With a history of economic hard times, Argentina seems destined to weather another financial storm. The worldwide economic downturn, an administration with low approval ratings, and recent talks of nationalizations have Argentina perched on the brink of crisis. Today, half of its population lives below the poverty line, and the country’s growth expectations compare badly to those of neighboring Brazil and Chile. But the country’s rebound after the 2001 crisis proved once again that few countries in the world are better at surprising the experts.
Nicolas Shumway is the Tomás Rivera Regents Professor of Spanish American Literature, a widely recognized expert on Argentine culture and history, and one of the most popular lecturers on the UT campus. He has also held visiting appointments at the University of São Paulo as well as the University of San Andrés and the Universidad Torcuato di Tella in Buenos Aires. His award-winning book, The Invention of Argentina, continues to sell widely in the United States and in Argentina.
