Costa Rica : a global studies handbook / Meg Tyler Mitchell and Scott Pentzer.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Mitchell, Margaret T. (Margaret Tyler), 1967-

Contributor:

Pentzer, Scott, 1966-

Series:

Global studies. Latin America & the Caribbean

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Costa Rica--Handbooks, manuals, etc.

Costa Rica.

Genre:

Handbooks and manuals.

Physical Description:

xxi, 367 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Santa Barbara, Calif. : ABC-CLIO, [2008]

Summary:

From Mexico to Tierra del Fuego, ABC-CLIO's Global Studies: Latin America & the Caribbean series introduces readers to the distinctive histories, politics, economics, populations, and cultural outputs of the countries of Latin America as they face the challenges of the modern world. Each volume combines narrative chapters and other helpful research tools to offer more information, insights, and resources than any other book on this critical region. For students, travelers, businesspeople, or anyone looking to go beyond a superficial understanding of these complex, fascinating countries, Global Studies: Latin America & the Caribbean handbooks are the ideal resource.

Contents:

Part 1 Narrative Section 1

Chapter 1 Geography and History 3

Pre-Hispanic Costa Rica 15

The Conquest of Costa Rica and the Colonial Era 28

Economic Development in the Central Valley: Coffee and Railroads 41

The Rest of the Country: Cattle and Bananas 50

Political Development, 1824-1870 53

Order and Progress: The Constitution of 1871 and the Liberal State 57

Education and Modernization 62

Economic Crisis and Challenges to the Liberal Order 67

The Crisis of the Export Model 75

Machine Politics, Reform, and the Civil War of 1948 77

Chapter 2 The Costa Rican Economy 93

The Exhaustion of the Classical Export Model and the Birth of the Mixed Economy 94

Nationalization of the Banks 96

Autonomous Institutions and the Manager State 97

Coffee and Cooperatives 101

Cattle Ranching and Deforestation in Guanacaste 106

Industrialization and the Central American Common Market 110

CODESA and the Entrepreneur State 114

The Debt Crisis and Neoliberal Reforms 116

USAID and the Parallel State 118

From 1990 to the Present: A New Economic Model with Some Familiar Weaknesses 125

Manufacturing 128

Agriculture 131

Service Industries 137

Social Development 149

Chapter 3 Politics and Institutions 169

Education 170

Health Care 179

Other Autonomous Institutions 184

National Parks, Protected Areas, and Private Conservation Efforts 187

Political Institutions 200

Political Parties 207

The Abolition of the Army and Costa Rican Foreign Policy 211

Institutional Change in the Neoliberal Era 215

Corruption and the 2006 Elections 217

From Gridlock to Referendum in 2007 219

Chapter 4 Society and Culture 227

Urbanization, Population Growth, and the Role of Women 229

Social Cohesion and Political Participation 234

Religion 238

Ethnic Minorities and the Costa Rican Self-image 246

Nicaraguan Immigrants 261

Insecurity and Crime 266

Soccer 271

Arts and Literature 274

Part 2 Reference Section 293

Key Events in Costa Rican History 295

Significant People, Institutions, Places, and Events 303

Costa Rican Language, Food, and Etiquette 321

Language 321

Food and Beverages 324

Common Costa Rican Dishes 325

Etiquette 329

Costa Rica-Related Organizations 333

Business and Economics 333

Culture, Education, and Exchange 334

The Environment 337

Costa Rica's Government Representatives in the United States 339

Tourism 341

Annotated Bibliography of Recommended Works on Costa Rica 345

Geography and History of Costa Rica 345

The Economy of Costa Rica 348

Costa Rican Institutions 350

Costa Rican Society and Contemporary Issues 351.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 345-353) and index.

ISBN:

9781851099924

1851099921

9781851099931

185109993X

OCLC:

166873288

Online:

Publisher description