Skim 1
Quentin Sciulli Skim one A case of the blame game A landslide in Columbia over the weekend has sparked mass devastation and controversy. It sent mud and rocks plummeting into the town of Mocoa and swept towns away that stood…
The Shift to the Left
Levitsky and Roberts discuss at the length the rise of the left in Latin American politics. The rise started with Chavez in Venezuela and continued with elections in Chile, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil, among others. Much of the result…
Was the PT Different?
The structure of the Worker’s Party (PT) in Brazil is one that makes it unique. The members of the party were made to put the interests of their party ahead of those of the individual politician. The PT required a…
The Left Turn
In the article, “Latin America’s ‘Left Turn,’” Steven Levitsky and Kenneth Roberts explore the roots of the spread and success of Left-leaning political parties in Latin America in the late 1990s and early 2000’s. The authors credit two economic events,…
The left turn
At the end of the Cold War, Latin American countries have experienced a big change in their governments with the emergence of the new and redefined « Left ». This idea to separate themselves from the U.S. in order…
Skimm #1
The Story As a result of extreme rainfall, deadly mudslides are sweeping southern Colombia, with rescue teams and locals scrambling to save those at risk. Since Saturday morning, at least 200 have been declared dead. What Happens Next? Rescuers have…
The Left Turn
For my last blog post, I will be discussing the so-called “Left turn” that Latin America experienced in the 90’s. Not unlike my previous posts, the left turn discussed in this weeks reading is an interesting counterpoint to the current…
Causes of the Left Turn
According to Levitsky, there are two long term factors that contribute to the Left’s resurgence in Latin America; one being inequality and the other being the institutionalization of electoral competition. Inequality, being a severe problem in Latin America, with the…
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