Catholicism, Social Control, And Modernization In Latin America

Ivan Vallier, -. Condition remarks:Book: Acceptable Jacket: No dust jacketPages: Good Markings: Reading copy with markingsCondition remarks: Condition as shown in imageA landmark work in the sociology of religion and Latin American studies, Catholicism, Social Control, and Modernization in Latin America presents a rigorous analytical framework for understanding the evolving role of the Catholic Church as a social and political institution across Latin America. Ivan Vallier argues that the Church's traditional function as an instrument of elite-backed social control underwent profound transformation in the face of rapid modernization, urbanization, and rising popular movements throughout the twentieth century. Drawing on comparative sociological methods, Vallier illustrates how different national Catholic hierarchies adapted-or failed to adapt-their strategies in response to shifting political landscapes and grassroots pressures. The work details the tension between the Church's institutional conservatism and the emergence of progressive, reform-oriented factions that would later give rise to liberation theology. Scholarly in tone yet accessible in its argumentation, this foundational text remains essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the intersection of religion, power, and social change in the modern Latin American context.…