Latin America is changing. New movements and ideas are gaining ground; patterns of trade are altered; poverty decreases. While the continent seeks a place in a globalized world, political and economic developments offer opportunities for previously marginalized groups to demand acceptance and rights. Progress notwithstanding, several of the countries on the continent continue to be marked by the inequality and instability that has plagued their pasts. The interaction between past, present and current tendencies is at the center of Latin American Studies. It is a multidisciplinary subject, whose methods and theories are derived primarily from the social sciences.