Latin America since Independence: A History with Primary Sources

What is Latin America, after all? While histories of the "other" Americas often link disparate histories through revolutionary or tragic narratives, Latin America since Independence begins with the assumption that our efforts to imagine a common past for nearly thirty countries are deeply problematic. Without losing sight of chronology or regional trends, this text offers glimpses of the Latin American past through carefully selected stories. Each chapter introduces students to a specific historical issue, which in turn raises questions about the history of the Americas as a whole. Key themes include:

• Race and Citizenship
• Inequality and Economic Development
• Politics and Rights
• Social and Cultural Movements
• Globalization
• Violence and Civil Society

The short, thematic chapters are bolstered by the inclusion of relevant primary documents – many translated for the first time – including advertisements and posters, song lyrics, political speeches, government documents, and more. Each chapter also includes timelines highlighting important dates and suggestions for further reading. Richly informative and highly readable, Latin America since Independence provides compelling accounts of this region’s past and present.

This second edition brings the story up to the present, with revised chapters, new primary documents and images, and a new ‘At A Glance’ feature that uses a selection of maps and tables to illuminate key issues like the economy, the environment, and demographics.

For additional information and classroom resources please visit the Latin America since Independence companion website at www.routledge.com/cw/dawson.

Alexander Dawson is Professor of Latin American History at Simon Fraser University, in British Columbia, Canada. He is the author of First World Dreams: Mexico since 1989 and Indian and Nation in Revolutionary Mexico.