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Foreword
Why Latin America Matters
Why Latin America Matters is a necessary book — the collection of essays herein present reflections that are strategic at this moment in history. The point of departure seems to be the question “Does Latin America matter?”. The answer is yes, but this is not enough. All countries matter, all regions matter, every individual matters, the planet matters. The meaning of the verb, or rather the significance applied to it, is what makes a difference. How did Latin America matter in the past, and how does it matter today? This is what the authors strive to answer: a complex question about an equally complex, diverse, heterogeneous reality. They present comprehensive analysis on a broad range of aspects of Latin American history and present situations, challenges and solutions to such challenges. The essays focus on questions such as health, climate change, risk management, the role of humanities, art and social sciences, migrant movements, the importance of civil society, urban challenges, alternative concepts of development and production, community-building, regional and cultural identities. However, the variety of subjects under scrutiny does not produce a fragmented body. On the contrary, there are unifying themes, as well as common methodological perspectives that provide an original and useful contribution to Latin American Studies, with a productive impact on transformative visions of Europe.