Bolivia and Guatemala experienced a process of education reform in late 90's. Even though both countries had great international support to eliminate inequalities, especially among indigenous peoples, the domestic political contexts determined to what extent such changes were possible to make. In Bolivia the process started in 1994 with the signing of the Reform Law of Education, and in Guatemala in 1996 with the signing of the Peace Agreements. After more than two decades Bolivia and Guatemala present very different outcomes derived from their respective education reforms. This study is a comparison of them, an attempt to unveil the reasons why Bolivia has moved forward in terms of diversity, indigenous languages, and inclusion while Guatemala has apparently nullified the education reform process and remains in authoritarianism. / text

<p>Archaeology in Bolivia has two strong tendencies: nationalism and regionalism. The proposal aims for an academic reconstruction and expansion of this science in order to develop new scientific criteria, that can be institutionalized and become normative to the whole country to cover the expectations of different regions with regard to its past.</p><p>A fundamental aspect of providing Bolivian archaeological research with new perspectives is the study of formation and development of Andean central places of historic, infrastructural and ritual importance, such Huari, Quillacas, Sevaruyo, Pampa Aullagas and San Miguel de Uruquilla. Research conducted in the south basin of the Lake Poopo identifies evidence of early settlement in Huari towards the Late Archaic period (approximately 4000 to 2000 BC) and the Formative (2000 BC to AD 300), when the first villages were established. This indicates that the formation of agricultural towns was produced by consolidation of multiethnic central places that first consisted of ayllus, socio-dynamic units that gathered together settlers from different regions that simultaneously formed an ample network of centres interconnecting the Andean complex geography, interweaving their cultural diversity owing to the common ideology of Tiwanaku. Routes and llama caravans (llama trekking) integrated this network of central places.</p><p>As indicated by surveys and excavations, convergence of groups from different regions has been recognized in rests of material culture as shown in the ceramic distribution: Local Tiwanaku, Tiwanaku from Cochabamba, Yura, Huruquilla, Puqui, Mojocoya and remains of festivities at the centres during redistribution ceremonies, as well as ritual offers during the Early Regional Development period (300 to AD 900). This dynamic and preponderant ideology was completely transformed during Late Regional Developments (900 to AD 1460) when a series of regional conflicts determined the formation of the regional confederation known as Quillacas- Azanaques. At the time of the Inka Conquest (1460– AD 1530), the Lake Poopo basin was integrated into the Tawantinsuyo region through the implementation of the Royal Road and construction of Paria, Quillacas, San Miguel de Uruquilla and the Sevaruyo lodgings.</p><p>During the Colonial (1530 - 1825) and Republican periods (1825 - ), the Spaniards made changes that imply a deterioration of the socio-political structures of the ayllus, its territorial fragmentation and creation of new reductions for mining operations.</p><p>Recent archaeological research supports the proposition that populated centres in the Andean region of Bolivia were adapted to take advantage of the ecological variability through the social construction of the ayllu and the markas, centres that maintain dynamics, fluctuants and confluence in productive and ritual places.</p>

At present there is uncertainty over the response of neotropical ecosystems to the climatic changes of the Quaternary. The majority of vegetation reconstructions from the region are derived from fossil pollen records extracted from lake sediments. However, the interpretation of these records is restricted by limited knowledge of the contemporary relationships between the vegetation and pollen rain of neotropical ecosystems, especially for more open vegetation such as savanna and dry forest. This research aims to improve the interpretation of these records by investigating the relationship between the vegetation and modern pollen rain of different savanna and seasonally dry tropical forest (SDTF) ecosystems in Bolivia using artificial pollen traps and surface lake sediments to analyse the modern pollen rain. Vegetation data is used to identify taxa that are floristically important within the different ecosystems and to allow modern pollen/vegetation ratios to be calculated. The modern pollen rain from the upland savanna is dominated by Moraceae/Urticaceae (35.1%), Poaceae (29.6%), Alchornea (6.1%) and Cecropia (4.1%), whilst the seasonally-inundated savanna sites are dominated by Moraceae/Urticaceae (30.7%), Poaceae (19.5%), Cyperaceae (14.0%) and Cecropia (7.9%). These two different savanna ecosystems are only slightly differentiated by their modern pollen rain. The main taxa in the modern pollen rain of the upland SDTF are Moraceae/Urticaceae (25.8%), Cecropia (10.5%), Acalypha (7.6%) and Combretaceae/Melastomataceae (6.7%). Seasonally-inundated SDTF is dominated by Cecropia pollen to the extent that it was removed from the pollen sum and the main non-Cecropia pollen types are Moraceae/Urticaceae (39.0%), unknown type df 61 (6.4%), Asteraceae (6.3%), Celtis (6.0%) and Physocalymma scaberrimum (4.9%). These two SDTF ecosystems are well differentiated by their modern pollen rain, implying that they may be defined in fossil pollen records. The modern pollen rain obtained from the surface lake samples is generally complementary to that obtained from the artificial pollen traps for a given ecosystem. All sites have a high Moraceae/Urticaceae pollen signal due to effective dispersal of this pollen type from areas of evergreen forest in close proximity to the study sites. The savanna sites show lower Poaceae percentages than have been previously reported in the literature by some authors and this raises the possibility than the extent of this ecosystem in the past may have been underestimated. Modern pollen/vegetation ratios show that many key vegetation types are absent/under-represented within the modern pollen rain.

