Contemporary capitalism has disrupted the conventional pattern of revolutionary upheaval, civil wars, and pacification in Central America. In this timely study, William Robinson maps the likely shape of change in the region. This book is likely to unsettle policy-makers in Washington but will become a point of reference for both scholars and activists peering into the future.

Beyond his focus on Central America, Robinson provides a critical framework for understanding development and social change in other regions of the world in the age of globalization. Demonstrating how the very forces of capitalism have brought into being new social agents and political actors unlikely to acquiesce in the face of the emerging order, Transnational Conflicts shows why the Isthmus, along with other regions, is likely to return to the headlines in the near future.