Latin America:

In the years since its original publication, Latin America: Perspectives on a Region has gained recognition as a well-written, comprehensive introductory text with an interdisciplinary approach to a politically volatile, culturally rich area.

The six chapters in the book's first two sections lay a historical groundwork, covering environmental and social systems, pre-Colombian cultures and Latin American societies, as well as discovery, conquest, colonialism, and independence. The third section, dedicated to contemporary dimensions of Latin America, includes chapters on women, refugees in Latin America, Latinos in the United States, the economics of Latin America, and political parties.

Concise and engaging writing is complemented by photographs, maps, graphs, and tables. In addition, the appendix on researching Latin America in the library has been completely rewritten to assist students in coping with the new technology of the information age.