Southern lights: Metropolitan imaginaries in Latin America

Thesis Eleven ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 072551362110439
Author(s):  
Jeremy Smith
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Urban Design ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Buenos Aires ◽  
Urban Centers ◽  
Metropolitan Cities ◽  
The Usa ◽  
19Th And 20Th Century ◽  
American Cities

This essay aims to examine metropolitan cities of Latin America with two aspects of the literature in anthropology, history, and sociology in mind. First, the essay addresses an imbalanced focus on cities in the USA and Canada by sketching the significance of migration, creation, and urban development in four major metropolises of Latin America. Second, in place of a framework of urban imaginaries, which has dominated the sociology of Latin American cities in recent years, I argue for a more precise notion of metropolitan imaginaries that better frames the creativity of particular cities and their level of integration into international and regional networks. With this more precise notion, I distinguish southern cities as highly connected places, which attract migrants and bring economic and cultural traffic to their shores, ports, plazas, and streets. They are lively centers of Atlantic modernity with connections that generate greater magnitude for creativity and, as such, bear international significance as places of architecture and urban design. In their informal settlements, impulses of organic creation further distinguish southern metropolises from their North American counterparts. The quality of international and regional connections distinguishes these cities from other urban centers in Latin America, a point underestimated in the literature on urban imaginaries. In this essay, I examine 19th and 20th-century Buenos Aires, Mexico City, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro. Each is distinguished from most cities by the magnitude of migration, the diversity of their populations, and the connections they have to global and regional developments. Crucially, each one stands out for the quality and impact of their metropolis-making, particularly in creative architecture and urban design.

Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires: Public Space and Public Consciousness in Fin-de-Siècle Latin America

1995 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 519-540 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey D. Needell
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Public Space ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Rio De Janeiro ◽  
Buenos Aires ◽  
Modern Architecture ◽  
Adequate Measure ◽  
The Past ◽  
Public Consciousness ◽  
American Cities

The Parisian Faubourg Saint Germain and perhaps the Rue de la Paix and the boulevards seemed the adequate measure of luxury to all of the snobs. The old colonial shell of the Latin American cities little approximated such scenery. The example of Baron de Haussmann and his destructive example strengthened the decision of the new bourgeoisies who wished to erase the past, and some cities began to transform their physiognomy: a sumptuous avenue, a park, a carriage promenade, a luxurious theater, modern architecture revealed that decision even when they were not always able to banish the ghost of the old city. But the bourgeoisies could nourish their illusions by facing one another in the sophisticated atmosphere of an exclusive club or a deluxe restaurant. There they anticipated the steps that would transmute “the great village” into a modern metropolis.—José Luis Romero

Latin American Cities

2018 ◽  
pp. 39-51
Author(s):  
Carles Crosas
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Buenos Aires ◽  
Caribbean Sea ◽  
Capital Cities ◽  
Urban Imaginary ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
New Generation ◽  
American Cities

During the nineteenth century, capital cities in Latin America established a new generation of “green” grids, inherited from the tradition of Hispanic colonization that introduced new elements of modernity: technique, transport, and ecology. From hundreds of cases, it is worth paying attention to those that are most outstanding for embodying a number of characteristics: certain isolated condition, perfect geometrical layout, tram connection, “hygienist” inspiration, innovative engineering, new urban imaginary, etc. The brief presentation of some cases in Buenos Aires, México DF, Montevideo, and Sao Paolo leads the authors to assess the outstanding case of El Vedado in La Habana (1859) within its contemporary panorama. This is a canonical grid district settled in a vast and privileged area near the Caribbean Sea, with its quiet tree-lined streets and notable for its exquisite buildings. After 150 years, reviewing the transformation of this unique grid allows one to gain insight regarding the flexibility of urban grids, appreciate the splendour of its past, and explore the potential for its future.

