Political Struggle in Latin America: Seeking Change in a New Era of Globalization (Emerging Globalities and Civilizational Perspectives)

This book discusses in an accessible way how emerging globalizing processes are setting the stage for new forms of social and political struggle in Latin America, with increased involvement of multilateral and foreign actors, and impacts of global political populism and populist social media. These are opening up new strategies and opportunities for activists, and offer new arenas of contestation for international organizations. The book analyzes the struggles of select marginalized groups, specifically the urban poor, indigenous groups, women's and LGBTQ groups, and the vulnerable middle classes. Each case is examined in the context of a distinct struggle for citizenship, identity, inclusion, and or the rule of law. The study offers a broad historical analysis of the region through the context of these struggles. It tackles some of the most pressing issues surrounding the current politics of Latin America, including identity politics, cultural appropriation, social mobilization and protest, neoliberal reform, reproductive rights and sexual autonomy, corruption, the influence of religion and patriarchy, crime and social justice, inequality and poverty, the informal economy, and urban exclusion. In doing so, it details not only how these are not new struggles, but also how they have evolved over time. In the contemporary period, the book explores how the actors as well as character of their struggle are changing through a globalized interchange of ideas and processes. The book covers a wide geographical area in Latin America, with a particular focus on countries with Spanish or Portuguese colonial backgrounds, and is for researchers, students and laypersons interested in new globalizing forces affecting Latin American society and polity. Contents 7 About the Author 9 Chapter 1: Political Struggle in Latin America: The Impact of Globalization, Democracy, and Inequality 10 1.1 Introduction 12 1.2 The Study of Political Struggle 17 1.3 A Very Brief History of Latin America 23 1.4 Democracy in Contemporary Latin America 29 1.5 Inequality in Contemporary Latin America 35 1.6 Globalization in Contemporary Latin America 41 1.7 Conclusion 49 References 50 Chapter 2: The Struggle for Identity: Autonomy and the Indigenous 54 2.1 The Colonial Era through the Post-Independence Era 55 2.2 The Indigenous Today 64 2.3 Contemporary Indigenous Movements 75 2.4 Conclusion 87 References 87 Chapter 3: The Struggle for Citizenship: The Social Contract and the Urban Poor 91 3.1 Cities of Latin America through History 92 3.1.1 From Colonialism to the Export Economy 92 3.1.2 The Twentieth Century and Beyond: From Import-Substitution to Neoliberalism 97 3.1.3 Urban Poor Communities Today 103 3.1.4 Identifying and Explaining the Urban Poor Today 108 3.1.5 The Urban Poor and the Future of Democracy in Latin America: The 2019 Protests and the COVID-19 Pause 118 References 122 Chapter 4: The Struggle for Inclusion: Patriarchy Confronts Women and the LGBTQ+ Community 126 4.1 The Long Road to Contest Patriarchy 127 4.2 Women in Latin American Politics and History 137 4.2.1 Economic Change and the Role of Women 137 4.2.2 The Political Struggle of Women Through the Twentieth Century and Beyond 141 4.3 The LGBTQ+ Community in Latin American Politics and History 155 4.4 Conclusion 164 References 165 Chapter 5: The Struggle for the Rule of Law: Precarity and the New Middle Class 169 5.1 Identifying the Middle Class 170 5.2 The Role of the Middle Class in Latin American History 175 5.3 Precarity and Political Attitudes of the New Middle Class 180 5.4 The Middle Classes and the Rule of Law 185 5.5 The Middle Classes, Resource Mobilization, and the Political Process 190 5.6 Conclusion 194 References 194 Chapter 6: Conclusion: Political Struggle as an Enduring Feature of Politics 197