Latin America: Regions and People (review)

There have been two reasonably up to date general-purpose textbooks for courses in Latin American geography. One, edited by Brian and Olwyn Blouet, has both thematic and regional chapters written by a range of authors. The other, authored by David Clawson, takes a thematic approach. Robert Kent's new textbook is a worthy third addition to this list. Besides being the least expensive of the three, it is the only up to date textbook written by a single author that combines thematic and regional approaches. Almost two thirds of the volume is thematic, with the remainder devoted to regions of Latin America. As with other textbooks, the chapters stand alone and can be assigned to students in any order desired by the instructor. The single authorship allows the book to consistently follow a distinctive perspective, and indeed Kent has introduced a number of innovations.

Kent was trained at Syracuse, and his approach may reflect the distant influence of Preston James and the more recent influence of David Robinson. Kent embraces the importance of culture and history, and especially of demographic history, in understanding the region. His extended experience in Spain has clearly had an impact on his thinking about the importance of Iberian cultural influences. At the same time, he has had considerable practical experience with development projects, and has a wide-ranging interest in contemporary issues facing Latin America.

Unlike the other two current textbooks, which focus broadly on Latin America and the Caribbean, this volume deals only with Ibero-America (which Kent makes synonymous with Latin America). Kent excludes Jamaica, Haiti, the Lesser Antilles, Belize, and the Guianas from discussion, since from his perspective these territories have "a cultural environment that bears no similarity whatsoever to Latin America." However, within Ibero-America he gives full attention to minority cultures and enclaves.

Kent's definition of regions is innovative. He identifies nine "principal regions," areas of relative environmental uniformity that also have distinctive and significant cultural characteristics. Most of these regions have also become areas of dense population and are economic cores for surrounding peripheries. Chapters devoted to these regions are presented in chronological order of their integration into the Iberian culture realm, beginning with central Mexico and ending with the Amazon basin (the one principal region which is a demographic and economic periphery). Some "peripheral" regions are also discussed in the context of the principal regions, including one "periphery of a periphery," the Guiana Highlands. The regional chapters alternate with thematic chapters, and eventually most of Latin America is discussed in regional as well as thematic context. The regional chapters are especially important for the discussion of environmental and resource management issues. Both those using a regional approach to teaching Latin America and those using a thematic approach will need to slightly revise their lectures to take full advantage of this text's unique characteristics, but the effort should prove rewarding.

The thematic chapters work well to describe pre-Columbian cultures, show the gradual introduction of Iberian cultural traits, practices, and institutions, and narrate the increasing impact of the non-Iberian world. Population and migration receive considerable attention, although Kent does not go into detail on demographic transition theory. A separate chapter is devoted to the Latin American diaspora, with maps and tables showing census data on Ibero-American impacts in the United States. Issues of urbanization, development, and the insertion of Latin America into the world economy are also discussed at length, including challenges in achieving political freedom and transparency. There is a lengthy introductory chapter that summarizes the cultural history of the region, and a short concluding chapter providing some thoughts on Latin America's future. Although well aware of structural inequality and environmental impacts, Kent has little optimism that these problems will be solved any time soon. He suggests that Latin America will continue to develop in a neoliberal framework...