Reclaiming Latin America

Reclaiming Latin America is a one-stop guide to the revival of social democratic and socialist politics across the region. At the end of the Cold War, and through decades of neoliberal domination and the 'Washington Consensus' it seemed that the left could do nothing but beat a ragged retreat in Latin America. Yet this book looks at the new opportunities that sprang up through electoral politics and mass action during that period. The chapters here warn against over-simplification of the so-called 'pink wave'. Instead, through detailed historical analysis of Latin America as a whole and country-specific case studies, the book demonstrates the variety of approaches to establishing a lasting social justice. From the anti-imperialism of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas in Venezuela, Bolivia and Cuba, to the more gradualist routes being taken in Chile, Argentina and Brazil, Reclaiming Latin America gives a real sense of the plurality of political responses to popular discontent.

Geraldine Lievesley is a Senior Lecturer in politics at Manchester Metropolitan University. Her research focuses on Latin American and Cuban politics. She is a member of the Society for Latin American Studies and the Cuba Research Forum. Recent books include the co-edited In the Hands of Women: Paradigms of Citizenship (2006); The Cuban Revolution (2004); and Democracy in Latin America (1999). Steve Ludlam is a Senior Lecturer in politics at the University of Sheffield. He has researched on labour history and politics in Britain and Cuba. He was a founder member of the Political Studies Association's Labour Movements Specialists Groups, and is a member of the Society for Latin American Studies and the Cuba Research Forum. He edits the series Critical Labour Studies. Recent co-edited books include Labour, the State, Social Movements and the Challenge of Neo-liberal Globalization (2007); Governing as New Labour (2004) and Interpreting the Labour Party (2003).

Acknowledgements Notes on Contributors Acronyms Tables & Figures Introduction: A 'pink tide'? - Geraldine Lievesley and Steve Ludlam 1. Is Latin America Moving Leftwards? Problems and Prospects - Geraldine Lievesley 2. The Latin Americanization of the Politics of Emancipation - Francisco Dominguez 3. Venezuela: The Political Evolution of Bolivarianism - Julia Buxton 4. Venezuela: Reinventing Social Democracy from Below? - Sara C. Motta 5. Bolivia: Playing by New Rules - John Crabtree 6. Nicaragua: The Return of Daniel Ortega - David Close 7. Cuba: Recovery and Change - Steve Ludlam 8. Mexico: Political Parties and Local Participation - Valeria Guarneros-Meza 9. Brazil: Has the Dream Ended? - Sue Branford 10. Brazil: Third Ways in the Third World - Guy Burton 11. Chile: Swimming against the Tide? - Patricio Silva 12. Argentina: Reforming Neoliberal Capitalism - Ernesto Vivares, Leonardo Diaz Echenique, and Javier Ozorio Conclusion. Nuestra América, the spectre haunting Washington - Geraldine Lievesley and Steve Ludlam Notes Bibliography Index