The Western Historiography of Latin American Guerrillas in the Post-Cold War Period

The following article examines the essential features of contemporary studies into left-wing armed movements in Latin America. It takes for the object the theoretical and methodological approaches implemented by the Western historiography while explaining the rise, functioning and development of a "guerrilla" as a social and political phenomenon. The article rests upon extracting the main aspects covered in general works and those examining guerrilla movements in particular countries. Special stress is made on how the researchers determined the prerequisites for the spread of ideas of armed struggle, the case of guerrilla leadership and its contribution to the lives of local communities.