Development of Democracy in Latin America

In Latin America, democracy has ebbed and flowed. Most recently, the “third democratic wave” has been much stronger and more successful; still, democratization in the region is uneven and increasingly at risk. To understand third-wave democratization and its increasing fragility in many countries, various theoretical perspectives have been developed by scholars. Focusing on any two of the following countries: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Uruguay, and Venezuela – how do you believe each country’s democratic successes and/or failures should be explained?

Provide “an argument.” An “argument” is your central theme or position, which you should state in your answer. You should elaborate on your argument. In particular, provide evidence. Incorporate logical evidence, the assigned readings, and, as appropriate, other sources. Data for papers for this course could be levels-of-democracy (Freedom House, etc.), electoral (results, turnout, etc.), opinion-poll surveys, economic (GDP, GDP per capita, trade, one or two resources as a % of total trade, commodity prices, etc.), dimensions of globalization, and others. You should also address counterarguments; why is your position the correct one? What evidence might be marshaled on the other side of your argument that you can debunk? Be sure to footnote controversial points or numbers that might be questioned or appear differently in different sources. Define key concepts. Direct quotes from readings and statistics that vary by the source should be footnoted; paraphrased material – which should not be a significant part of your essay – should be footnoted. Only the author’s or authors’ name/names and page numbers need to be indicated. Other sources should be cited in a consistent format of your choosing. Use accents for Spanish names. Number your pages. Avoid country or thematic overlap with your debate answer.