Slum Neighborhoods in Latin America

1967 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 507-528 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lloyd H. Rogler
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Mexico City ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Metropolitan Area ◽  
Buenos Aires ◽  
Rapid Expansion ◽  
Vacant Lots ◽  
Urban Migrants ◽  
American Cities ◽  
The City

In the life of Latin American cities the rapid expansion of slum neighborhoods has emerged as a compelling problem. The inability of city authorities to provide adequate and inexpensive housing for rural-to-urban migrants, as well as for those economically poor persons born and raised in the city, has clashed with the tremendous growth of the population and its drive toward urbanization. The impoverished families must settle wherever they can. Scattered throughout Mexico City, for instance, on vacant lots adjoining factories or on the periphery of the metropolitan area are shack homes built of miscellaneous materials, known as jacales, or the rows of single-story concrete, brick, or adobe dwellings called vecindades. Beyond Mexico City, there are the villas miserias of Buenos Aires, the favelas on the rocky promontories of Rio de Janeiro, the barrios clandestinos of Bogotá, the barriadasmarginales of Lima, the ranchos of Caracas, and the callampas (mushrooms) of Santiago.

Institutional quality and agglomeration of fast food multinationals in Latin American cities

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 251-267
Author(s):  
Fernando Robles
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Fast Food ◽  
Institutional Quality ◽  
Location Decision ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Food Networks ◽  
American Cities ◽  
The City

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the location decision of multinationals across major cities in Latin America. Based on agglomeration economics and institutional theory, the paper explores whether institutional quality of a city can temper the attraction of agglomeration factors. Design/method/approach The paper analyzes the geographic dispersion of three global fast-food franchise networks in 45 Latin American cities. The explanatory variables are horizontal aggregation of other multinationals and the institutional quality of a city. The direct and indirect impacts of horizontal agglomeration are explored through negative binomial regression with controls for city population and economic power [gross domestic product (GDP)]. Findings The key finding is that location choice of fast-food networks is driven principally by market conditions and to a lesser extent by horizontal agglomeration. The institutional quality of a city has a positive influence on the agglomeration of fast-food networks. A city with strong institutional quality makes this relation stronger. Research limitations Other multinational and national fast-food franchises are not included in the paper. Future studies should include a greater number of global and local fast-food franchisers. Practical implications The positive reinforcements of agglomeration and strong institution are important for the investment location decision of fast-food multinationals. The institutional quality of the city should be an important consideration in the location decision as it expands regionally and within a country. Smaller cities may not offer the agglomeration advantages of the large metropolitan areas, but their good institutional quality may reduce the business costs for multinationals. Social implications Large cities in Latin America tend to reap the benefits of agglomeration. As a result, smaller secondary cities struggle to be relevant in generating economic activity and attracting private investments. One strategy to achieve relevance is to build strong and transparent institutions and a solid business environment. Originality/value The inclusion of institutional quality at the city level as moderation of the agglomeration factors influencing the location decision of a multinational is original. This paper contributes to our understanding of the importance of regional cities in attracting the investment of multinational firms.

scholarly journals Ciudades latinoamericanas o la dialéctica entre la utopía entusiasta y la urbanización retobada

2017 ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Marcela Croce
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
Rio De Janeiro ◽  
Buenos Aires ◽  
Colonial Mexico ◽  
Urban Centers ◽  
History Of ◽  
America Latina ◽  
American Cities ◽  
The City ◽  
Geographical Characteristics

