PANEL: Latin American Politics Emily Zhang, Maddy Bond, Phoebe Amavisca Project Mentor(s): Gilberto Garcia, PhD Presentation Type: Panel (May 20, 9:30am–5:00pm) Keywords: Latin America, Political Development, Democratization, Human Rights, Social Change SOURCE Form ID: 70 Military Dictatorships and Democratic Transitions: Comparative Study of Argentina and Chile Emily Zhang This paper compares the military dictatorships of Argentina and Chile and examines how each country transitioned back to democracy after periods of repression and human rights abuses. Although both countries experienced authoritarian rule during the late twentieth century, their political histories and transitions followed different paths. Argentina faced repeated military intervention and long-term instability, especially during the Dirty War from 1976 to 1983, when thousands of people were disappeared and the government used violence against its own citizens. After returning to democracy in 1983, Argentina made stronger efforts to hold military leaders accountable through trials and investigations. In contrast, Chile had a more stable democratic system before the 1973 coup that brought Augusto Pinochet to power. While Chile also experienced widespread repression, its transition back to democracy was more controlled and allowed the military to keep influence through amnesty laws and constitutional protections. As a result, accountability for human rights violations happened more slowly and remained limited for many years. By comparing these two cases, this paper shows how different political conditions shaped each country's transition and affected their ability to address past abuses. Overall, the experiences of Argentina and Chile demonstrate how military rule can have lasting effects on democratic institutions and justice after authoritarian regimes end. Keywords: military dictatorship; democratic transition; Argentina; Chile; human rights Agrarian Reform and Indigenous Political Power in Bolivia and Mexico Maddy Bond This paper explores agrarian reforms implemented during revolutionary periods in midtwentieth- century Bolivia and Mexico, examining how they impacted Indigenous communities and class hierarchies. Both states developed from colonial systems that concentrated land in the hands of elites while marginalizing Indigenous populations. These unequal conditions contributed to revolutionary movements that sought to address inequalities with land redistribution. This study asks how agrarian reforms reshaped social and political power in each case. Through a comparative historical analysis of reform policies and their outcomes, this paper finds that while these reforms redistributed land to Indigenous and peasant communities, they produced divergent political outcomes. In Bolivia, reforms facilitated the expansion of Indigenous political participation, enabling Indigenous communities to gain significant political power. In contrast, Mexico's reforms incorporated Indigenous communities into a centralized state structure, limiting their autonomy and political influence. The impact of revolutionary agrarian reform depended not only on land redistribution but also on how political power was restructured within the state. These findings highlight the uneven consequences of revolutionary reform and emphasize the importance of political context in shaping Indigenous empowerment. Keywords: Bolivia, Mexico, Agrarian Reform, Indigenous Communities
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