No description available.

Un mayor conocimiento de la hidrodinámica del lago Titicaca en el Perú, es la discusión del presente trabajo. El estudio se realiza para una escala de tiempo de ciclo diario. Usamos ELCOM (Estuary, Lake and Coastal Ocean Model), un modelo numérico en tres dimensiones para realizar simulaciones en un periodo comprendido entre el primero y quinto día del mes de enero del 2005. Para iniciar las simulaciones se obtuvo la batimetría del lago Titicaca a partir de una carta de sondajes. Se presentaron cuatro escenarios diferentes, cambiando las condiciones iniciales de temperatura y considerando el efecto coriolis. El modelo resuelve las ecuaciones hidrodinámicas de Navier-Stokes con aproximaciones mediante el método semi-implícito de diferencias finitas, para un flujo incompresible, barotrópico, rotacional y estratificado por temperatura. Las condiciones meteorológicas, entre ellas, el viento tiene un efecto en la circulación y la estratificación en capas superficiales del lago. Las corrientes en el lago Grande que ocupa el mayor volumen de agua, se debe principalmente al forzamiento del fluido debido a la temperatura. Los afluentes y efluentes no se consideraron en las simulaciones realizadas en el presente trabajo. La fuerza de coriolis es importante en la dinámica del lago Grande por que ayuda a mezclar las capas estratificadas térmicamente.

The vertical and lateral aggradation of terminal and crevasse splay deposits in continental environments can form extensive fine-grained, sheet-like sandstone bodies which may form an important but often overlooked component of subsurface hydrocarbon reservoirs. This study examines splay deposits on the modern day Distributive Fluvial System (DFS), of the Parapeti River, Bolivia, using remote sensing techniques and geographic information system (ArcGIS) to characterise both lateral and terminal modern splay systems. Overall emphasis is given to the spatial and temporal relationship between sedimentary facies at the distal part of the Parapeti DFS over the past 42 years. A sedimentary facies evolution model is created to account for the development of the distal part of the Parapeti DFS. A number of splay deposits have formed and developed during this period and the Parapeti channel has prograded ~17 km basinward by short-term deposition in one location, followed by either repeated local avulsion or coeval downstream progradation of the terminal channel and associated splays. Rock record examples from the Miocene aged Huesca DFS in the Ebro Basin, Spain were studied in order to compare dimensional data as well as understand the relationship between splays and associated channel bodies. The study area is characterized by thin sandstone sheets (0.05-2.6 m thick; 100s m wide) interbedded with mudstones and siltstones interpreted to represent a terminal splay complex based on the distribution of facies, architectural elements and paleocurrent data. There is a strong resemblance between the model developed for the Parapeti DFS and the splay complexes recorded in the Miocene Huesca DFS. Sedimentary models are proposed in which terminal splay formation through avulsions is considered to be the dominant process in the distal parts of both systems. Avulsions control sediment distribution, resulting in stacking of splay deposits to form extensive sandstone sheets. However, it is suggested that different types of avulsion successions (i.e. progressive or abrupt) recognized by previous workers, may not be distinguishable in the rock record as they can produce a similar stratigraphic signature.

