Politics in Latin America tend to alternate cyclically.

Leftist movements acting on behalf of those with little access to a good life demand less poverty and inequality, and more access to public services.

Rightist parties, often supported by the military, favor pro-market economic policies.

James Franklin, professor and chair of the Department of Politics and Government at Ohio Wesleyan University, will address which direction the pendulum points today and its influence on domestic politics and international relations.

Franklin’s talk, on Friday, March 10, is the latest in the weekly Great Decisions Community Discussion series about U.S. Foreign Policy.

Franklin earned a bachelor’s degree at Auburn University and a doctorate at Texas A&M University. His primary field is comparative politics, with research and teaching interests in contentious politics, human rights, democratization and Latin American politics.

Franklin has been published in a variety of political science journals, including Comparative Political Studies, International Studies Quarterly, and Political Research Quarterly. His most recent publications include an article about the persistence of protest movements in Latin America.

He has also written about human rights naming and shaming. His current research examines protest waves and democratic revolutions around the world, which he will present at a conference in San Diego this spring.

Great Decisions discussions begin at noon in the Fellowship Hall of the William Street United Methodist Church, 28 W. William St., Delaware. Attendees are welcome to bring a brown-bag lunch. Complimentary coffee and tea are provided.

The topic for the March 17 discussion is “Conflict in the South China Sea,” featuring Michelle Mood, professor of political science and Asian studies at Kenyon College.