Building Support for Democracy in Latin America: A Role for Civil Society?

The sources of democratic consolidation and deepening in Latin America have been under debate since the region's return to democracy in the 1970s and 1980s . We still, however, do not understand why those democratic values that provide the foundation for an enduring and deep democracy take hold in some contexts and not in others. This paper seeks to offer insight into the potential and limits of civil society as a vehicle for deepening democratic values in newer democracies. I analyze a large cross-national survey of Latin American citizens in 18 countries to examine the question: Is civil society in Latin America nurturing democratic values or breeding authoritarian sentiments? A multidimensional analysis of civil society brings nuance to our understanding of the relationship between civil society and democratic values. Ultimately, my analysis suggests a need to identify how transnational connections and domestic contextual factors affect the degree to which civil society cultivates or undermines support for the democratic process . ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]