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The book "Midwife of History: Violence in Literature, Performance, and Audiovisual Media in Latin America" is a collection of eighteen articles that analyze the representation of systematic violence perpetrated against minority groups in Latin America. The editors, Osvaldo Sandoval-León and Chrystian Zegarra, present the book as an effort to contribute to the studies on violence and memory in the region, considering the combination of writing, visual, and bodily spaces in literary, film, artistic, and performative works. The book covers a wide variety of topics and contexts, and analyzes works by renowned authors and artists from different Latin American countries, the United States, and France. The articles also explore themes such as memory, impunity, and lack of resolution. Overall, the book successfully complements and continues the studies on violence in Latin America, allowing for perspectives on the recent past of the continent to be formed. [Extracted from the article]

The book "Democratic Erosion in Latin America" analyzes the changes and challenges that democracies in the region have faced. It highlights that despite advances in democratic processes, economic and political crises have caused a process of erosion in Latin American democracies in the last two decades. The book addresses topics such as actors and institutions, the socioeconomic context, dynamics and processes, and international relations. It offers a comparative view of Latin American realities and is of interest to those interested in comparative politics and democracy in the region. [Extracted from the article]

The article "The paths of innovation: technological challenges and environmental dilemmas in Latin American agriculture" presents a dossier that examines the historiography of Latin American agriculture and its progress in recent decades. It highlights the importance of innovation in Latin American agriculture, including productive, biological, scientific, and technological aspects, as well as the reconstruction of its itineraries. The dossier brings together original research that explores the paths and trajectories of agricultural and agro-industrial innovation in different rural areas of Latin America, covering a broad historical period and diverse regions of the continent. The role of producers in the generation of knowledge and the innovative adaptation of technologies in the field of animal production in North and South America is analyzed, as well as the circulation of knowledge, technologies, and experts in the American continent and the Atlantic world. It is concluded that it is necessary to consider the biophysical, anthropic, and institutional dimensions in the analysis of agricultural change and innovation. [Extracted from the article]

The article "Why do some people dedicate themselves to politics and others don't?" analyzes the factors that influence the choice of a political career. It highlights the importance of the institutional environment, socioeconomic characteristics, and the role of the family in political vocation. It also mentions the impact of international experience and university education on political activism. The author identifies the "cursus honorum" as an upward political trajectory based on experience and personal connections. Additionally, it emphasizes the influence of scenarios of political instability in shaping successful political vocations. The article also mentions the definition of a "politician" and acknowledges the existence of parapolitical individuals in positions of authority. In summary, the article explores the reasons and factors that lead some people to dedicate themselves to politics and offers a comparative analysis of political trajectories in Latin America. It also addresses the importance of decentralization and territorial representation in politics, as well as other institutional elements and individual factors that influence political participation. Furthermore, it proposes cooperation between disciplines for a better understanding of politics. [Extracted from the article]

Essays in Bernard Shaw and the Spanish-Speaking World, edited by Gustavo Rodríguez Martín, utilize a range of scholarly lenses to unfold insightful and provocative reasons why Shaw's plays, prefaces, and speeches circa 1890–1950 had international appeal and have retained their impact in the present moment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The book "Latin American Traditional Parties, 1978-2006: Electoral Trajectories and Internal Party Politics" by Laura Wills-Otero analyzes the reasons behind the variation in the electoral performance of traditional parties in Latin America. The author highlights the importance of party organizational structures and the relationships between national and local leaders and party members. According to Wills-Otero, parties with horizontal structures and democratic procedures are more likely to survive. The book combines a study of 48 parties throughout the presidential and legislative elections between 1978 and 2006 in Latin America, with a comparative study of four cases in Venezuela and Colombia. This study contributes to understanding how political organizations can transform themselves to be effective agents of democratic representation in challenging contexts. [Extracted from the article]

The book "Beatriz Allende: A Revolutionary Life in Cold War Latin America" written by Tanya Harmer tells the story of Beatriz Allende Bussi, daughter of former Chilean president Salvador Allende, and her involvement in the revolution in Chile during the 1960s. The author uses written and oral testimonies, photographs, letters, and documents to reconstruct Beatriz's life and explore the political and cultural experiences of a generation. The book also addresses the challenges of being a revolutionary woman in a male-dominated world, analyzing the generational conflict within left-wing political groups and the female experience in activism. It highlights the case of Beatriz Allende, who questioned the policies of traditional communist and socialist parties and faced an internal debate between her father's political trajectory and her own militant vision. The text also reflects on the need to break male stereotypes in the history of revolutions. [Extracted from the article]

The book "Latin America: Challenges and Limitations in the International Scenario of the Policrisis" by the SEIPAZ Research Seminar Foundation offers a rigorous analysis of the challenges and limitations that Latin America faces in an adverse international context. The book addresses topics such as the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine, which have exacerbated the region's structural problems and vulnerabilities. The importance of regional integration as an alternative to face these difficulties is also discussed. In addition, the problems of democracy in Latin America are analyzed and possible challenges to strengthen it are proposed. The text analyzes the importance of social and institutional trust in Latin American politics. It emphasizes the need to generate trust in societies to build new social contracts and promote cooperation and collaboration. The role of the Organization of American States (OAS) in the democratic crises in Venezuela and Nicaragua is also addressed. Furthermore, the peace process in Colombia and Latin America's relationship with Spain, China, the United States, the European Union, and Russia are examined. The book offers a comprehensive analysis of the challenges and limitations that the region faces in the current international context. [Extracted from the article]