Bolivia has a high STI rate and an accelerating HIV/AIDS rate. The majority of the country's newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS cases come from the province of Santa Cruz in eastern Bolivia, where this study took place. In this study, the investigator assessed the notion that Bolivian truck drivers are a bridge population of HIV transmission within heterosexual networks. This investigation determined risks of HIV/STI transmission through interviews, surveys, and workshops given to the truck drivers. Special attention was given to self reports of sexual behavior, cognitions and ego maturation stages, in order to assess risk. Mixed methodology was the research paradigm of choice, utilizing qualitative and quantitative phases. Workshops were designed, implemented, and evaluated. Analysis was completed on survey results from 246 male truckers (aged 18 to 67). More than half (56%) of these truckers admitted to having sex with casual partners. In addition, from 30% (quantitative inquiry) to 52% (qualitative inquiry) of these truck drivers have had sexually transmitted infections. Three factors predicted condom use: Age, Outcome expectancies, and Perceived social norms. Only one factor predicted STI history: Number of sex partners. Adult stage theory did not directly impact sexual behavior. A high risk of HIV/STI transmission has been detected in Bolivian truck drivers. This notion supports other studies involving truck drivers, and calls attention to the need for tailored health education programs for this population. Furthermore, younger truck drivers are at greater risk of HIV transmission than older truck drivers, in spite of their increased condom use. Sexual health workshops for Bolivian truck drivers are worthwhile and can be most effective when co-managed with truck companies or unions. Counseling, testing, and follow up research programs can best be implemented through these already-existing management structures. Future programs need to emphasize other behaviors besides condom use. Workshops should also include truckers' spouses as participants. Lastly, since casual sex partners of truck drivers rarely fit the mold of a commercial sex worker, effort should be made to describe these casual partners and design subsequent workshops for them.

El propósito de la presente investigación es determinar los factores limitantes del uso de la carretera Interoceánica Sur en el intercambio comercial entre la región sur del Perú con Brasil y Bolivia, cuyos objetivos específicos son: determinar si la calidad de la infraestructura ha sido una limitación en el uso de la carretera Interoceánica Sur por parte de empresas peruanas; determinar si el costo de infraestructura ha sido una limitante en el uso de la carretera Interoceánica Sur por parte de empresas peruanas; determinar si los servicios conexos han sido un limitante en el uso de la carretera Interoceánica Sur por parte de empresas peruanas; determinar si la triada: Infraestructura-Transporte-Logística ha sido un limitante en el uso de la carretera Interoceánica Sur por parte de las empresas peruanas; determinar si el rol del Estado ha sido un limitante en el uso de la carretera Interoceánica Sur por parte de empresas peruanas. Para ello, se realizó un tipo de investigación cualitativa descriptiva-explicativa, a través de entrevistas a profundidad, como técnica de recolección de datos, las cuáles fueron aplicadas a los representantes del sector público de las siguientes instituciones: MTC, MINCETUR, PROMPERU, COMEX y ADEX; y del sector privado, de las siguientes empresas: AC Prologistic Perú, Yura, São João, Derteano & Stucker y Odebrecht. Las conclusiones obtenidas en la investigación son: la calidad de la infraestructura no ha sido un limitante para el uso de la carretera Interoceánica Sur entre la región sur del Perú, Brasil y Bolivia; el costo de la infraestructura no ha sido un limitante para el uso de la carretera Interoceánica Sur entre la región sur del Perú, Brasil y Bolivia; los servicios conexos sí han sido una limitante para el uso de la carretera Interoceánica Sur entre la región sur del Perú, Brasil y Bolivia; la triada infraestructura-transporte-logística sí ha sido una limitante para el uso de la carretera Interoceánica Sur entre la región sur del Perú, Brasil y Bolivia y que el rol del Estado sí ha significado una limitante para el uso de la carretera Interoceánica Sur entre la región sur del Perú, Brasil y Bolivia. / The purpose of the present investigation is to determine the limiting factors of the use of the southern interoceanic highway in the commercial exchange between the southern region of Peru with Brazil and Bolivia, whose specific objectives are: to determine if the quality of the infrastructure has been a limiting in the use of the interoceanic South highway by peruvian companies; determine if the cost of infrastructure has been a limitation in the use of the interoceanic south highway by peruvian companies; determine if the related services have been a limitation in the use of the interoceanic south highway by Peruvian companies; determine if the triad: Infrastructure-Transport-Logistics has been a limitation in the use of the south interoceanic highway by peruvian companies; determine if the Role of the State has been a limitation in the use of the South Interoceanic Highway by Peruvian companies. To this end, a type of descriptive-explanatory qualitative research was conducted, through in-depth interviews, as a data collection technique, which were applied to representatives of the public sector of the following institutions: MTC, MINCETUR, PROMPERU, COMEX and ADEX; and from the private sector, from the following companies: AC Prologistic Peru, Yura, São João, Derteano & Stucker and Odebrecht. The conclusions obtained in the investigation are: the quality of the infrastructure has not been a limitation for the use of the Interoceanic South highway between the southern region of Peru, Brazil and Bolivia; the cost of the infrastructure has not been a limitation for the use of the Interoceanic South highway between the southern region of Peru, Brazil and Bolivia; the related services if they have been a limitation for the use of the Interoceanic South highway between the southern region of Peru, Brazil and Bolivia; the infrastructure-transport-logistics triad has been a limitation for the use of the Interoceanic South highway between the southern region of Peru, Brazil and Bolivia and that the role of the state has meant a limitation for the use of the Southern Interoceanic highway between the southern region of Peru, Brazil and Bolivia / Tesis

