Washington and Lee University
Discussion of Venezuela in recent years has been highly polarized. Much of the available analysis in the media and elsewhere flattens out the complexities of Venezuela under Chávez. This book aims to make a contribution to both academic conversations and public knowledge of Venezuela. The main idea behind it was to bring together a wide range of scholars representing different views, on both sides of the divide that separates Chavistas from the "opposition." Essays (written by both Venezuelan and U.S.-based social scientists) cover subjects like the nature and causes of polarization in contemporary Venezuela; the question of whether Venezuela is more or less democratic than in previous years; the complicated issues surrounding the feminist movement and efforts by some to advance its agenda during the years in which Chávez has been president; as well as economic policy, social policy, and foreign affairs under Chávez. All of this is organized around the thematic question of whether the "Bolivarian Revolution" is really a revolution. We think the book should be useful for academics, lay readers, and the classroom.
The Revolution in Venezuela: Social and Political Change under Chávez is published by Harvard University Press as part of its Series on Latin American Studies.
