This historiographic essay reviews literature on the Latin American
family within the context of themes, issues, and methodologies important in
studies of European and United States families. The family in Latin America is
found to have been a more central and active force in shaping political, social,
and economic institutions of the area than was true in Europe or the United
States. The authors suggest that institutions in Latin American society make
much more social sense, particularly in the nineteenth century, if viewed through
the lens of family relationships. The eight essays in this issue represent research
substantially expanding our knowledge of the nineteenth-century Latin American
family as an active force.
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