one of the most successful social movements to use popular education, the Movement of Landless Rural Workers (MST) in Brazil. It highlights the importance of popular education to the "new" social movements based around identity, such as women's and indigenous organizations