Challenges and Change in Middle America Perspectives on Development in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean

Challenges and Change in Middle America is the second book in the Developing Areas Research Group Regional Development Series. This series adopts a largely thematic approach to development issues rather than the more traditional sectoral structure of other texts. The overall focus is on contemporary debates and perspectives on theory, policy and practice, covering a range of topics.Challenging pre-existing forms of regional categorisation, Challenges and Change in Middle America focuses geographically on Mexico, the countries of Central America and the Caribbean. It examines the future development challenges and reviews past changes in the region within the broader context of globalisation processes and their implications at the 'global', 'regional' and 'local' scales. While the countries included are highly diverse, the text argues that they share certain economic, social and political characteristics which bind them together.In light of the recent focus on grassroots approaches to 'development', Challenges and Change in Middle America guides the reader from the micro-level of individuals and households, through community considerations to a focus on national-level strategies in the region. In doing this, it focuses on regional constructions of gender, ethnicity and race at individual and household levels, as well as poverty and livelihoods. From the perspective of national-level development strategies, the text also considers the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors, urban and rural environmental changes as well as the construction of civil society processes. All chapters refer to cases studies from the countries in the region, often based on the authors' first hand experience. As a whole Challenges and Change in Middle America aims to provide the reader with an overview of the economic, political, social, cultural and environmental changes that have occurred in the region, as well as highlighting the challenges which still face Middle America's nations and people at the start of the 21st century.Challenges and Change in Middle America is an ideal course text for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Development Studies, Geography, Sociology, Anthropology and Politics. It will also be of interest to researchers and development practitioners.DARG is a research group of the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) and is a leading British research organisation in the field.Cathy McIlwaine and Katie Willis are both lecturers in Geography at Queen Mary, University of London and the University of Liverpool respectively. Cover photograph: Cathy McIlwaine. Banana processing plant, Limón, Costa RicaMcIlwaine, Cathy is the author of 'Challenges and Change in Middle America Perspectives on Development in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean' with ISBN 9780582404854 and ISBN 0582404851.