ResumenEl propósito de este artículo es retomar el pensamiento sobre la ciudad como sede espacial, disparador de ideas, iniciativa política y social y manifestación cultural, enfatizando aquellas producciones discursivas típicas del fenómeno urbano como la crónica de la metrópolis, el rastreo antropológico que define los estratos culturales que coexisten en la sede urbana y el relato policial que restituye el entramado de vínculos que operan en el perímetro ciudadano. A esta última formulación se añaden las actividades delictivas que aprovechan un conjunto de disposiciones y servicios urbanos como infraestructura, tal como destacó Saskia Sassen.Con ese objetivo se propone un recorrido por un corpus de textos que se detienen en diversos núcleos urbanos y no se restringen a estudiar sus características geográficas y edilicias sino que las inscriben en el conjunto de cada nación, en la historia de los países que integran América Latina (remarcando la tensión entre ciudad y nación que atraviesa la historia occidental) y asimismo en una serie continental que establece una jerar- quía de ciudades. Las antiguas capitales virreinales que son México y Lima aparecen confrontadas a la capital del virreinato menor que es Buenos Aires, y a la sede imperial de Río de Janeiro en este recorrido.Palabras clave: Ciudades latinoamericanas - Historia urbana - Crónica ciudadana - Géneros urbanos - Utopía latinoamericanaAbstractThis article considers the thinking about cities as space headquarters, an idea nest, a political and social initiative and a cultural manifestation, empha- sizing those discursive productions typical of the urban phenomenon, as the chronicle of the metropolis, the anthropological search that define the cultural strata coexisting in urban headquarters and the police story that restores the linking network that operate in the city perimeters. This latter statement is followed by criminal activities that exploit a set of provisions and urban services such as infrastructure, as Saskia Sassen pointed out.With this objective, we propose a tour through a text corpus that deepen in several urban centers and are not restricted to study their geographical characteristics and buildings, but inscribe them in the set of each nation, in the history of the countries that integrate Latin America (highlighting the tension between city and nation now experienced by Western history) and also in a continental series establishing a hierarchy of cities. The old viceregal capitals, i.e. Mexico and Lima face the minor viceroyalty capital –Buenos Aires– and the imperial headquarters of Rio de Janeiro in this route.Keywords: Latin American cities - Urban history - Citizen chronicle - Urban genres - Latin American utopiaResumo:O objetivo deste artigo é voltar a pensar a cidade como uma sede espa- cial, desencadeador de ideias, iniciativa política e social e manifestações culturais, enfatizando aquelas produções discursivas típicas do fenômeno urbano, como a crônica da metrópole, o reconhecimento antropológico que define os estratos culturais que coexistem na sede urbana e no relato policial que restitui o tramado de ligações que operam no perímetro da cidade. Nesta última formulação integram-se as atividades criminosas que se aproveitam de um conjunto de disposições e serviços urbanos como a infraestrutura, assim como destacou Saskia Sassen.Com este objetivo é proposto percorrer por um corpus de textos que vão parar em diversos núcleos urbanos e não só estarão restritos a estudar suas características geográficas e de construção, mas bem estas se inscrevem no conjunto de cada nação, na história dos países que integram América Latina (destacando a tensão entre a cidade e nação através da história ocidental) e também numa série continental que estabelece uma hierar- quia de cidades. As antigas capitais do vice-reinado colonial: México e Lima são confrontados a capital do vice-reino menor que é Buenos Aires, e a sede imperial do Rio de Janeiro nesta turnê.Palavras-chave: Cidades latino-americanas - História Urbana - Crônica cidadã - Gêneros urbanos - Utopia latino-americana.

scholarly journals Non-Pharmacologic Interventions for Caregivers of People With Dementia in Latin America: A Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 275-276
Author(s):  
Jose Aravena ◽  
Jean Gajardo ◽  
Laura Gitlin
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Symptoms ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Person With Dementia

Abstract In a scenario of increasing longevity and social inequalities, Latin-America is an important contributor to the worldwide dementia burden. Caregivers’ health is fundamental to maintain the person with dementia quality of life. However, caregiving is a culturally sensible role that requires tailored solutions. The aim is to synthesize the evidence about non-pharmacologic interventions targeted to caregivers of people with dementia in Latin-American contexts. A comprehensive review of interventions in caregivers and persons with dementia in Latin-American countries was conducted using MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Scopus with studies published until January 27th, 2020. Randomized clinical trials of non-pharmacologic interventions targeted to caregivers of people with dementia or dyads where included. Qualitative synthesis of the evidence was presented and analyzed. Overall, 9 pilot RCT were included for the final analysis (6 Brazil, 1 Colombia, 1 Mexico, 1 Perú). The biggest study recruited 69 caregivers and the smallest 13 dyads, with follow-up range of 3-6 months. 5 control groups received at least some other non-standard care type of intervention. 8 were targeted exclusively to caregivers (4 group intervention, 3 individual, and 1 combined) and 1 multicomponent intervention. Most frequent measured outcomes were caregiver’s burden, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and quality of life, and person with dementia neuropsychiatric symptoms. Individual interventions report better results in caregiver parameters such as burden and depressive symptoms and person with dementia neuropsychiatric symptoms. Group interventions presented mixed results. Nevertheless, the quality of evidence was low. There is a critical need to study interventions for caregivers in Latin-American contexts.

