Housing, Urban Development and Health in Latin America: Contrasts, Inequalities and Challenges

2004 ◽  
Vol 19 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 329-346
Author(s):  
Francisco de Assis Comaru ◽  
Marcia Faria Westphal
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Policy ◽  
Brazilian Coast ◽  
Healthy City ◽  
Latin American Region ◽  
Environmental Public Policy ◽  
Policies And Programs

Abstract Since the outset of the 201 h century, growing urbanization and its contingent waxing populations in Latin America, including Brazil, have come to have alarming effects on the conditions of life, especially in the areas of housing and healthcare for such populations. In this paper, we present data describing and qualifying the process of urbanization and its consequences for Latin American countries and certain Brazilian cities. Arguments are presented about the effects of the urbanization process and the development of low-income human settlements (slums known as favelas and squatting in tenement housing) on health conditions, diseases, and the death rate. The first part of the paper is based on secondary and quantitative data about urbanization, housing, and health in Brazilian and other Latin American cities. Governmental and nongovernmental data are used to structure the problematic landscape of the Latin American region. In the second part of the paper, we focus on a case study of a Brazilian coast city that has registered an intense population growth. This study demonstrates that urban policy (housing, environmental, sanitation, and urban transportation) requires an integration of health and environmental public policy and demonstrates the importance of the role of popular participation in urban public policy-making, and the potential importance of the Bertiioga Healthy City Project from the perspective of a better integration of actions, policies, and programs.

scholarly journals The Influence of Government Effectiveness and Corruption on the High Levels of Homicide in Latin America

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 172
Author(s):  
Spencer P. Chainey ◽  
Gonzalo Croci ◽  
Laura Juliana Rodriguez Forero
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
International Variation ◽  
Government Effectiveness ◽  
Latin American Region ◽  
Socio Economic Development ◽  
Structural Variables ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Latin America Region

Most research that has examined the international variation in homicide levels has focused on structural variables, with the suggestion that socio-economic development operates as a cure for violence. In Latin America, development has occurred, but high homicide levels remain, suggesting the involvement of other influencing factors. We posit that government effectiveness and corruption control may contribute to explaining the variation in homicide levels, and in particular in the Latin America region. Our results show that social and economic structural variables are useful but are not conclusive in explaining the variation in homicide levels and that the relationship between homicide, government effectiveness, and corruption control was significant and highly pronounced for countries in the Latin American region. The findings highlight the importance of supporting institutions in improving their effectiveness in Latin America so that reductions in homicide (and improvements in citizen security in general) can be achieved.

scholarly journals Developing obstetric medicine training in Latin America

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Rojas-Suarez ◽  
Niza Suarez ◽  
Oier Ateka-Barrutia
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Maternal Mortality ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Morbidity And Mortality ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Important Indicator ◽  
Obstetric Medicine ◽  
The Impact ◽  
In Pregnancy

Maternal mortality is an important indicator of health in populations around the world. The distribution of maternal mortality ratio globally shows that middle- and low-income countries have ∼99% of the mortality burden. Most countries of Latin America are considered to be middle- or low-income countries, as well as areas of major inequities among the different social classes. Medical problems in pregnancy remain an important cause of morbidity and mortality in this region. Previous data indicate the need for a call to action for adequate diagnosis and care of medical diseases in obstetric care. The impact of nonobstetric and medical pathologies on maternal mortality in Latin America is largely unknown. In Latin America, two educational initiatives have been proposed to improve skills in maternity care. The Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics (ALSO®) was first started to address obstetric emergencies, and subsequently adapted for low-middle-income country settings as the Global ALSO®. In parallel, the Latin American obstetric anesthesia community has progressively focused on improvement of several intrapartum/intraoperative issues, which has secondarily taken them to embrace the obstetric medicine area on interest and join the former initiatives. In the present review, we summarize the available data regarding medical morbidity and mortality in pregnancy in Latin America, as well as the challenges, achievements, issues, initiatives, and future directions encouraging maternal health educators, health care trainers, and physicians in middle- and low-income countries, such as many Latin American ones, to improve and/or change attitudes, if needed, on current clinical practice.

