Latin American Social Movements Transforming Society and Politics. Social movement activity in Latin America has exploded over the last three decades. The poor have mobilized in response to neoliberal policies that have made their survival more precarious and highlighted their exclusion from politics, while the middle-class has mobilized in response to pressures experienced as a result of neoliberal policies. We will learn about movements that span the region, approaches to social change and the issues that arise within these movements.