Modern Latin America by Skidmore et al. Essay (Book Review)

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Skidmore and Smith’s Modern Latin America presents the interpretation of the political, economic, and institutionalization history of the modern society of Latin America. The authors have effectively used their disciplinary knowledge of history in adopting case study scenarios to explain the topical themes relating to the social changes within the Latin American countries over the last 150 years. The text begins with an overview of the pre-historical periods of Columbia with major emphasis on Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America as well as Cuba’s socio-cultural conditions of the era (Skidmore & Smith, 2005). The writers’ focus on this transformation is crucial in shaping the governance and economic growth of these nations in the future. This literary piece is well organized into different sections consisting of chapters 1 to 12. It provides an introductory overview of the major social trends across Latin America and further in-depth analysis of the case study scenario of the state of the continent in the pre-colonial era. The study further interprets each situational state of the socio-cultural environment influencing the regions’ transformation.

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Of the reading’s sections, Chapter 5 presents the most interesting and knowledgeable information throughout the entire book. This part of the textbook presents Brazil as a colony and a socialist state. These paradoxical manifestations of Brazil’s administration as both democratic and dictatorial are, therefore, aimed at providing response to the author’s hypothetical questions “why Latin America?” (Skidmore & Smith, 2005). The case of Brazil further explains the goal of the textbook in explaining the contrasting leadership foundation across the countries within the Latin American regional block. The section of the study further examines the partial involvement of Brazil in protests in gaining their independence from the rule of the Portuguese. The nation is presented as the main center of slavery with the African population deported to Brazil before being transferred to Britain to provide free labor services. Chapter 5 is, therefore, of importance to learn from as it explains the realities associated with slave trade and the oppressive nature of the Portuguese and British authorities. The rest of the other sub-sections focuses on highlighting socioeconomic and political ties existing among the Latin American countries. It further explains the multicultural distinction existing between these countries and how such differences influence their sociocultural choices and the pattern of changes in the policymaking overtime.

The article also presents the theme of gender as a major factor that influences the representation of power. For instance, the publication identifies gender to play a critical role in entrusting individuals their freedom from patriarchal influence. The authors argue that most prominent people when deprived of their power resort to gender-based victimization to obtain their superiority from family social units. Such practices subject the behavior of the entire society to reproduce a similar pattern of family dictatorship as a social norm (Skidmore & Smith, 2005). The article strength can be inferred from its elaborative dwelling on the topic of the representation of power, and the socioeconomic issues of the Latin Americans before and during the colonial period. Adopting a case-by-case explanation of the situations of these countries and the transformation that they experienced over the last decades is, therefore, crucial in shaping the future of the global world.

One can learn from the reading’s ideas on the theme of New European World to explain the social implications of the current global policies to the next generations. However, the text presents certain research-based limitations as a literary piece of writing. For example, it adopts a survey structured approach of presenting its intended message to the readers. This approach of information presentation provokes an audience’s critical analysis of the provided evidence forcing them to underestimate the significance of also reading the knowledge of the historical trend of the Latin American countries. The reading’s discipline-based terms adopted in this literary piece of writing are also technical for the non-intellectual readers to understand. The author has also presented some bias in maintaining an extreme criticism of the US political government’s dictatorship. The colonial federal administration of the USA was known to be dominative but the reading has overestimated the radical nature of this authority.

In my view, the article can be used to oppose a military dictatorship that may suppress the civic rights of the community. It can also be used to pinpoint the current social discourse surrounding race and nationality like racism and instead aim to enhance relational ties between global nations. I think the book provides a piece of useful knowledge on the topic of diversity. For instance, its chapters identify major regional trends across colonial Latin America that one can learn from in creating a difference in the modern society for good governance. This piece of writing further relates the foundation of marginality with the theory of dependency key in explaining the effects of modern global civilization. In my view, Skidmore and Smith’s Modern Latin America presents useful knowledge that can be adopted by Latin America Studies to pinpoint the current social discourse associated with race and nationality. It can be used to enhance the anti-racist movements’ activities in promoting diversity across the globe.

Reference

Skidmore, T. E., & Smith, P. H. (Eds.). (2005). Oxford University Press. (pp.1-529). Web.

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IvyPanda. 2022. "Modern Latin America by Skidmore et al." July 1, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/modern-latin-america-by-skidmore-et-al/.

1. IvyPanda. "Modern Latin America by Skidmore et al." July 1, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/modern-latin-america-by-skidmore-et-al/.


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