Typical questions

• • Where can I get access to articles about the economic policy of the Chávez administration?

• • I need the GDP of Mexico.

Starting points

• • Definitions of Latin America can differ. Check the countries and dates required.

• • This is an areas studies section. It should also be used in conjunction with the subject studies chapters. Particularly useful is the International Relations chapter, which has a section on Foreign policy. Don't forget that the Country Information chapter also has basic data. This may be sufficient for students who can't read Spanish!

• • Note that some general newspaper and journal article indexes have limited coverage of Spanish language resources. Check the indexes. The resources in this chapter have good coverage of material produced in the region. This is an important consideration for many students seeking to ‘decolonise the curriculum’ to include local indigenous voices.

Recommended resources

Key organisations – scholarly societies

Use these to locate news, recent publications, research and conference alerts.

Society for Latin American Studies UK

www.slas.org.uk

Includes a specialist support section for postgraduate students.

Latin American Studies Association (LASA)

www.lasaweb.org

World's largest organisation. Find details of activities, including videos of conference papers.

Key organisations – international organisations

Use these to access reports, project information and data. Sometimes they are more up to date than national government websites!

Economic Commission for Latin America/La Comisión Económica para América Latina (CEPAL)

www.cepal.org

UN body with responsibility for the region. Spanish acronym is CEPAL. Key publications available online include the Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Inter-American Development Bank

www.iadb.org

Information on development aid and projects.

Organization of American States (OAS)

www.oas.org

Promotes economic and social development in the region. Access treaties and agreements on inter-American co-operation from the website. Strong coverage of human rights issues.

Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO)

www.paho.org

Regional office of the World Health Organization (WHO). Free access to regional core health indicators and the Pan-American Journal of Public Health.

Study guides

Latin American and Caribbean Research Portal

ilas.sas.ac.uk/portal

Great resource maintained by the School of Advanced Study, University of London. Browse lists of researchers, theses in progress and key institutions, libraries and museums. Covers all subject areas.