{"title":"The Length of Service of Cabinet Ministers in Chile's Presidential Democracy, 1990–2022","authors":"Hugo Jofré, Patricio Navia, José Miguel Cabezas","doi":"10.1111/blar.13577","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/blar.13577","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Cabinet shuffles in multiparty democracies do not equally affect all posts as they are caused by changes in the composition of government coalitions and by shifting political conditions. With data from the 340 individual cabinet appointments in Chile's presidential system in seven presidential terms (1990–2022), we find that the type of cabinet position and prior experience as cabinet ministers impact the length of service, but party members do not last longer than independents and neither do ministers with technocratic credentials. Ministers in low-prestige positions are less likely to being sacked. As cabinet stability is associated with the delivery of public policies, studying the determinants of longer cabinet positions helps identify factors that contribute to governability and good governance.</p>","PeriodicalId":9338,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Latin American Research","volume":"43 5","pages":"362-376"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142579623","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Navigating Physical and Digital Environments: Latin American Video Game Studies in Practice","authors":"Paul R. Merchant, Thea Pitman, Edward King","doi":"10.1111/blar.13578","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/blar.13578","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This article reflects on developments in research into Latin American video games two decades after the first studies in the field. In particular, it fills a gap in research by reflecting on the pedagogical uses of video games, focusing both on their value in the undergraduate classroom and on the design of educational games for use by school children, asking to what extent games might afford their players impactful embodied experiences and ways of navigating complex systems of information and power. The case studies centre on the teaching of environmental humanities and digital literacy in a specifically Latin American context.</p>","PeriodicalId":9338,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Latin American Research","volume":"43 3","pages":"263-276"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/blar.13578","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141565884","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Peripheral Autonomy in a Multipolar Order: Latin American Reactions to the War in Ukraine","authors":"Rafael F. Castro Alegría, Viviana García Pinzón","doi":"10.1111/blar.13572","DOIUrl":"10.1111/blar.13572","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The heterogeneity of Latin American stands regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has puzzled observers in Europe and the United States. Different explanations have been offered to account for the seemingly paradoxical willingness of Latin Americans to oppose the invasion when voting for United Nations resolutions, but then to refrain from condemning it discursively and to directly refuse requests to supply arms to Ukraine. This article aims to document the response of Latin American countries to the war and to assess the factors underpinning it. We show how predominant explanations fell short of providing an adequate account and argue that the region's reaction to the war can be better understood as a pursuit of <i>peripheral autonomy</i>. Our study is structured as a congruence analysis, based on an eclectic array of theoretical and conceptual explanations and a corpus of qualitative and quantitative information.</p>","PeriodicalId":9338,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Latin American Research","volume":"43 4","pages":"315-321"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141268642","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Explaining Brazil's Stance on the Ukraine War","authors":"Felipe Krause","doi":"10.1111/blar.13575","DOIUrl":"10.1111/blar.13575","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Brazil's diplomatic stance on the Ukraine War should be understood within the context of broader geopolitical tensions. Brazil's position goes beyond geopolitical hedging and represents a strategic alignment with the global South based on a vision aimed at stimulating economic development through cooperation. This article highlights Brazil's reluctance to criticise Russia, articulates its grievances with the West and explains the Brazilian government's conviction that a stronger alliance with the global South can result in economic gain. Ultimately, Brazil's new foreign policy is shifting from its historical commitment to non-alignment and pragmatism and reveals a growing inclination to challenge liberal international norms.</p>","PeriodicalId":9338,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Latin American Research","volume":"43 4","pages":"326-329"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/blar.13575","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141188124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Decoloniality and the Spectre of Modernity: Notes for a Theoretical Critique","authors":"Julián Harruch","doi":"10.1111/blar.13576","DOIUrl":"10.1111/blar.13576","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This article examines a thesis that has become a common currency in Latin American critical thought, namely that ‘coloniality’ is constitutive of modernity. This proposition rests on a reifying conception of modernity as a Eurocentric civilisational project which, I contend, is theoretically flawed and politically pernicious. I will trace this conceptualisation of modernity and some of the problems it involves in recent works of Arturo Escobar and Walter Mignolo. I argue that modernity is better understood as a politico-theoretical toolkit that, while having no immanent ideological content, is vital to the analysis and critique of (neo)colonialism and imperialism.</p>","PeriodicalId":9338,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Latin American Research","volume":"43 3","pages":"251-262"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/blar.13576","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141188339","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kendra D. Carrión-Vivar, Alexandra Jima-González, José Ángel Alcántara-Lizárraga
