The objective of the thesis is to describe and analyse the processes of integration in Latin America. The first part focuses on the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), especially on the reasons which caused the failure of the project. The second part targets the new born Union of South-American Nations (UNASUR), the motives for its creation and analysis of the actual state of affairs. The third part presents the current political situation which is crucial for the succesfull operating of the UNASUR.

Access to clean water and wastewater services has been gaining importance as a global issue as we have become increasingly aware of the widespread and growing failures to meet this human need, which many argue is a basic human right. These failures have significant, adverse human health consequences including thousands of preventable deaths each day. Water service privatization has been promoted by international donor organizations such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund as one way to address current water issues, particularly in developing nations. They have argued that private entities can improve water management because they can: (1) obtain access to capital needed to improve infrastructure; (2) improve system performance; (3) reduce water rates; and (4) be more responsive to consumer needs. As a result, in the 1980s, water privatization partnerships emerged in various parts of the world, including Latin America. Many of these partnerships have since been rescinded. The reasons given for abandoning privatization include: large increases in water rates, changes in economic conditions, deterioration of water quality, and failure to provide services to less-profitable areas. Currently, water privatization remains one of the most controversial issues in water policy circles. As the main goal of my dissertation, I plan to research the similarities and differences in outcomes of water privatization projects in two Latin American countries, Bolivia and Puerto Rico. These two countries have differing histories, demographics, types of governments, economies, and geographies. They both, however, have granted concessions to private European water companies to manage all or parts of their water services. While Bolivia has had quality, quantity, and access problems under privatization, Puerto Rico enjoys universal access to water but has suffered mostly from quality issues. The varied settings and experiences of the two countries and the different projects within each country provide opportunities to better understand the public - private debate and the complexities associated with water privatization. In particular, given my legal and policy background, my research will focus on the political and legal processes, and the outcomes of water privatization in each country in terms of improving water services. To do this, I will travel to each country to carry out an in-depth study of each successful or failed privatization venture, thereby obtaining closer insight into the intricacies of each water privatization project. This research will enable me to analyze issues related to accessibility, quality, and operational efficiency of water management. The results of this research have potential implications for the future of water policy, including the evaluation of factors affecting the viability of privatization of water operations as a means of better and more equitably managing water services in diverse settings.

This thesis explores the gentrification of a rural village along the Ecuadorian coast by exploring its connection with the tourism industry. Through the use of several ethnographic methods, the data collected demonstrates gentrification outside of the context of urban areas by focusing on a rural area of the Global South. The rural gentrification of this village results in drastic increases in land value and the subordination of local people within the labor hierarchy, relegating them to positions of service. As the dominant economy, tourism leaves locals with few avenues for economic mobility. In doing so, tourism forces its own reproduction as locals engage in the industry through the creation of their own touristic businesses. Finally, this thesis exhibits how local communities control the type of tourism and tourists they host. Community-tourism discourse provides us with the tools necessary to illustrate local hosts as dynamic actors who sustain the tourism industry. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (MA)--Florida Atlantic University, 2021. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Thesis advisor: Gustavo Morello / In this thesis, I analyze the conditions brought about by neoliberal reforms that contributed to the emergence of youth gangs in Latin America in the 1980s and 90s. I draw upon economic determinism theory to help explain this phenomenon. I then assess the extent to which four factors—state-sponsored political violence, economic volatility, the rise of the drug trade, and migration (both external and internal)—contributed to higher youth gang participation rates by conducting a comparative case study analysis. This analysis examines the factors that led to the emergence of youth gangs in Guatemala and Brazil. I surmise that the findings of this study are transferable and applicable to the whole of Latin America. I argue that the latter three factors were primarily responsible for compelling individuals to join youth gangs. Finally, I recommend governmental policies that Latin American governments ought to adopt if they wish to eradicate youth gang violence. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2021. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Arts and Sciences Honors Program. / Discipline: Sociology.

Compulsory medical service programs for physicians and other health care professionals have been installed in developing countries around the world. The underlying assumption for the creation of these programs is that the increased presence of physicians will improve the health status of rural populations which exhibit higher rates of morbidity and mortality compared to urban populations. This assumption, however, has been challenged by recent evaluative studies of compulsory service programs in Latin America. This paper reports on the physician's perspective of Ecuador's compulsory service program, known as medicatura rural. Based on responses to a self-administered questionnaire completed by 127 physicians who had fulfilled or were currently fulfilling their medicatura rural requirement, in-depth interviews with physicians and other officials, and visits to several rural placement sites, the paper examines some of the fundamental programmatic and logistical problems that have impeded the successful implementation of the program since its inception in 1970. While the majority of the physicians reported that the medicatura rural experience was both professionally and personally rewarding, many view the program as conceptually flawed with respect to its goal of improving the health status of rural communities. The physicians' suggestions for improving the medicatura rural, which elucidate some of the program's basic conceptual flaws and reflect the criticisms of compulsory medical programs in other Latin American countries, are discussed. Finally, Ugalde's (1988) recommendation for replacing compulsory medical service programs with a 'rural health corps' is considered.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with a high mortality risk, although the magnitude of this association remains unknown in Latin America (LA). We aimed to assess the strength of the association between T2DM and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in population-based cohort studies in LA. Systematic review and meta-analysis: inclusion criteria were (1) men and women 18 years old and above with T2DM; (2) study outcomes all-cause and/or cause-specific mortality; and (3) using people without T2DM as comparison group. Five databases (Scopus, Medline, Embase, Global Health, and LILACS) were searched. Risk of bias was evaluated with the ROBINS-I criteria. Initially, there were 979 identified studies, of which 17 were selected for qualitative synthesis; 14 were included in the meta-analysis (N = 416 821). Self-reported T2DM showed a pooled relative risk (RR) of 2.49 for all-causes mortality (I-squared [I 2 ] = 85.7%, p < 0.001; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.96-3.15). T2DM based on a composite definition was associated with a 2.26-fold higher all-cause mortality (I 2 = 93.9%, p < 0.001; 95% CI, 1.36-3.74). The pooled risk estimates were similar between men and women, although higher at younger ages. The pooled RR for cardiovascular mortality was 2.76 (I 2 = 59.2%; p < 0.061; 95% CI, 1.99-3.82) and for renal mortality 15.85 (I 2 = 0.00%; p < 0.645; 95% CI, 9.82-25.57). Using available population-based cohort studies, this work has identified and estimated the strength of the association between T2DM and mortality in LA. The higher mortality risk compared with high-income countries deserves close attention from health policies makers and clinicians to improve diabetes care and control hence preventing complications and delaying death. / Revisión por pares