Part II Investor-State Arbitration in the Energy Sector, 13 Energy Investor-State Disputes in Latin America

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romero Eduardo Silva
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Historical Background ◽  
The Political ◽  
Foreign Companies ◽  
Private Interests ◽  
American States ◽  
Resource Nationalism ◽  
Latin American Region

This chapter discusses the recent resurgence of ‘resource nationalism’ in the Latin American region. These include the shift in the political and economic control of the energy sector from foreign, private interests to domestic, state-controlled companies and the disputes this has triggered. After looking at the historical background of investor-state arbitration in Latin America, the chapter analyzes relevant strategies used by investors and states to defend their standpoint on resource nationalism. It also identifies which ones have proved most successful in relation to fiscal measures and nationalizations by certain Latin American states. The chapter also provides an assessment of corporate restructuring strategies used by foreign companies to challenge these types of resource nationalism measures.

scholarly journals Do Trade and Investment Agreements Promote Foreign Direct Investment within Latin America? Evidence from a Structural Gravity Model

Mathematics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 1882
Author(s):  
Marta Bengoa ◽  
Blanca Sanchez-Robles ◽  
Yochanan Shachmurove
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Direct Investment ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Gravity Model ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Direct Investment ◽  
Trade Agreement ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Regional Trade ◽  
Investment Protection

Latin America has experienced a surge in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the last two decades, in parallel with the ratification of major regional trade agreements (RTAs) and bilateral investment treaties (BITs). This paper uses the latest developments in the structural gravity model theory to study if the co-existence of BITs and two major regional agreements, Mercosur and the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI), exerts enhancing or overlapping effects on FDI for eleven countries in Latin America over the period 1995–2018. The study is novel as it accounts for variations in the degree of investment protection across BITs within Latin America by computing a quality index of BITs. It also explores the nature of interactions (enhancing/overlapping effects) between RTAs and BITs. The findings reveal that belonging to a well-established regional trade agreement, such as Mercosur, is significantly more effective than BITs in fostering intra-regional FDI. Phasing-in effects are large and significant and there is evidence of enhancing effects. Results within the bloc are heterogeneous: BITs exert a positive, but small effect, for middle income countries. However, BITs are not effective in attracting FDI in the case of middle to low income countries, unless these countries ratify BITs with a high degree of investment protection.

Skyscrapers in Santiago: 300 meters of globalization agenda

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 439-454
Author(s):  
Nestor Garza
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Main Determinant ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Latin American Region ◽  
Quantitative Results ◽  
The One

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess alternative economic explanations of buildings’ height in Latin America and Chile, inductively producing a theory about skyscrapers’ height in emerging countries. In the quest for height, global exposure as advertising guides developers located in emerging economies, while ego-building for investors. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses mixed methods triangulation (MMT). Findings with small sample econometrics for 38 cities from 13 different countries are re-interpreted by linguistically analyzing 11 semi-structured interviews with local experts in Santiago. Findings Globalization is the main determinant of skyscrapers height in the Latin American region, its interaction with the need to portray management and technical skills of developer firms, determines a process toward over-construction. Research limitations/implications Because of small sample bias, the quantitative results are not fully reliable, but this is precisely why it makes sense to use MMT. Practical implications Santiago offers a valuable case study because, on the one hand, Chile was the first Latin American country to undertake neoliberal type reforms, as early as 1973. On the other, the tallest Latin American skyscraper is to be completed in this city by 2015. The theory developed, derived from the evidence and the perceptions, has a Global South reach and can open-up an empirical research agenda. Originality/value This paper innovates in real estate research by using MMT, not just to confirm quantitative findings, but as an inductive theory building tool. It also analyses Latin America, a region with scarce presence in the literature.

scholarly journals Bringing Policymakers to Science Through Communication: A Perspective From Latin America

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Pulido-Salgado ◽  
Fátima Antonethe Castaneda Mena
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Endangered Species ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Scientific Knowledge ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Natural World ◽  
Science Museums ◽  
Latin American Region ◽  
Science Stories

Scientific knowledge should be shared beyond academic circles in order to promote science in policymaking. Science communication increases the understanding of how the natural world works and the capacity to make informed decisions. However, not every researcher has the ability to master the art of communicating, and even less in a clear, concise, and easy to understand language that society representatives appreciate. Within the huge and extraordinarily diverse Latin American region, science communication has been going on for at least 200 years, when the first science stories appeared in the newspapers, as well as the first science museums and botanical gardens were founded. Nevertheless, resources are limited, and notably time, which researchers spend mostly in mentoring, ensuring funding, publication of their results and laboratory work, while science journalists are an endangered species. This perspective article aims at providing some recommendations to build bridges between science and decision-making parties through communication, by exploring how Latin American diplomats and policymakers engage with scientific knowledge.

