Burbach, R: Latin America’s Turbulent Transitions: The Future of Twenty-First Century Socialism

Roger Burbach is Director of Research and Publication at the Center for the Study of the Americas (CENSA) in Berkeley, California. A historian by training, he was for a number of years a staff member and writer with NACLA, the North American Congress on Latin America. During the 1990s he was Visiting Scholar in Peace and Conflict Studies, and subsequently at the Institute of International Studies, University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of numerous books, including Imperial Overstretch (Zed Books, 2004), The Pinochet Affair: State Terrorism and Global Justice ( Zed Books, 2003), Globalization and Postmodern Politics: Zapatistas versus High Tech Robber Barons (Pluto Press, 2001) and Globalize This! The Battle against the World Trade Organization (Common Courage Press, 2000) (edited with Kevin Danaher). Federico Fuentes edits Bolivia Rising, is part of the Venezuela Analysis editorial collective, and a regular contributor to the Australian based newspaper Green Left Weekly, including as part of its Caracas bureau from 2007-10. During this time he was based at the Fundacion Centro Internacional Miranda, linked to the Minister of Popular Power for University Education as a resident researcher. Together with Marta Harnecker, he headed up two of the lines of investigation there: "Political Instrument for the 21st Century" and "Popular participation in public management". He has also co-authored two books with Harnecker on the new left in Bolivia and Paraguay and is working on two further books regarding the new left in Brazil and Ecuador. His articles have been published on ZNet, Counterpunch, MRZine, Venezuela Analysis, Aporrea, Rebelion, America XXI, Comuna and other publications and websites in both Spanish and English. Michael Fox is a freelance journalist, reporter and documentary filmmaker based currently in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is co-author of Venezuela Speaks!: Voices from the Grassroots (PM Press 2010) and the co-director of Beyond Elections: Redefining Democracy in the Americas (PM Press 2008). He sits on the board of Venezuelanalysis.com, and is the producer of the Venezuelanalysis Radio Headlines. He has led tours to half a dozen Latin American countries, and writes on social movements in South America. His articles have been published with The Nation, NACLA, Yes Magazine, Earth Island Journal and more.

Provides a new approach to the analysis of the politics of: Nicaragua, Venezuela, Bolivia and Equador.

Introduction: Turbulent Transitions and the Specter of Socialism 1: Globalization, Neoliberalism, and the Rise of the Social Movements 2: The Pink Tide and the Challenge to U.S. Hegemony 3: Between Neo-Extractivism and 21st Century Socialism 4: Venezuela's 21st Century Socialism 5: Bolivia's Communitarian Socialism 6: Ecuador's Buen Vivir Socialism (by Marc Becker) 7: Brazil: Between Challenging Hegemony and Embracing It 8: Cuba: 'Updating' 20th Century Socialism? 9: Conclusion: Socialism and the Long Latin American Spring Appendix: List of nationwide votes in Venezuela, Bolivia, and Ecuador