CIAO DATE: 06/2012
Volume: 4, Issue: 1
June 2012
Attitudes, Ideological Associations and the Left–Right Divide in Latin America (PDF)
Nina Wiesehomeier, David Doyle
Do Latin American citizens share a common conception of the ideological left-right distinction? And if so, is this conception linked to individuals' ideological self-placement? Selecting questions from the 2006 Latinobarómetro survey based on a core definition of the left-right divide rooted in political theory and philosophy, this paper addresses these questions. We apply joint correspondence analysis to explore whether citizens who relate to the same ideological identification also share similar and coherent convictions and beliefs that reflect the ideological content of the left-right distinction. Our analysis indicates that theoretical conceptions about the roots of, and responsibility for, inequality in society, together with the translation of these beliefs into attitudes regarding the state versus market divide, distinguish those who self-identify with the left and those who self-identify with the right.
Lorena Moscovich
Can federal-state relations affect popular protests? Using an extensive dataset measuring local protests in the Argentine provinces (2002-2006), I assess the effects of the president's and governors' tactical allocations on the persistence of contentious events. I analyze how the delivery of federal resources, to both provincial governments and local social organizations, affects the chances of protests occurrence and the nature of its demands. Results show that federal spending increases the frequency of protests in the Argentine provinces, particularly when provincial governments are not involved in its delivery. In addition, protest demands are sensitive to president's discretional expenditure, suggesting a different dynamics in which protests became a legitimate channel to obtain federal monies.
Political Factionalism in Southern Mexico: The Case of Oaxaca (2000-2006) (PDF)
Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera
This article provides an explanation of major civil upheaval and violent political turmoil - hereinafter referred to as "active political factionalism" - that take place in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. More specifically, this work identifies the main causes of extra-institutional protest politics or uncivil modes of political action that seriously affect political stability and undermine democratic advancement. The analysis focuses on the effects of two groups of explanatory factors: i) deteriorated socioeconomic conditions (such as poverty and inequality), and ii) institutional limitations (corruption, electoral exclusion, a weak rule of law, among others) in a context of "subnational authoritarianism." The study also examines some of the mechanisms through which these variables operate and interact with other factors (resources, opportunities, government actions, etc.) to generate political factionalism. This work finally assesses the relative importance of these two groups of explanatory factors. Evidence presented here shows that institutional factors are the primary sources of political factionalism in Oaxaca, while socioeconomic factors are quite significant but not predominant.
In Defense of Oral History: Evidence from the Mercosur Case (PDF)
Gian Luca Gardini
This article makes a case in defense of oral history in the study of political science and international relations. The existing literature has scrutinized the technical aspects and appropriate use of oral material. This article focuses on the circumstances under which oral history may be an indispensable method of scholarly investigation: first, when written primary sources are not readily available; second, when an investigation targets complex and secret high-level negotiations; and third, when the main research concern is the human agent's perspective and ideational factors. The article first addresses the issue of reliability and rigor of oral history as compared to written sources and then concentrates on the creation of Mercosur as an example of the validity of oral history under the three circumstances identified. The conclusion proposes a revival of a more historical approach to political studies.
Party Systems in Latin America after the Third Wave: A Critical Re-assessment (PDF)
Miguel Carreras
This essay calls for a more nuanced analysis of the evolution of party systems in Latin America. First, I contend that the general impression that party systems are collapsing in Latin America and that processes of partisan and electoral dealignment are affecting most countries in the region is incorrect. Second, I argue that the changes in the party systems (e.g. strategic moderation) often facilitated the processes of democratic consolidation in many Latin American countries. Finally, I discuss the positive impact the recent transformations of Latin American party systems have on political representation in the region, by showing that formerly excluded groups - especially indigenous groups - have been integrated into the political system.