Chile Most Inclusive Country in Hemisphere, Says [i]AQ[/i] Study
With today’s release of its Spring 2012 issue, Americas Quarterly has unveiled a new index that measures social inclusion in the Americas. This ranking evaluates 15 different indicators and compares them across 11 countries in the hemisphere. The variables include a country’s economic competitiveness, percent of national GDP spent on social programs, level of political … Read more
AQ’s 2012 Social Inclusion Index: Data Sources and Methodology
Data Sources: Americas Quarterly (AQ) used four sources of data for the 15 variables included in the Social Inclusion Index. Each of those is described below: GDP Growth: AQ took an average of GDP growth at constant prices for ten years, 2001-2009, drawing from the IMF World Economic Outlook database: http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2011/02/weodata/index.aspx Percent GDP Spent on … Read more
[i]Latin Lessons: How South America Stopped Listening to the United States and Started Prospering[/i] by Hal Weitzman
South America has been one of the rare pleasant surprises on the global economic scene in recent years. While developed countries struggle with debt and recession, much of the region maintains stability and impressive economic growth. Income is largely on the rise, and unemployment and poverty are on the decline. This is quite a change … Read more
The Next Step in Improving Equity: Tax Reform
In the last decade, inequality has decreased in the majority of countries in Latin America. This historic shift was largely the result of unprecedented, steady economic growth and increased public spending that targeted the most vulnerable populations—mainly through conditional cash transfer programs. Nevertheless, income inequality is still unacceptably high. With a Gini coefficient of 0.52, … Read more
The Digital Divide and Social Inclusion
In a world where technology has delivered changes unimaginable even 10 years ago, as well as created sharp divides, it’s only logical that many would see computer proficiency as a fundamental learning skill. Today, quality education requires broad access to information and content, a medium for communication, and tools for analyzing data—all things that computers … Read more
Generation Ni/Ni: Latin America’s Lost Youth
The youth unemployment rate today in Latin America and the Caribbean stands at a remarkable 15 percent. These 8 million unemployed are part of what may be called a global “lost generation” of young people at risk of social exclusion—all of whom lack opportunities, resources and access to formal labor markets. In 2011, 75 million … Read more
LGBT Rights in the Americas
A transformation, some would even say a revolution, is taking place in our understanding of democracy. Citizens and nations are increasingly recognizing that freedom and equality under the law requires protecting the rights, status and expression of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. What was a taboo subject 20 years ago is today open … Read more
The Future of Electoral Observation
Free and fair elections are the accepted litmus test of a well-functioning democracy. For nations experiencing the difficult rite of passage from nondemocratic regimes, the presence of outside election monitors who can assure the world—and a country’s citizens—that the electoral process was indeed free and fair is crucial. Since the early 1990s, the United States … Read more
Social Inclusion
Articles: Global Poverty Amid Global Plenty: Getting Globalization Right by Dani Rodrik To lift their people out of poverty, nations need to enter the global economy. Full text available. Social Exclusion and Political Change by Hauke Hartmann and Daniel Schraad-Tischler When do inequality and economic frustration erupt into political turmoil? Full text available. A Matter … Read more
DC Water Cooler: Hold Drops and Ambassador Swaps
On March 29, the U.S. Senate confirmed several of President Obama’s diplomatic nominations, many of whom were tapped to serve in the State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA). Here’s a brief rundown of the confirmed WHA officials and their new positions: Roberta Jacobson, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs; Larry Palmer, … Read more
The Summit of the Americas: Why It Matters
April is Western Hemisphere month for U.S. President Barack Obama, and the capstone event is this weekend’s Sixth Summit of the Americas, a regular meeting of the 34 democratically elected presidents and prime ministers of the hemisphere. Originally scheduled to arrive in Cartagena, Colombia, on Saturday, Obama will now arrive one day earlier to get … Read more
Weekly Roundup from Across the Americas
From Americas Society/Council of the Americas. AS/COA Online’s news brief examines the major—as well as some of the overlooked—events and stories occurring across the Americas. Check back every Wednesday for the weekly roundup. Sign up to receive the Weekly Roundup via email. FARC Releases Military Hostages The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) released the … Read more
Weekly Roundup from Across the Americas
From Americas Society/Council of the Americas. AS/COA Online’s news brief examines the major—as well as some of the overlooked—events and stories occurring across the Americas. Check back every Wednesday for the weekly roundup. Strong Earthquake Rocks Mexico The largest earthquake since 1985 rocked Mexico on Tuesday, with the U.S. Geological Survey placing the epicenter near … Read more
Weekly Roundup from Across the Americas
From Americas Society/Council of the Americas. AS/COA Online’s news brief examines the major—as well as some of the overlooked—events and stories occurring across the Americas. Check back every Wednesday for the weekly roundup. Sign up to receive the Weekly Roundup via email. VP Biden Meets with Mexican and CentAm Leaders U.S. Vice President Joe Biden … Read more
Waiting for Xi Jinping: Latin America and China
Exactly 40 years ago, Richard Nixon landed in China for the beginning of a seven-day state visit that was quickly dubbed “the week that changed the world”. It probably didn’t, but it certainly had long-lasting effects on the delicate balances of power of Cold War diplomacy. The visit, which had been carefully prepared by Henry … Read more
