This course will investigate the so-called "third-wave" of transitions to democracy, as it played itself out in Southern Europe and in a variety of Latin American countries. The course begins with an examination of a general theoretical framework for transitions to democracy, with a special focus on the roles of non-democratic structures and legacies, of the military, and social movements. The course continues by investigating several cases of transition, including Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Nicaragua. It will assess and compare the motivations behind the different institutional choices in each country and their consequences for the consolidation of democracy. Finally, the course concludes with a discussion of the role the United States plays in influencing the course of Latin American political developments. |