Latin America In Focus – serie

Bolivia In Focus is an authoritative and up-to-date guide to this fascinating land.

This comprehensive overview of Venezuelan history, culture, and politics is designed to ground the high school student's knowledge of the crucial role of the nation on the international scene.Venezuela stands out as one of Latin America's most influential, yet controversial countries, leading students to want to know more about the nation and its outspoken president. Taking an interdisciplinary approach to ground an understanding of the contemporary nation, Venezuela provides the reader with an overview of the Venezuelan story from 1499 to the present. The study provides a comprehensive look at all aspects of life in this South American powerhouse, discussing the nation's geography, history, government and politics, economy, society, and culture. Specific attention is directed to topics such as industry, labor, religion, ethnicity, women, etiquette, literature, art, music, and food, among many others. In addition, the book examines the controversy surrounding Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez. Written in an accessible and engaging tone, this volume is ideal for high school and undergraduate students—and essential for library shelves.

This comprehensive overview of Venezuelan history, culture, and politics is designed to ground the high school student's knowledge of the crucial role of the nation on the international scene.Venezuela stands out as one of Latin America's most influential, yet controversial countries, leading students to want to know more about the nation and its outspoken president. Taking an interdisciplinary approach to ground an understanding of the contemporary nation, Venezuela provides the reader with an overview of the Venezuelan story from 1499 to the present. The study provides a comprehensive look at all aspects of life in this South American powerhouse, discussing the nation's geography, history, government and politics, economy, society, and culture. Specific attention is directed to topics such as industry, labor, religion, ethnicity, women, etiquette, literature, art, music, and food, among many others. In addition, the book examines the controversy surrounding Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez. Written in an accessible and engaging tone, this volume is ideal for high school and undergraduate students—and essential for library shelves.

Written by some of the best-known independent scholars, citizen journalists, cyber-activists, and bloggers living in Cuba today, this book presents a critical, complete, and unbiased overview of contemporary Cuba.In this era of ever-increasing globalization and communication across national borders, Cuba remains an isolated island oddly out of step with the rest of the world. And yet, Cuba is beginning to evolve via the important if still insufficient changes instituted by Raul Castro, who became president in 2008. This book supplies a uniquely independent, accurate, and critical perspective in order to evaluate these changes in the context of the island's rich and complex history and culture. Organized into seven topical chapters that address geography, history, politics and government, economics, society, culture, and contemporary issues, readers will gain a broad, insightful understanding of one of the most unusual, fascinating, and often misunderstood nations in the Western Hemisphere.

Written by some of the best-known independent scholars, citizen journalists, cyber-activists, and bloggers living in Cuba today, this book presents a critical, complete, and unbiased overview of contemporary Cuba.In this era of ever-increasing globalization and communication across national borders, Cuba remains an isolated island oddly out of step with the rest of the world. And yet, Cuba is beginning to evolve via the important if still insufficient changes instituted by Raul Castro, who became president in 2008. This book supplies a uniquely independent, accurate, and critical perspective in order to evaluate these changes in the context of the island's rich and complex history and culture. Organized into seven topical chapters that address geography, history, politics and government, economics, society, culture, and contemporary issues, readers will gain a broad, insightful understanding of one of the most unusual, fascinating, and often misunderstood nations in the Western Hemisphere.

Ideal for high school and undergraduate students, this one-stop reference explores everything that makes up modern Brazil, including its geography, politics, pop culture, social media, daily life, and much more.Home to the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympic Games—and one of the world's fastest-growing economies—Brazil is quickly becoming a prominent player on the international stage. This book captures the essence of the nation and its people in a unique, topically organized volume. Narrative chapters written by expert contributors examine geography, history, government and politics, economics, society, culture, and contemporary issues, making Brazil an ideal one-stop reference for high school and undergraduate students.Coverage on religion, ethnicity, marriage and sexuality, education, literature and drama, art and architecture, music and dance, food, leisure and sport, and media provides a comprehensive look at this giant South American country—the largest nation in Latin America as well as the fifth largest nation in the world. Students will be engaged by up-to-the-minute coverage of topics such as daily life, social media, and pop culture in Brazil. Sidebars and photos highlight interesting facts and people, while a glossary, a chart of holidays, and an annotated bibliography round out the work.