Estado del arte de la psicología en emergencias y desastres en Chile y América Latina. / State of the art of psychology in emergencies and disasters in Chile and Latin America.

2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (03) ◽  
pp. 123-142
Author(s):  
Claudio Barrales ◽  
Humberto Marín ◽  
Rodrigo Molina
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Special Interest ◽  
Normal Development ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Latin American Region ◽  
America Latina ◽  
Development And Evolution

Especial interés ha causado en los últimos años el desarrollo de técnicas relacionadas con el estudio del comportamiento humano antes, durante y después de emergencias y desastres. Este nuevo campo de especialización llamado Psicología de emergencias y desastres ha centrado las miradas, no solo por la ocurrencia de eventos que han demandado su aplicación, sino también por el normal desarrollo y evolución que ha tenido la psicología en nuestro país y el continente. El presente texto trata de dar cuenta del estado de avance y punto de estado actual de esta especialidad dentro de la región latinoamericana. Special interest has caused in recent years the development of techniques related to the study of human behavior before, during and after emergencies and disasters. This new area of expertise called emergency and disaster psychology has focused the eyes, not only by the occurrence of events that have sued their application, but also for the normal development and evolution that has taken psychology in our country and the continent. This article tries to give an account of the progress and current status about this specialty within the Latin American region.

scholarly journals The distribution of biodiversity richness in the tropics

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (37) ◽  
pp. eabc6228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter H. Raven ◽  
Roy E. Gereau ◽  
Peter B. Phillipson ◽  
Cyrille Chatelain ◽  
Clinton N. Jenkins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Sahara Desert ◽  
Tropical Asia ◽  
Latin American Region ◽  
Afrotropical Region ◽  
Tropical Areas ◽  
Global Biodiversity ◽  
The Tropics

We compare the numbers of vascular plant species in the three major tropical areas. The Afrotropical Region (Africa south of the Sahara Desert plus Madagascar), roughly equal in size to the Latin American Region (Mexico southward), has only 56,451 recorded species (about 170 being added annually), as compared with 118,308 recorded species (about 750 being added annually) in Latin America. Southeast Asia, only a quarter the size of the other two tropical areas, has approximately 50,000 recorded species, with an average of 364 being added annually. Thus, Tropical Asia is likely to be proportionately richest in plant diversity, and for biodiversity in general, for its size. In the animal groups we reviewed, the patterns of species diversity were mostly similar except for mammals and butterflies. Judged from these relationships, Latin America may be home to at least a third of global biodiversity.

Racial Mixing and National Integration in Latin America: The Return of Racial Differences in Mexico and Brazil

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 180-189
Author(s):  
Eduardo Torre Cantalapiedra
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Social Science ◽  
Racial Differences ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
First Century ◽  
National Integration

The importance of racial differences in the configuration of Latin American societies has for decades been overshadowed by ideologies of racial mixing and social-class-based approaches to the analysis of the region’s societies. Since the beginning of the twenty-first century increased attention has been devoted to racial differences both in public policy and in social science research. Government affirmative action designed to reverse social inequalities due to racial differences in Brazil and the results of research on racial differences and racial mixing in Mexico indicate that, as Rodolfo Stavenhagen argued 50 years ago, racial mixing does not contribute to national integration. La transcendencia de las diferencias raciales en la configuración de las sociedades latinoamericanas ha sido poco atendida durante décadas; inicialmente, fue opacada por las ideologías del mestizaje, y posteriormente ensombrecida por el predominio de las clases sociales como forma de analizar a las sociedades de esta región. Desde a comienzos del siglo XXI, las diferencias raciales han adquirido notoriedad en Latinoamérica, tanto en las investigaciones en ciencias sociales como en las políticas públicas. Las políticas públicas de acción afirmativa conducidas por el gobierno brasileño y los hallazgos de las investigaciones más recientes en cuestiones referidas a las diferencias raciales y al mestizaje en el caso de México indican que, como dijo Rodolfo Stavenhagen hace cincuenta años, el mestizaje no contribuye a la integración nacional.

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