Real World Latin America: A Contemporary Economics and Social Policy Reader

Looking for diverse perspectives to explain the profound economic and social transformations taking place in Latin America? Real World Latin America brings together the best recent reporting on the region from Dollars & Sense and NACLA Report on the Americas. Thirty-eight well-researched and clearly-written articles will give students a thorough introduction to Latin American economic policies, including the region's changing political maps, the hidden costs of development, struggles for human rights, international trade deals, and the role of the United States in the region. Chapters on social movements and alternative forms of production document the grassroots challenges to the Washington Consensus that are rising from Argentine factory shop-floors, Venezuelan cooperatives, Oaxacan schoolrooms, and elsewhere. Further chapters look at the impact of migration on home countries and diasporan communities, and the challenges of responsible environmental stewardship. Praise for Real World Latin America: "The editors of Dollars & Sense and NACLA Report on the Americas have done us a great service. This is a timely collection of essays, sophisticated yet highly readable analysis of the most pressing issues facing Latin America today. The book is ideally suited for undergraduate courses on the region, and will be of interest to a broader readership as well." -Eric Hershberg, President, Latin American Studies Association "Latin America is on the move, finding its way towards new approaches to economic development with social justice. Real World Latin America provides a compelling picture of change, political conflict, and the real stakes involved in the region. It is a valuable guide to the contemporary history of the present, inviting readers to stay tuned for more to come." -Michael A Cohen, Director of the International Affairs Program, New School University