A leading text for more than 40 Years, Latin American Politics and Development has helped instructors and students stay abreast of current affairs in Latin America since 1979. Chapters written by leading authorities on each country in Latin America, something unique in the field and praised by reviewers. In addition to coverage of Middle, Central, and South America, includes coverage of Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti in the Caribbean. Contextual Background: Chapters 1-7, written by the two editors, provide an essential foundation for understanding the context of Latin American politics and patterns of historical development. No obvious or overbearing political bias, which is unusual in texts on Latin American politics. The wide selection of countries included in Parts 2 and 3 allows students to explore more countries than typically covered. Writing throughout the book to be approachable and perfectly appropriate for an undergraduate audience. It is not laden with jargon, and concepts are explained well.

A leading text for more than 40 Years, Latin American Politics and Development has helped instructors and students stay abreast of current affairs in Latin America since 1979. Chapters written by leading authorities on each country in Latin America, something unique in the field and praised by reviewers. In addition to coverage of Middle, Central, and South America, includes coverage of Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti in the Caribbean. Contextual Background: Chapters 1-7, written by the two editors, provide an essential foundation for understanding the context of Latin American politics and patterns of historical development. No obvious or overbearing political bias, which is unusual in texts on Latin American politics. The wide selection of countries included in Parts 2 and 3 allows students to explore more countries than typically covered. Writing throughout the book to be approachable and perfectly appropriate for an undergraduate audience. It is not laden with jargon, and concepts are explained well.

In this seventh edition, John A. Booth, Christine J. Wade, and Thomas W. Walker update a classic in the field which invites students to explore the histories, economies, and politics of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Covering the region's political and economic development from the early 1800s onward, the authors bring the Central American story up to date. New to the 7th Edition: Analysis of trends in human rights performance, political violence, and evolution of regime types; Updated findings from surveys to examine levels of political participation and support for democratic norms among Central Americans; Historical and current-era material on indigenous peoples and other racial minorities; Discussion of popular attitudes toward political rights for homosexuals, and LGBTQ access to public services; Discussion of women's rights and access to reproductive health services, and women's integration into elective offices; Tracing evolving party systems, national elections, and US policy toward the region under the Obama and Trump administrations; Central America's international concerns including Venezuela's shrinking role as an alternative source of foreign aid and antagonist to US policy in the region, and migration among and through Central American nations. Understanding Central America is an ideal text for all students of Latin American politics and is highly recommended for courses on Central American politics, social systems, and history.

In this seventh edition, John A. Booth, Christine J. Wade, and Thomas W. Walker update a classic in the field which invites students to explore the histories, economies, and politics of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Covering the region's political and economic development from the early 1800s onward, the authors bring the Central American story up to date. New to the 7th Edition: Analysis of trends in human rights performance, political violence, and evolution of regime types; Updated findings from surveys to examine levels of political participation and support for democratic norms among Central Americans; Historical and current-era material on indigenous peoples and other racial minorities; Discussion of popular attitudes toward political rights for homosexuals, and LGBTQ access to public services; Discussion of women's rights and access to reproductive health services, and women's integration into elective offices; Tracing evolving party systems, national elections, and US policy toward the region under the Obama and Trump administrations; Central America's international concerns including Venezuela's shrinking role as an alternative source of foreign aid and antagonist to US policy in the region, and migration among and through Central American nations. Understanding Central America is an ideal text for all students of Latin American politics and is highly recommended for courses on Central American politics, social systems, and history.

El Salvador is widely considered one of the most successful United Nations peacebuilding efforts, but record homicide rates, political polarization, socioeconomic exclusion, and corruption have diminished the quality of peace for many of its citizens. In Captured Peace: Elites and Peacebuilding in El Salvador, Christine J. Wade adapts the concept of elite capture to expand on the idea of "captured peace," explaining how local elites commandeered political, social, and economic affairs before war's end and then used the peace accords to deepen their control in these spheres. While much scholarship has focused on the role of gangs in Salvadoran unrest, Wade draws on an exhaustive range of sources to demonstrate how day-to-day violence is inextricable from the economic and political dimensions. In this in-depth analysis of postwar politics in El Salvador, she highlights the local actors' primary role in peacebuilding and demonstrates the political advantage an incumbent party-in this case, the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA-has throughout the peace process and the consequences of this to the quality of peace that results.

El Salvador is widely considered one of the most successful United Nations peacebuilding efforts, but record homicide rates, political polarization, socioeconomic exclusion, and corruption have diminished the quality of peace for many of its citizens. In Captured Peace: Elites and Peacebuilding in El Salvador, Christine J. Wade adapts the concept of elite capture to expand on the idea of “captured peace,� explaining how local elites commandeered political, social, and economic affairs before war’s end and then used the peace accords to deepen their control in these spheres. While much scholarship has focused on the role of gangs in Salvadoran unrest, Wade draws on an exhaustive range of sources to demonstrate how day-to-day violence is inextricable from the economic and political dimensions. In this in-depth analysis of postwar politics in El Salvador, she highlights the local actors’ primary role in peacebuilding and demonstrates the political advantage an incumbent party—in this case, the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA—has throughout the peace process and the consequences of this to the quality of peace that results.