Of Paradoxes, Dilemmas, and Comparisons: Essays in Honor of Kevin Middlebrook by Paulo Drinot, Par Engstrom

“This edited volume does more than pay tribute to Kevin Middlebrook, a great scholar and beloved colleague. It draws on Middlebrook’s work to offer fresh insights into Mexican labor relations, comparative politics in Latin America, and U.S.–Latin American relations, particularly the North American Free Trade Agreement. It examines new data and cases on militarization, conservative parties and democracy, and the USMCA. For readers interested in Middlebrook’s legacy, and for students of Latin American politics generally, this is a valuable collection.”
— Professor Tom Long, University of Warwick

“For almost fifty years, with exceptional insight and analysis, the late Kevin Middlebrook explored the twists and turns of Latin American politics; this magnificent volume continues his scholarly journey. Focused on Mexico’s political regimes, conservative parties, and labor in U.S.–Mexico trade relations, it presents compelling new research while beautifully honoring his legacy.”
— Professor Cynthia McClintock, George Washington University


This volume honors the scholarly contributions of Kevin Middlebrook, presenting essays that explore Mexican labor history, comparative politics, and U.S.–Latin American relations, with a focus on NAFTA/USMCA.

The first section explores Middlebrook’s work on Mexican labor, policy, and democratization. The second examines his contributions to comparative politics, including studies of Peru’s military regimes and democratic transitions across Latin America. The final section considers U.S.–Latin American relations, analyzing labor provisions in trade agreements and their effects on Mexico’s trade unions and economic development.

Bringing together leading experts, the volume highlights Middlebrook’s enduring impact on Latin American studies.

Paulo Drinot is Professor of Latin American History at University College London. Educated at LSE and Oxford, he is the author of several books on Peru, including The Allure of Labor (2011) and Los años de Leguía (2024). He is a former co-editor of the Journal of Latin American Studies.

Par Engstrom is Associate Professor of Human Rights at the Institute of the Americas, University College London, and Vice-Dean (Impact) at UCL’s Faculty of Social and Historical Sciences. He has held visiting positions at Sciences Po and the University of São Paulo and worked with OHCHR, FCDO, and ABColombia.