Summary: Comparative Political Studies Volume 44 - Issue 11 - 2011

In this issue of Comparative Political Studies:

• Doyle examines why populism has had such an enduring impact on Latin American politics, arguing that it comes down to distrust in institutions.
• Williams explains why opposition parties frequently force confidence votes in parliamentary systems, even when they are unlikely to succeed in bringing down the government.
• Carlin and Singer measure, "support for the basic rights, liberties, and practices associated with polyarchy in 12 Latin American democracies."
• Kelley disputes the common wisdom that international election monitors make election boycotts more likely.
• Herron presents a new method for garnering information about dissent in authoritarian regimes by analyzing vote returns in non-free elections.