Contemporary Latin America

Robert H. Holden teaches Latin American history at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. He is the author of, among others, Armies without Nations: Public Violence and State Formation in Central America, 1821–1960 (2004) and co-editor of Latin America and the United States: A Documentary History (with Eric Zolov, 2010), and has written numerous scholarly articles. Rina Villars is the author of three books in Spanish on the history and political culture of Central America, and of scholarly articles on Spanish linguistics and women.

• List of Maps, Figures and Tables vii Series Editor’s Preface viiiAcknowledgments xPart I Latin America in a World Setting 1Introduction 31 What Is Latin America? 52 Beliefs 20Part II Government 41Introduction 433 The Demise of Social Revolution 484 The Armed Forces Bow to Civilian Rule 675 The Turning toward Democracy 976 Religion, Politics and the State 1137 Lawless Violence, Impunity and the Democratic Transition 127Part III Wealth 143Introduction 1458 The Challenge of Sustained Growth 1489 Poor Countries, Rich Countries 16110 Agonies of Underdevelopment 185Part IV Culture 207Introduction 20911 Education 21112 Research and Communications 22513 Literature and the Visual Arts 24914 Cinema and Sports 263Part V Communities 275Introduction 27715 The Family, Women and Sexuality 28116 Indigenous Peoples and Their Movements 30417 Toward a Latin American Community of Nations? 322Sources Consulted 332Index 342

"Summing up: Recommended. General readers and undergraduate students." -CHOICE, November 2013