Governing Latin America is a concise yet comprehensive introduction to the contemporary politics of the region. Focusing on the enduring difficulties of achieving democratic stability, it explores the conduct of government through classic concepts like authority, accountability, and participation. * The book brings Latin America into mainstream, comparative politics. * The book combines regional and international perspectives into an original synthesis. * The book is organized around comparative topics, not particular countries. * The focus is on government and the difficulties of achieving democratic stability. * The approach is thematic and uses classic concepts of political science.