Costa Rica: a global studies handbook

Series Editor's Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgments

Maps

Part 1. Narrative Section

Chapter 1. Geography and History

Pre-Hispanic Costa Rica

The Conquest of Costa Rica and the Colonial Era

Economic Development in the Central Valley: Coffee and Railroads

The Rest of the Country: Cattle and Bananas

Political Development, 1824-1870

Order and Progress: The Constitution of 1871 and the Liberal State

Education and Modernization

Economic Crisis and Challenges to the Liberal Order

The Crisis of the Export Model

Machine Politics, Reform, and the Civil War of 1948

References

Chapter 2. The Costa Rican Economy

The Exhaustion of the Classical Export Model and the Birth of the Mixed Economy

Nationalization of the Banks

Autonomous Institutions and the Manager State

Coffee and Cooperatives

Cattle Ranching and Deforestation in Guanacaste

Industrialization and the Central American Common Market

CODESA and the Entrepreneur State

The Debt Crisis and Neoliberal Reforms

USAID and the Parallel State

From 1990 to the Present: A New Economic Model with Some Familiar Weaknesses

Manufacturing

Agriculture

Service Industries

Social Development

References

Chapter 3. Politics and Institutions

Education

Health Care

Other Autonomous Institutions

National Parks, Protected Areas, and Private Conservation Efforts

Political Institutions

Political Parties

The Abolition of the Army and Costa Rican Foreign Policy

Institutional Change in the Neoliberal Era

Corruption and the 2006 Elections

From Gridlock to Referendum in 2007

References

Chapter 4. Society and Culture

Urbanization, Population Growth, and the Role of Women

Social Cohesion and Political Participation

Religion

Ethnic Minorities and the Costa Rican Self-image

Nicaraguan Immigrants

Insecurity and Crime

Soccer

Arts and Literature

References

Part 2. Reference Section

Key Events in Costa Rican History

Significant People, Institutions, Places, and Events

Costa Rican Language, Food, and Etiquette

Language

Food and Beverages

Common Costa Rican Dishes

Etiquette

Costa Rica-Related Organizations

Business and Economics

Culture, Education, and Exchange

The Environment

Costa Rica's Government Representatives in the United States

Tourism

Annotated Bibliography of Recommended Works on Costa Rica

Geography and History of Costa Rica

The Economy of Costa Rica

Costa Rican Institutions

Costa Rican Society and Contemporary Issues

Index

About the Authors