This book offers an indepth analysis of the confrontation between popularmovements and repressive regimes in Central America during the three decadesbeginning i... » 

This book offers an indepth analysis of the confrontation between popularmovements and repressive regimes in Central America during the three decadesbeginning in 1960 particularly in El Salvador and Guatemala. Examining bothurban and rural groups as well as both nonviolent social movements andrevolutionary movements this study has two primary theoretical objectives.First to clarify the impact of state violence on contentious politicalmovements. Under what conditions will escalating repression provoke challengersto even greater activity perhaps even the use of violence themselves andunder what conditions will it intimidate them back into passivity? Second todefend the utility of the political process model for studying contentiousmovements indeed finding in this model the key to resolving the repressionprotest paradox. The study is based on the most thorough set of events data oncontentious political activities collected from Latin American countries. «