THIS BOOK COMES out of an urban research initiative coordinated by the Centre for Urban and Community Studies at the University of Toronto, Canada, which also covers Africa, the Arab World and Asia. The overall theme is how the poor can be incorporated within governance, the nature of the relationship between social mobility and political instability, and the fulfilment of growing social demands alongside the preservation of democracy.

The introduction by Richard Stren outlines the historical and institutional context of Latin America from 1960 until 1995, and how the region has undergone accelerated urban change in the late twentieth century within an institutional structure that has also undergone radical transformations. He looks at the implications for society of recession and structural change, increasing globalization, decentralization and democracy. He also considers the role of social organizations and NGOs, and the changing situation of urban research.
Chapter 1 examines the notion of governance and the historical implications associated with the term. It seeks to explore the changes occurring in Latin American cities in relation to the notion of governance, namely the process and form under which cities are governed. It also considers the relations between global, national and local factors and their consequences at the local level. Chapter 2 looks at governance and poverty in Mexico, Colombia and Central America, exploring their different social, economic, political and urban histories. It also examines their different experiences in the context of the transition from authoritarian to democratic rule, and the consequent social costs of restructuring and difficulties in governance, and how democracy came to be a pre-condition for development when Latin American governments started to open up their economies. It also considers the role of local governments and the relations between poverty and governance, together with the new social policies for combating poverty.

Chapter 3 concerns governance, local government and poverty in Brazil. Brazil's current challenge is the implementation of reforms for development and its insertion into the international market, along with effective policies to combat poverty. The chapter goes into a more profound analysis of the concept of governance, as distinct from "governability", within the context of the effectiveness of state action and the strengthening of democracy. It also describes the conditions of local governance in Brazil and the extent of its success, ending with some general considerations for future research and recommendations. The final section is a critical reflection on the previous chapters in which the author analyzes their similarities, differences and omissions and relates these to the general context of Latin America.