Pre-Reading Democratization Research Activity
Death and the Maiden takes place during the democratization of an unnamed South American country. Democratization is the transition to a more democratic political regime. It may be the transition from an authoritarian regime to a full democracy, a transition from an authoritarian political system to a semi-democracy or transition from a semi-authoritarian political system to a democratic political system. The outcome may be consolidated (as it was for example in the United Kingdom) or democratization may face frequent reversals (as it has faced for example in Argentina). Different patterns of democratization are often used to explain other political phenomena, such as whether a country goes to a war or whether its economy grows. Democratization itself is influenced by various factors, including economic development, history, and civil society. The ideal result from democratization is to ensure that the people have the right to vote and have a voice in their political system.
Read about one of the two South American countries that has democratized:
Assignment:
Read about one of the two South American countries that has democratized:
Assignment:
- Briefly explain your country's transition from authoritarian government to democratic government. What caused it? Was the process violent or nonviolent? Was it a smooth transition? How is the country at this point?
- After reading the play, write 3-5 sentences for each of these questions:
- Where you see evidence of the unnamed country in our play's democratization?
- How do we know that there is a new government?
- What does the new government seem concerned with?
- How did the old government function?
Text, Connections, and Activities
The Text:
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The Song:
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1-20 Review
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Post-Reading Discussion:
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