Explores the history of dictatorship and democracy in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries from the vantage point of the early twenty-first century. In geographical terms, the focus is on Latin America with a particular focus on Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Mexico, Cuba, Guatemala and Colombia. The historical trajectories, current circumstances and future prospects of these nation-states will be examined in relation to themes such as authoritarianism, violence, terror, fear, democracy, liberty, freedom, nationalism, revolution, US hegemony, neo-liberalism and globalisation.