State of Democracy in Latin America

<p><em>The State of Democracy in Latin America </em>presents a critical analysis of the contemporary democratic state in Latin America.<br><br>In a shift away from the more typical analyses of Latin American political change during the 1990s, this book presents a more state-centric perspective that seeks to explain why transitions to democracy and trends towards better governance have failed to provide more political and social stability in the continent. Through a deeper analysis of underlying social relations and values and how these manifest themselves through institutions, the state is understood not purely as an institutional form but rather as a set of interdependent relations that are shaped by particular collective and individual interests.</p> 1. Conceptualising the State 2. Perspectives on the Latin American State 3. The Unfolding of Argentina's Political Collapse and Social Decay 4. In Search of the Post-transitional Chilean State 5. Reflections on the Contemporary Latin American State