Tulane University

Comparative Perspectives on Reshaping the Political Arena in Latin America

Conference and Edited Volume Workshop
Eduardo Silva (Tulane University) & Federico M. Rossi (Tulane University)

THIS EVENT IS CLOSED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, HOWEVER IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO OBSERVE, PLEASE CONTACT EDUARDO SILVA (gesilva@tulane.edu) OR FEDERICO ROSSI (frossi@tulane.edu)

Latin America’s neoliberal critical juncture- which began in the mid-1970s- transformed many of the region’s key social, economic, political structures, institutions, and actors. The very same process, however also generated intense waves of resistance that contributed to the resurgence of the left. A growing literature has examined the turn to left governments. But none have systematically studied how the redefinition of the organized popular sectors , their political allies, and their struggles, have reshaped the political arena to include their interests. If the neoliberal period marginalized the popular sectors, the peasantry, and the political forces that supported them from politics the turn to left governments raises expectations for a second wave of incorporation.

The conference and the proposed edited volume under discussion will address three central questions applied to the cases of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador and Venezuela: How did neoliberal adjustment and second generation reforms affect the transformation of key popular sector social and political actors, their interests, demands, and actions? How have reconstituted organized popular sectors been reincorporated into politics in left governments and what is their role in the social coalitions that support them? What are the consequences of the mode of incorporation for policy and politics? Separate panels will focus respectively on unions, political parties and social movements. Each panel will also explore sources of cooperation and tension among the principal actors and how they affect emerging conflict and consensus around key policy and political issues regarding reforms to free-market economics and procedural democracy.

Conference participants and book contributor include:
Eduardo Silva and Federico Rossi (conference conveners and general editors)
Adalberto Cardoso (Instituto Universitário de Pesquisas do Rio de Janeiro)
Ruth Berins Collier (University of California, Berkeley)
Catherine Conaghan (Queen's University)
Steve Ellner (Universidad de Oriente, Puerto La Cruz)
María Pilar García-Guadilla (Universidad Simón Bolívar, Caracas)
Julián José Gindin (Instituto Universitário de Pesquisas do Rio de Janeiro)
Daniel Hellinger (Webster University, St. Louis)
Jorge León (CEDIME, Ecuador)
Pierre Ostiguy (Pontífica Universidad Católica de Chile)
Kenneth Roberts (Cornell University)
Aaron Schneider (University of Denver)
Susan Spronk (University of Ottawa)

Please see the tentative Schedule of Events here.