Os estudos sobre a realidade econômica, social e cultural das regiões periféricas denominadas zonas de fronteira constituem desafios de difícil articulação e consenso nas agendas governamentais como parte do processo necessário para fortalecimento dos mercados regionais, por não considerarem na maioria das vezes as assimetrias regionais e locais necessárias para uma verdadeira inserção no processo de integração, já que a fronteira é vista, no senso comum, como limite, como área de separação e divisão social, econômica e política. Este trabalho busca mostrar a fronteira e toda a dinâmica que a envolve como área de contato entre povos, e também as especificidades que constituem vantagens comparativas regionais, através de uma análise, considerando a indiscutível capacidade que tem o turismo de gerar incidências significativas sobre os territórios dos quais se apropria. Sob a perspectiva da Geografia Regional, apresentamos a formação contemporânea dos municípios da faixa de fronteira distribuídos espacialmente ao longo da fronteira do Estado de Mato Grosso, entre as cidades de Cáceres a San Ignácio de Velasco, as quais desempenham o papel de pólos regionais da possível integração em questão, delimitando assim a área do presente estudo. Para alcançar esses objetivos, a pesquisa teve início com a definição teórica pertinente bem como dos conceitos relevantes para então realizar a observação empírica. A metodologia adotada permitiu identificar algumas especificidades das interações sociais, econômicas, culturais e políticas dos municípios através da análise crítica regional, apoiada em ampla investigação bibliográfica e observações de campo. Buscou-se, assim, conhecer de perto os aspectos sócio-culturais e produtivos que ocorrem em cada município, bem como entre eles, o que tem contribuído tanto para a formação de uma base regional, como para o surgimento e ampliação de novas territorialidades advindas do processo histórico local e das relações contemporâneas de caráter sócio-cultural e produtivo, criando assim, um panorama que pode servir de parâmetro pra outras análises, reforçando a idéia de que o turismo é uma atividade produtora e consumidora do espaço geográfico. / Studies on the economic, social, and cultural reality of peripheral developing regions called border zones are difficult challenges of articulation and government agenda consensus as part of the necessary process for strengthening of regional markets as most of the time they do not consider the regional and local differences necessary for a true integration process, since the border is commonly seen as the limit area of separation and social, economic, and political division. This paper aims to show the border and all the dynamics that it involves as an area of contact between people, and also the specificities that are regional comparative advantages, through an analysis, considering the unquestionable ability of tourism to generate significant impact on territories which it appropriates of. From the perspective of Regional Geography, we present the formation of contemporary counties in the border strip spatially distributed along the border of Mato Grosso and Bolivia, more specifically between the towns of San Ignacio de Velasco and Caceres, which play the role of \"regional clusters\" of possible integration in question, thus delimiting the area of this study. To achieve these objectives, the research started with the theoretical definition of appropriate and relevant concepts and then makes the empirical observation. The methodology allowed identifying some characteristics of the social, economic, cultural and political interactions policies of municipalities through the regional review, based on extensive literature research and field observations. Therefore it was sought close monitoring of the socio-cultural and productive aspects that occur in each city, as well as between them, which has contributed as much to form a regional basis, as to the emergence and expansion of new territoriality resulting from the process of local history and contemporary relationships of socio-cultural and productive character, thus creating a panorama that can serve as a parameter for further analysis, reinforcing the idea that tourism is an active producer and consumer of geographical space.

