Introduction: Latin America in comparative perspective. I. Introduction II. Latin America compared to other large wordl regions III. Latin America and Europe IV. Configurative characteritiscs V. Themes and organization Chapter 1 Latin America as a "Mausoleum of modernities". I. Introduction II. Latin America's distinctive relation to "modernity" III. Successive waves of "modernity" in latin America IV. The littered landscape V. How durable a break with the past? VI. Conclusion: reflections on multiple modernities Chapter 2 Latin America State organization. I. Introduction II. Territorial control III. Administration IV. "Cognitive" capacity V. Command over resources VI. Postscript on Citizenship VIII. Conclusion Chapter 3 The politics of expertise. I. Introduction II. Antecedents III. Actualities IV. Conclusion Chapter 4 Economics in Mexico: The power of ideas and ideas of power. I. Introduction II. Origins of the profession III. The rise of the economic technocrats IV. Comparisons V. The profession VI. The "NeoLiberal" ascendancy VII. External derivations VIII. The authoritarian style IX. Performance X. Conclusion: the prospects Chapter 5. Privatization and the public interest: partial theories, lopsided outcomes. I. Introduction II. "Privatization" and "The public interest" III. Alternative styles of privatization: timing and sequencing IV. The contemporary scene: momentum and resistance V. Lopsided theories VI. Conclusion: partial outcomes Chapter 6 Democracy, inequality, and insecurity: three sources of contestation. I. Introduction II. Inequality and social injustice III. Democracy and insecurity IV. Conclusions