A lively, interpretive history that uses case studies to discuss the major countries and themes of the region over the past 200 years, Now thoroughly updated in its eighth edition, Modern Latin America is a lively interpretive history and the leading text in the field. Featuring vivid, anecdotal illustrative boxes, the book uses case studies to discuss the major countries and themes of the region over the past 200 years. For each country, Thomas E. Skidmore, Peter H. Smith, and James N. Green examine such central themes as European-New World interaction, racial mixtures, military takeovers, and U.S. intervention in the area. New to This Edition: Two new chapters (15 and 16) examining Latin America's changing place in the world arena, Additional material on economic strategies and patterns of democratization, A four-color "photo album" in the middle of the book and additional maps and illustrations throughout, Visit the companion website at http://library.brown.edu/modernlatinamerica.

Why Latin America? -- The colonial foundations -- Mexico : the taming of a revolution -- Central America : within the U.S. orbit -- Cuba : key colony, socialist state -- The Andes : soldiers, oligarchs, and Indians -- Colombia : civility and violence -- Venezuela : the perils of prosperity -- Argentina : progress, stalemate, discord -- Chile : repression and democracy -- Brazil : the awakening giant -- Strategies for economic development -- Dynamics of political transformation -- Culture and society -- Latin America in the world arena, 1800s-1980s -- Latin America in the world arena, 1990s -present.