Bøger udgivet af Latin America Bureau (Lab)

An upsurge of women's activism across Latin America has provoked vigorous discussions about feminism, machismo and the whole process of social change. Companeras brings together activists from thirteen different countries to speak directly about their experiences and aspirations in the women's movement presenting a unique overview of current debates amongst Latin American women activists.

Few areas of the world contain as much diversity - cultural, political, social - as the Caribbean. With a history marked by conquest, slavery and superpower rivalry, the region has been the scene of naval battles, pirate attacks and guerrilla uprisings. Today, in an age of globalization, the Caribbean faces new challenges: threats to its traditional agriculture and over-reliance on tourism. With the all-pervading influence of US cultural values, the islands also run the risk of losing their distinctive and multifaceted cultural identity. This book is an introduction to this region. Looking at the legacy of European conquest and inter-colonial competition, it: traces the evaluation of contemporary political systems as diverse as Cuba's and Jamaica's; follows the changing economic fortunes of the islands, from sugar producers to tourist destinations; explores the role of gender, race and ethnic identity in uniquely heterogeneous societies; and analyzes the impact of migration and foreign intervention both past and present.

Neo-liberalism has claimed another victim: Argentina. Since the 1970s, a brutal transference of resources from the poor to the rich has taken place here. The wealthy have exploited the tools of neo-liberalism to make fast profits for themselves and international interests without a thought for the country's future. On the 19th and 20th December 2001, Argentines took to the streets in their millions and said "Enough!" to the plunder: they called it the "Argentinazo", and their demand was "que se vayan todos" - "out with the lot of them" - the corrupt politicans, the interfering IMF, the rapacious foreign companies and international banks. Two years on, it is clear that the Argentinazo was a turning point in the political life of the country. It was a wake-up call to citizens that they need to be more involved in the running of the country, or soon there will be no country left to run. "We are millions" looks at the politics which led to mass poverty and unemployment and describes the rich and varied social responses to economic meltdown and political crisis.

Bacchanal! explores the place of Carnival in Trinidadian society and the people who take part in it. Topics covered include: how the festival reflects and affects attitudes towards religion, language, humour, politics, male-female relations and folk traditions

Brazil In Focus is an authorative and up-to-date guide to the giant of Latin America.

In July 1993, near Haximu, a tiny hamlet in the Amazon rainforest, a fateful meeting between a group of young Yanomami Indians and Brazilian gold miners resulted in the massacre of the Yanomami. News of the tragedy shocked Brazil and the world. But mysteries remained: What exactly happened at Haximu? How many people died? Who killed the Indians and why? Using eyewitness accounts, this work tells the story behind the Haximu massacre. Set in the context of the Amazon gold rush, it describes the failings of Brazil's official indigenous policy, the tragic cultural misunderstanding between the gold miners and Yanomami, and analyzes the role of gold fever in the destruction of the Amazon rainforest and its people.

Mexico is a land torn between Latin America and the US, between its Indian and revolutionary past and the modern trappings of skyscrapers, cell phones, and factories. It is also one of the biggest tourist destinations in Latin America for the UK market. Mexico is now the key country in Latin American debates about trade integration, neo-liberalism, and the fight of indigenous people for autonomy and self-governance, best characterised by the Zapatista movement. A new updated edition of Mexico in Focus gives the insider's view - the 'story the guidebooks don't tell you' - in accessible, lively and accurate prose. It offers a fresh and contemporary perspective on the Zapatista rebellion and indigenous issues, as well as the July 2000 election of Vicente Fox, the "cowboy president" whose controversial policy suggestions have included free movement of labour and unrestricted immigration within NAFTA and the legalisation of drugs. This completely rewritten and updated text also touches on the economy, the new relationship under George W Bush, literature and culture, as well as a completely new section on Mexican popular culture forms and music, including telenovelas, comic books, and "lucha libre", or popular wrestling. Mexico in Focus is published complete with new illustrations, updated maps and facts and figures, and an extended Where to Go and What to See Section - expert tips on how to get the most out of your visit.