archives@tulane.edu / This dissertation examines how fiscal policy affects gender inequality using a comparable and comprehensive framework and data from Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Uruguay. Using the harmonized household microdata provided by the Commitment to Equity (CEQ) Institute at Tulane University, this study assesses how fiscal policy in these countries affects households and beneficiaries with gender equity as the focus. This is the first cross-country comprehensive gendered fiscal incidence analysis evaluating the impact of direct and indirect taxes (including consumption taxes and subsidies), direct and indirect subsidies (e.g., cash transfers), and in-kind education and health transfers combined. The study reveals that male breadwinner households are more disadvantaged pre and post government intervention as compared to female breadwinner households. However, female headed households are more disadvantaged than male headed households. In fact, female headed households are the most severely disadvantaged group compared to any other gender variable. In all countries analyzed in this study, fiscal policy as a whole does improve the wellbeing of those who are more disadvantaged pre fisc (i.e., the poor, defined as those who earn less than US$5.50 PPP per day) regardless of their gender. Further research is needed to determine why female breadwinners are better off than male breadwinners, but female headed households are more disadvantaged than any other type of gender household classification. Additionally, more research should be done to determine the most effective gender variables necessary to assess fiscal policy. / 1 / Samantha Greenspun

The focus of this study is Clorinda Matto de Turner’s novel, Índole. After an introduction to the topic in Chapter I, Chapter II will explore the feminist ideas that Matto de Turner described in her essays and other short writings. It will specifically deal with the idea of a community of women, gender and androgyny, Matto de Turner’s appeal for women’s rights, the concept of “la mujer peruana”, and the duties of women workers. In Chapter III, I will analyze Índole and examine the domestic community that the novel presents. I will discuss female morality and responsibility for the morality of the family. Lastly, I will conclude this work with an examination of the three distinct classes of women presented in Matto de Turner’s works, reflect on the characteristics of each class, and explain how Matto de Turner’s role as an author relates to this class system.

El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado. / Introduction: Attributes of the neighborhood-built environment are associated with self-reported physical activity, but only a few studies have concentrated on device-measured physical activity in Latin America. This study examines the associations of perceived neighborhood-built environment attributes, device-measured sedentary time, and light-intensity and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in adults from 8 Latin American countries. Methods: Data from Estudio Latinoamericano de Nutrición y Salud adult study, an observational multicountry study (N=2,478), were analyzed in 2020. Data were collected between 2014 and 2015. Perceived neighborhood-built environment attributes were measured using the Neighbourhood Environment Walkability Survey. Sedentary time, light-intensity physical activity, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity data were collected using accelerometers. Results: No associations between perceived neighborhood-built environment attributes and sedentary time were found. Positive perceptions of walking/cycling facilities (β=6.50, 95% CI=2.12, 10.39) were associated with more light-intensity physical activity. Perceptions of better aesthetics (Argentina) and better walking/cycling facilities (Brazil and Ecuador) were positively associated with light-intensity physical activity. Land use mix–diversity (β=0.14, 95% CI=0.03, 0.25), walking/cycling facilities (β=0.16, 95% CI=0.05, 0.27), aesthetics (β=0.16, 95% CI=0.02, 0.30), and safety from traffic (β=0.18, 95% CI=0.05, 0.24) were positively associated with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Land use mix–diversity, street connectivity, and safety from traffic were positively associated with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in Venezuela. Conclusions: These findings have implications for policy recommendations, which can guide policies to promote physical activity in the region. Land use mix–diversity, walking/cycling facilities, aesthetics, and safety from traffic can maintain or increase the levels of light-intensity and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among Latin American adults.

John F. Kennedy initiated the Peace Corps in 1961 at the height of the Cold War to provide needed manpower and promote understanding with the underdeveloped world. This study examines Peace Corps work in Colombia during the 1960s within the framework of U.S. Cold War policy. It explores the experiences of volunteers in Colombia and contrasts their accounts with Peace Corps reports and presentations to Congress. It intends to show the agency's assessment of volunteer work and how it compares to the volunteers' views and Congressional reports. Although the Peace Corps presented some topics and themes expressed by volunteers, the thesis exposes the discrepancies that existed between Peace Corps reports and the volunteers' experiences. Volunteer accounts reveal that there were some criticisms and stories that the agency did not report. Furthermore, evidence sheds light on the obstacles volunteers encountered, how they were presented by the Peace Corps, as well as the value of volunteer work as perceived by volunteers. Finally, the Peace Corps articulated a goal of making friends in the underdeveloped world, and the accounts of the volunteers support the Peace Corps assertion that volunteers were successful in fostering relations and understanding in Colombia during the 1960s.