Ideal for high school and undergraduate students, this one-stop reference explores everything that makes up modern Brazil, including its geography, politics, pop culture, social media, daily life, and much more.Home to the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympic Games—and one of the world's fastest-growing economies—Brazil is quickly becoming a prominent player on the international stage. This book captures the essence of the nation and its people in a unique, topically organized volume. Narrative chapters written by expert contributors examine geography, history, government and politics, economics, society, culture, and contemporary issues, making Brazil an ideal one-stop reference for high school and undergraduate students.Coverage on religion, ethnicity, marriage and sexuality, education, literature and drama, art and architecture, music and dance, food, leisure and sport, and media provides a comprehensive look at this giant South American country—the largest nation in Latin America as well as the fifth largest nation in the world. Students will be engaged by up-to-the-minute coverage of topics such as daily life, social media, and pop culture in Brazil. Sidebars and photos highlight interesting facts and people, while a glossary, a chart of holidays, and an annotated bibliography round out the work.

This work explores Guatemala. Considered by some to be the most beautiful and yet the most tragic of Latin American countries, Guatemala's military regimes gave the word "disappeared" its sinister connotations. Its majority Maya population has kept its culture alive despite five centuries of almost apartheid oppression. A mecca for tourists drawn by its lakes, volcanoes and indigenous culture, Guatemala is also a land of all-pervasive injustice and political violence.

The small nation of Belize has long been seperated from its Central American neighbors by history, language and culture. Formerly a British colony, this English-speaking country has traditionally looked towards the Caribbean islands rather than Central America for its economic and political links. Yet Belize's enclave status is increasingly a thing of the past, as trade, cross-border migration and a booming eco-tourism industry break down old barriers and put pressure on the country's social structures and natural resources.As Belize's agricultural mainstays face an uncertain future, the country has opted for "green tourism" and service industries as economic alternatives. Beaches, coral reefs and rainforests are now at the forefront of the Belizean economy, a development with serious implications for the country's environment and indigenous communities. Belize In Focus is an authoratative and up-to-date guide to this spectacular country. It explores:- The history: Maya culture; Spanish and British colonists; Garifuna and Mennonite settlements; independence and Guatemala's sovereignty claim; Central American or Caribbean?- The economy: The crisis in traditional farming; fishing and foreign investment; timber and textile exports; Coca Cola's plantation plan; the impact of liberalization; the drugs economy.- The environment: sea, reefs and rainforest; government policy and forest reserves; logging and land rights; tourism and sustainability; does eco-tourism work?- The culture: indigenous Hispanic and British influences; immigration and social change; Creole culture; art, literature and music; a nation in transition.- Where to go and what to see: Must-see landmarks and historical sites as well as the author's expert tips on how to get the most out of a brief visit.Belize In Focus is one in a series of guides covering the countries of South and Central America and the Caribbean.

Ideal for high school and undergraduate students, this one-stop reference explores everything that makes up modern Brazil, including its geography, politics, pop culture, social media, daily life, and much more.Home to the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympic Games—and one of the world's fastest-growing economies—Brazil is quickly becoming a prominent player on the international stage. This book captures the essence of the nation and its people in a unique, topically organized volume. Narrative chapters written by expert contributors examine geography, history, government and politics, economics, society, culture, and contemporary issues, making Brazil an ideal one-stop reference for high school and undergraduate students.Coverage on religion, ethnicity, marriage and sexuality, education, literature and drama, art and architecture, music and dance, food, leisure and sport, and media provides a comprehensive look at this giant South American country—the largest nation in Latin America as well as the fifth largest nation in the world. Students will be engaged by up-to-the-minute coverage of topics such as daily life, social media, and pop culture in Brazil. Sidebars and photos highlight interesting facts and people, while a glossary, a chart of holidays, and an annotated bibliography round out the work.

Written by some of the best-known independent scholars, citizen journalists, cyber-activists, and bloggers living in Cuba today, this book presents a critical, complete, and unbiased overview of contemporary Cuba.In this era of ever-increasing globalization and communication across national borders, Cuba remains an isolated island oddly out of step with the rest of the world. And yet, Cuba is beginning to evolve via the important if still insufficient changes instituted by Raul Castro, who became president in 2008. This book supplies a uniquely independent, accurate, and critical perspective in order to evaluate these changes in the context of the island's rich and complex history and culture. Organized into seven topical chapters that address geography, history, politics and government, economics, society, culture, and contemporary issues, readers will gain a broad, insightful understanding of one of the most unusual, fascinating, and often misunderstood nations in the Western Hemisphere.