Latin America has the most unbalanced distribution of resources of all regions in the world. This review defines a set of common elements characterizing social structures on this continent, suggests some approaches for analysis and theorizing, and supports the integration of regional studies into broader discussions of stratification. An overview of the situation on the continent as a whole, including a short discussion of the relationship between poverty and inequality, allows to address some concerns with data availability. We then devote a section each to class, gender, and race, and conclude by identifying three critical factors that explain Latin American inequality: its position within a global economic system, internal colonialism with maintenance of racial categories, and the underdevelopment of state structures.
Class; Gender; Race; Comparative stratification