Latin American societies in transition /

Williamson, a sociologist who has published extensively on social class and population, has written a present-day analysis of the 20 or so Ibero-American republics (including Haiti). His book is an excellently researched work and a good source of analytical data on the region. Readers should bear in mind that although Williamson touches on a variety of subject areas--ranging from ethnic dynamics to agriculture to government--the amount of data directly provided for any given country reflects that country's size and/or perceived influence. The author uses an approach that seeks to integrate theoretical and classical sociological paradigms with specific analyses of various Ibero-American republics. Given the current overall state of political and economic crisis in these countries, the author has focused on a number of associated factors, such as intransigence of elites, faulty infrastructure, and counterproductive development strategies from within and outside the region. Williamson also seeks to delineate commonalities as well as contrasts among the countries studied. A worthy addition to sociological interpretations of Ibero-American dilemmas. Upper-division undergraduates and above. W. J. Nelson; formerly, Shaw University