Introduction:
This course offers an introduction to Latin American politics in three main areas: democracy, populism, and political actors. Within each area, historical (providing context) and contemporary agendas are examined.
In the section on democracy and presidentialism, we will evaluate, on the one hand, the emergence, survival, and erosion of democracy in the region. On the other hand, we will analyze characteristics as well as problematic situations of the prevailing form of government in Latin America: presidentialism.
In the second part, we will discuss populism. Like other parts of the world, Latin America has a long history of populist leadership. After reviewing some fundamental theoretical aspects, we will examine the two most recent waves: the left-wing and the right-wing.
Finally, an agenda on political actors is presented, referring to three major levels: representative, civil, and international.
As a final activity, a comprehensive debate is expected to be developed comparing Latin America with Europe.
- Enseignant: Hernán Pablo Toppi