Picking Up the Pieces is a definitive book on contemporary Peruvian politics.

Ecuador is part of the "In Focus" series which looks at the countries they discuss with students and independent travellers in mind.

A look at the various, sometimes conflicting, aspects of Jamaica: at once a paradise tourist island, the gangster-ridden home of the yardies, a proudly independent democracy, an island struggling with debt and its dependence on a few primary products, and a fantastically vibrant home of musical and sporting achievement. Peter Mason guides the reader through Jamaica's complex evolution and culture grown out of unique ties with Britain, with North America, and with the African slave trade diaspora. The work surveys the land and its people, the evolution of its politics and society, and the state of its economy. Music, culture and tourism are discussed in the context of Jamaica's fantastic achievements in these areas both at home and abroad. The book presents practical information for the interested traveller, on festivals such as Sunsplash and carnival, eco-adventures on Blue Mountain treks, the dancehalls and sporting grounds, and, of course, the beaches.

"Nicaragua in Focus" is an authoritative and up-to-date guide to this fascinating country. It explores the land, history and politics (including the crucial and difficult relationship with the U.S.), economy, society and people, culture and environment, and includes tips on where to go and what to see. Color and b&w photos, maps.

Cuba In Focus is one of a series of guides covering the countries of South and Central America and the Caribbean

This is a guide to one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic, which has much more to offer than its idyllic beaches. The site of the first European settlement in the Americas, the country has a long and often turbulent history, marked by dictators, foreign invasions and popular uprisings. For almost two centuries the country has shared the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, a proximity which had led to friction and occasional conflict. Despite efforts to abandon dependency on sugar and to modernize the economy, the Dominican Republic still faces considerable poverty and social tensions. Migration, legal and illegal, provides a lifeline to many poor communities. Yet this often difficult past and present have created one of the most distinctive and vibrant cultures in the Caribbean, where 16th-century colonial architecture contrasts with modern office blocks, and where Spanish, African and American influences are apparent in music, food and art.

In the Mountains of Morazán is the extraordinary story of Segundo Montes, told by the community's men and women, and interspersed with vivid descriptions of daily life in this remote corner of El Salvador.

As host for the world cup and olympic and paralympic games, Brazil is attracting millions of new tourists. Nationwide protests suggest that, despite the new prosperity the government has not done enough. This book provides an introduction to the country for people who want to know more about the real Brazil than is found in an ordinary guidebook.

The European Challenge sets out to examine assumptions. It looks at various aspects of Europe's relations with Latin America: transnational investment, the role of the EEC, financial flows, European social democracy, human rights and arms sales.

Travels in 'Paradise' is a guide on how to have a more socially and environmentally responsible holiday in Latin America. It traces the relationship between the tourist industry, trade, globalisation, the social reality of everyday people and the environment in Latin America.

The Disinherited by Survival International for Latin America Bureau

The life story of a black woman born in 1902 in Cuba, her life spanning the best part of the 20th century. Through her detailed memory of her ancestors, of her still enslaved grandmother, as much as of her own life and times, she gives a portrait of being black and female in Cuba. The book seeks to encapsulate the spirit of her time, and embodies the challenges of many others as she overcomes her poverty, the humiliations suffered because of her race, and the difficulties created by her gender. Based on interviews with Reyita, and archival research, the book is a testimony which deals with all the intimate and public events in the life of this woman of extraordinary determination, who shares with us her religious faith, her sustaining love for her numerous family and her ability to work hard for her independence.

Human Rights in Latin America: The Essential Historical and Current Issues

The drugs trade is one of the world's largest international businesses, worth nearly 500 billion US dollars a year. This book examines the production and distribution of marijuana, cocaine and heroin in Latin America and the Caribbean, in networks spreading to the far corners of the earth.

Originally published in Portuguese: Säao Paulo, Brasil: Companhia das Letras, 2017.