Author Description

A new interpretation of the forces shaping the Americas informs this book of original essays written by scholars from diverse disciplines of history, comparative literature, anthropology, sociology, demography, women's studies, economics, and political science. Part I, Contested States, explores issues of sovereignty, the development of Latin American states, economic restructuring and political democratization, and the evolution and future of revolutionary movements in. The region. Part II, New Voices/New Visions, explores the innovative and creative forces emerging in the region, including feminist movements, religious innovations, and developments in literature and the arts. Part III, American Identities in Formation, analyzes some of the varied identities of people of the region, from indigenous peoples in Mayan communities to immigrants and refugees within the Americas and in the United States.