PERSPECTIVES ON LATIN AMERICA

by Samuel L. & Ronald Hyman -- Eds. Baily ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 1974

The editors say general readers lack suitable books on Latin America, so they have put together a short collection (mustn't tire those general readers) of generally low-level articles (can't hit them with really hard problems). The selections are arranged by social science field, with llthgrade questions appended about how essay X contrasts and compares with essay Z. Anthropologist Helen Safa puts on the blackboard the notions of ""acculturation"" and ""dual society"" -- ins and outs -- in a simplistic way that clashes with history and her own facts. Frederick Turner, a political scientist, makes a solemn map of Latin American ""interest groups,"" accompanied by a startling reference to ""President Eduardo Frei of Chile"" . . . the editors have, lazily, extracted the book from a 1967 symposium. Physicist Maurice Bazin denounces frivolous scientific projects in Latin America which bypass illiteracy and starvation. Then he applauds the samba and technological backwardness, rather than examining how a sound scientific endeavor would help the problems he stresses. Economist James Street gives a conscientious and relatively full summary of development strategies. . . of 15 years ago. Then he says they are all abandoned, what next. Street's essay does arouse a sense of some genuine debate linked to some genuine issues, which is more than can be said for most of this book.

Pub Date: March 1, 1974

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Macmillan

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1974

Categories: NONFICTION