scholarly journals Surveillance Aesthetics in Latin America: Work in progress

2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda Bruno ◽  
Paola Barreto ◽  
Milena Szafir
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Los Angeles ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Satellite Images ◽  
Surveillance Culture ◽  
The Usa ◽  
On Line ◽  
And Control ◽  
Selection Of

This on line curatorship presents a selection of 11 works by Latin American artists who incorporate in their creations technologies traditionally linked to surveillance and control processes. By Surveillance Aesthetics we understand a compound of artistic practices, which include the appropriation of dispositifs such as closed circuit video, webcams, satellite images, algorithms and computer vision among others, placing them within new visibility, attention and experience regimes. The term referred to in the title of this exhibition is intended more as a vector of research rather than the determination of a field, as pointed by Arlindo Machado under the term “surveillance culture”. (Machado 1991) In this sense, a Latin America Surveillance Aesthetics exhibition is a way to propose, starting from the works presented here, a myriad of questions. How and to what extent do the destinies of surveillance devices reverberate or are subverted by market, security and media logics in our societies? If, in Europe and in the USA, surveillance is a subject related to the war against terror and border control, what can be said about Latin America? What forces and conflicts are involved? How have artistic practices been creating and acting in relation to these forces and conflicts? Successful panoramas of so called Surveillance Art already take place in Europe and North America for at least three decades, the exhibition “Surveillance”, at the Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions being one of the first initiatives in this domain. In Latin America however, art produced in the context of surveillance devices and processes is still seen as an isolated event. Our intention is to assemble a selection of works indicating the existence of a wider base of production, which cannot be considered eventual.The online exhibition can be accessed here.http://www.pec.ufrj.br/surveillanceaestheticslatina/

Thinking styles, gender, and decision making in Latin American management

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camelia Ilie ◽  
Guillermo Cardoza
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Thinking Styles ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Decision Making Processes

Purpose Many studies have analyzed how gender diversity and local culture condition the cognitive styles of managers and affect decision-making processes in organizations. Gender diversity has been defended from an equality perspective; it has been argued to improve decision-making processes and to have a positive impact on companies’ return on investment. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the differences between the thinking styles of men and women, in Latin America and the USA that support decision-making processes. An argument is given in favor of gender diversity in management teams, because of its positive implications in decision making. Design/methodology/approach The measurement instrument used was the Neethling Brain Instrument, developed based on recent neuroscience discovery. The sample comprised 1,216 executives from the USA and several countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, who have participated in executive training programs. Findings The results show differences in thinking styles by gender, but no differences were found in thinking styles or decision making between men and women at the same managerial level in either of the two regions. Similarly, results suggest that executives in the USA tend to base their management models on strategic thinking styles that focus on interpersonal relations and involve risk taking, while executives in Latin American countries tend to prefer thinking and management styles focusing on data analysis, execution, planning, and process control. Originality/value The results of the present study show that, in all regions, men score higher in rational thinking styles associated with the cortical areas, while women gravitate toward thinking styles where emotional schemes prevail, related to subcortical areas. These results could be useful for organizational leaders in charge of allocating roles and tasks to people, based on their thinking style strengths. The results can also be very valuable for Latin American organizations to design specific training and development programs for men and women accordingly with their individual needs and their managerial roles. They can also support the argument that diverse gender teams will guarantee complete decision-making processes.

Doing the Samba on Sunset Boulevard

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter Aaron Clark
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
News Media ◽  
Buenos Aires ◽  
Motion Pictures ◽  
Television Shows ◽  
Musical Genres ◽  
Fictional Representations ◽  
Sunset Boulevard

This chapter focuses on Latin American singer and actress Carmen Miranda, who helped create an all-purpose, homogeneous image of Latin Americans, their culture, and especially their music. Hollywood used Miranda as a do-all prop in dramatic settings as diverse as New York, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Havana, and Mexico. The resulting conflation of costumes, instruments, musical genres, and languages is highly entertaining on one level but pernicious and (at the time) politically counterproductive on another. The partial coverage by US news media of events in South America left a gap that is “often filled by fictional representations in motion pictures and television shows. Film, in particular, has played a major role in shaping modern America's consciousness of Latin America.”

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