{"title":"Between Tradition and Pragmatism: Challenges for Latin America amid the Russia–Ukraine War","authors":"Kendra D. Carrión-Vivar, Alexandra Jima-González, José Ángel Alcántara-Lizárraga","doi":"10.1111/blar.13571","DOIUrl":"10.1111/blar.13571","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This article explores Latin America's response to the Russia–Ukraine War by navigating the delicate balance between tradition and pragmatism. Historically championing self-determination and non-intervention, the region faces challenges in coordinating responses due to ideological divisions. Analysing reactions from Brazil, Mexico, Nicaragua and Venezuela, the study reveals various responses, ranging from diplomatic neutrality to outright support. Economic dependencies, power dynamics and domestic priorities influence approaches. As Latin America struggles with internal challenges and external pressures, the study advocates a nuanced understanding of the role of the region in the evolving international order, emphasising the need for cohesive diplomatic strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":9338,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Latin American Research","volume":"43 4","pages":"305-308"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/blar.13571","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141188097","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"International Order and Latin American Reticent Support for Ukraine","authors":"J. Luis Rodriguez","doi":"10.1111/blar.13573","DOIUrl":"10.1111/blar.13573","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Latin America has promoted the nonintervention principle as a fundamental tenet of the international order. The region defends this principle to prevent abuses of force by great powers. Why, then, have Latin American governments been reticent to support Ukraine against the ongoing Russian invasion? The Latin American reactions to the Russian invasion do not represent a normalisation of aggression or a rejection of the international order. The Latin American responses are anchored in two regional approaches to the international order favouring nonintervention: republicanism promotes collective responses while pluralism defends non-Western values. If the West wants to win more Latin American support for Ukraine, it is necessary to disentangle supporting Ukraine and defending the international order.</p>","PeriodicalId":9338,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Latin American Research","volume":"43 4","pages":"292-295"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/blar.13573","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141188123","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Influence of the Militarisation of Bureaucracies during Bolsonaro's Government on Public Opinion about the Brazilian Armed Forces","authors":"Tatiana Paula Da Cruz","doi":"10.1111/blar.13565","DOIUrl":"10.1111/blar.13565","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This paper examines the consequences of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's strategy of appointing military officials to high-level positions within the federal executive branch and its effect on public opinion about the Armed Forces. The main argument is that the outsized role of the Armed Forces in the Bolsonaro administration harmed public perceptions of the Brazilian military. Despite the robust recruitment process in the public bureaucracy, Bolsonaro found a way to surround himself with ideologically extreme bureaucrats at the highest level. The study explores the systematic approach of enhancing military personnel's presence in the government and hypothesises about declining levels of trust in the Armed Forces. The paper draws on data from three waves of the Brazilian survey ‘A Cara da Democracia’ (The Face of Democracy) to show that the population's level of trust in the Armed Forces decreased during Bolsonaro's tenure. Furthermore, the Brazilian survey data also suggest that lower trust in the Armed Forces is robustly associated with dissatisfaction with Brazilian democracy.</p>","PeriodicalId":9338,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Latin American Research","volume":"43 3","pages":"238-250"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/blar.13565","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140800078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Belonging to No One, to Everyone, and for Whom? Learnings from the Disputes about the Public Dimension of Education in Chile's Constitutional Convention","authors":"Carmelo Galioto","doi":"10.1111/blar.13537","DOIUrl":"10.1111/blar.13537","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The public dimension of education is a key issue in democratic countries. However, in a time of conspicuous privatisation and pluralism, the value and meaning of the public sphere in education are in dispute with other value preferences. This paper offers a phenomenological account of the discussion that took place in Chile's Constitutional Convention, which represents an interesting case study due to the country's background of extensive privatisation of education. The main themes that revealed the spheres of values in dispute in this respect revolved around: the public function of the State, the public arena and its relationship with freedom of education and the diversity of educational projects, and finally the relationship between the public arena and the preferences of families. The paper describes the value controversies implicit in this debate and explains the philosophical foundations that enable us to continue questioning what constitutes the public dimension of education.</p>","PeriodicalId":9338,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Latin American Research","volume":"43 3","pages":"225-237"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140626424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Postcards Post-Petroleras: Exploring Collaborative Ethnography via Mail from the Venezuelan Diaspora","authors":"Rebecca Irons","doi":"10.1111/blar.13554","DOIUrl":"10.1111/blar.13554","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Postcards, as ‘travelling communication devices’, have been identified as excellent tools for their ability to collapse ‘the field’ in a new, visually experiential way. Though often presented as a (post)colonial medium that has exoticized ‘the other’, they may also be able to give snapshots of diverse biographies otherwise silenced, and can therefore be utilised as a form of collaborative ethnography. This paper analyses postcards sent from Venezuelans living in Bogota during the pandemic. It will suggest that when migrants express lived-experience via postcards, the coloniality of the medium is challenged and reimagined as collaborative ethnography.</p>","PeriodicalId":9338,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Latin American Research","volume":"44 1","pages":"6-19"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/blar.13554","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140568483","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}