Enquanto o mundo discute os esforços para combater as alterações climáticas globais, reconhece-se cada vez mais o papel vital das florestas na manutenção do bem-estar ecológico, social, econômico e cultural. Reafirma-se a importância da definição dos direitos de propriedade (posse e uso) sobre as florestas que pode determinar o seu destino. Para muitos países, as políticas de gestão de florestas combinam vários modos de acesso e gestão como i) áreas protegidas; ii) concessões florestais com critérios de gestão baseados em desempenho; iii) a devolução de áreas de florestas para as comunidades tradicionais e povos indígenas que farão sua gestão.O maior desafio é cumprir o planejado e implantar os diversos modos de gestão florestal para alcançar os objetivos sociais, econômicos e ambientais previstos face à pressão dos interesses econômicos internos e externos. A concessão de florestas é a forma dominante de gestão em quase todos os países da África Central e Ocidental. Ela também é o tipo dominante de exploração de florestas na Ásia (Malásia, Indonésia, Papua-Nova Guiné e Camboja). Na segunda metade dos anos 90, com o forte apoio de projetos de cooperação multilateral e de ONGs internacionais, a Bolívia introduziu a concessão florestal como um modo de conceder direitos de posse e uso sobre florestas. No Brasil, após duas tentativas fracassadas, o governo aprovou sua nova lei de gestão de florestas públicas em 2006. Bolívia e Brasil têm muito em comum em relação aos conflitos fundiários e desafios para impor novas regras relativas à maneira como as florestas podem ser exploradas nas suas regiões amazônicas, principalmente. Este trabalho de investigação centra-se sobre os principais obstáculos enfrentados pelas autoridades florestais bolivianas e brasileiras para implantar as concessões florestais na escala inicialmente prevista. O desenvolvimento do trabalho demandou a mobilização de duas correntes teórico-metodológicas. Por um lado, buscou-se um mapeamento dos modos pelos quais os indivíduos e grupos se apropriam e formulam regras para gerir porções de florestas. Por outro lado, a abordagem teórica da sociologia econômica, mais precisamente os trabalhos de Neil Fligstein e sua abordagem política-cultural, forneceu elementos para avaliar o processo de organização social da produção florestal madeireira nas duas regiões estudadas, que depende de quatro fatores: i) os direitos de propriedade, ii) as estruturas de governança, iii) as regras de troca e iv) as concepções de controle. A abordagem política-cultural considera a participação dos atores sociais como governos, empresas e consumidores, entre outros, e os incentivos para ações de cooperação com base nos laços cognitivos que os ligam. O estudo centrou-se na região amazônica de cada país: nas terras baixas bolivianas e, no Brasil, na região da rodovia Cuiabá-Santarém (BR-163). Isto porque estas regiões são os principais alvos para implantação de concessões florestais. Mostra-se neste estudo que sob um cenário de confusão fundiária, no qual há batalhas por pedaços dos territórios florestais e onde as alianças políticas são forjadas para favorecer outros padrões de uso das terras, a aplicação de concessões florestais em grande escala pode ser inviabilizada ou ficar bastante reduzida. / As the world is preparing to scale up its efforts to combat global climate change, groups are increasingly recognizing the vital role forests play in maintaining ecological, social, economic and cultural well-being. They are beginning to affirm more that forest tenure plays a fundamental role in determining the fate of the worlds forests. In many countries, questions are raised on whether tropical forests should be publicly, commonly or privately owned. For many countries the forest management policies will likely involve a combination of: i) protected areas of sufficient size to provide habitat protection, and in a contiguous pattern; ii) forest concessions with enforceable performance-based management criteria; iii) community forests and community forest concessions managed by communities and indigenous groups. The challenge is to undertake the land use planning commitment and implementation to achieve this in the face of pressure from internal and external interests. Forest concessions of various types are the dominant form of forest tenure in almost all the forest countries of West and Central Africa. They are also the dominant types of forest tenure in Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Cambodia). In South America, Peru and Bolivia introduced forest concession as a possible tenure model in the early 90s with the strong support of international NGOs. In Brazil, after two failed attempts, the government has passed its new forest management law in 2006. Bolivia and Brazil have much in common regarding forest tenure conflicts and challenges to enforce new rules in the forestry sector. Forest concession implementation in these countries has generated many expectations and investments in law changes.This research work focuses on the main barriers faced by Bolivian and Brazilian forest authorities in implementing forest concession on the scale initially planned. The studies required a mapping of the property rights regimes over forest and forest resources as well as a theoretical approach of economic sociology. This approach, which provides elements to evaluate the process of social market construction, is dependent upon four essential factors: property rights, governance structures, rules of exchange and conceptions of control. The political-cultural approach emphasizes the historic perspective of the markets to understand the role of dominant groups and challengers in action arenas. It also considers the participation of social actors like governments, firms and consumers, among others, and their incentives for cooperative actions based on the cognitive ties that bind them. This empiric study focused on each countrys geographically-delimited regions of Amazon: in the Bolivian lowlands region and in the Brazilian Cuiabá-Santarém Highway (namely BR-163). Thats because they are the main targets for forest concession implementation. We show in this study that under a tenure uncertainty scenario, in which there are battles for territorial pieces and political alliances are forged that prefer other land use (and forests uses also) patterns the forest concessions implementation on a large scale will be jeopardized in these territories.