This innovative and accessible interpretation of democratization by one of the leading scholars in the field, examines the process of democratization. It aims to equip those caught up in democratization and democracy promotion with a more realistic understanding of the tensions and turbulence involved.

This book of collected essays by Laurence Whitehead, an eminent scholar of Latin America, explores the structures and influences that bind together the region, shedding light on this vast and rapidly changing culture zone.