The purpose of this paper is to analyze the macroeconomic effects of the earthquake that struck Chile in 2010 and the impact it had on the Chilean economy.  It is a narrative case study of a small, open emerging economy and the timeframe is short term. Like other studies made about macroeconomic effects of a natural disaster, it is surprising to find how fast a country can so rapidly recover from a big devastation like the Chilean earthquake 2010. The final economic impact depends on the structural conditions of the economy and the economic policy mix undertaken to handle the short-term effects. The paper shows that despite the big disaster, Chile showed great resilience to the adverse shook due to its sound finances and effective countercyclical policies.

The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument for assessing distance learning readiness of institutions in Latin America for international projects of food and agriculture with higher education institutions in the U.S. The data collection followed two approaches: a quantitative, which was processed statistically, including mean (percentage), mode and cross-tabulation, and a qualitative, through semi-structured interviews. The population of this research was animal biotechnology institutions in Latin American countries, Spanish speaking, partners with the major funding organizations in the U.S., with Web pages on the Internet. Population included 17 countries with N=150, a random sample of n=83 for the quantitative analysis and n=20 for the qualitative approach. The instrument was developed by the researcher. Items were based on readiness surveys used widely in the U.S., and founded in two culture theories: Bank’s (2001) cultural elements and Hosfstede’s (1984) cultural dimensions. Using Bank’s theory it was concluded that English proficiency was considered an essential tool for research. Interviews exposed that researchers were aware of nonverbal communication differences between Latinos and Americans. Cultural cognitiveness showed to be exposed when researchers were confronted with another culture. The perspective of distance education showed to be considered different from face to face education. There was an appropriate perception of the need, ownership, and use of computer technologies and Internet accessibility with fast connections. Researchers perceived computer technology equipment as a measurement of the quality of their institution. Using Hofstede’s (1984) dimensions it was concluded that Latin American countries were considered to have high power distance on four of the six items assessed; had strong uncertainty avoidance with four of the six items assessed, where a collectivist society, with five items out of six. Interviews determined that a masculine dimension was predominant in the study. Assessment of technology involved: Internet, technological resources, computer proficiency, distance education and instructional design experience. Results of this assessment showed that technology must be measured through a cultural perspective to achieve accurate responses because people express and understand through their mental constructs which are tainted with their cultural experiences and their perception of life, work, academics, and society.

This dissertation evaluates the changes in food retailing patterns in the face of openmarket trends in a medium sized city (Citlalicalli) in central Mexico. This evaluation is carried out using the model of retail trade-concentration. The following questions are addressed: whether trade-concentration had occurred in the field-site; if yes, what were the causes; and, what were the effects of retail concentration on preexisting food retailers. The fieldwork for this study was conducted over a 14 month period (May 2005 and June 2006). Empirical data were collected using three surveys, over 25 interviews, and several hours of participant observations. Along with these primary data, secondary data from official records were also collected. The survey data were analyzed using nonparametric tests. The findings from the study revealed that trade-concentration is proceeding in Citlalicalli and the recent spread of large stores in the region has been encouraged by free-trade policies adopted by Mexico since the mid-1980s. Trade-concentration in the Altepetl metropolitan area has also been aided by the positive behavior that consumers show towards large retail chains. Contrary to popular belief, the impact of retail concentration on preexisting small retailers in Citlalicalli has been minimal. Partly traditions and partly the nearness of a particular store explain the continued patronization of small stores by consumers. The product category and income of consumers also influence their purchase decisions. This research shows that competition in food retailing in developing countries is between same size and same type retailers. Small retailers are not always in direct competition with modern retailers as they serve different sections of the society. Retail development is a part of urban development and, therefore, has direct implications for the quality of life in cities. In emerging economies, cities like Citlalicalli have vibrant town centers which provide convenient access to offices, shops, and entertainment areas for its citizens. This study concludes that appropriate policy measures can ensure the coexistence of large and small retailers in developing countries and, thereby, the continued vitality of city centers.

The novel, as a genre, has been nourished since its inception by history. In this vein, literary production in Latin America has not been an exception. From the time of the conquest to the beginnings of the republican era, writers have seeded their narrative with their own lives and experiences. The emancipation of the Spanish colonies in America markedly changed the historical, political, economic and social framework of the colonists who, as writers, were the period?s strongest witnesses. The new American nations, in some cases, populated their histories with fiction, when the fiction meshed with the socio-political agenda. Some of the topics covered by this type of writing included mestizaje and social caste, topics that reinforced national utopian projects. The two historical works analyzed in this thesis present characteristics of 19th century romantic novels, especially El atuad de uso. Theories of the historical novel proposed by Gyorgy Lukacs, Anderson Imbert, Seymour Menton and Jose de Pierola form a foundation for this research and analysis. To demonstrate the relationship between the new nations and the romantic novels of the 19th century, this work draws on the research of Doris Sommer. The theory of narrative and historical representation proposed by Hayden White serves to clarify the idea of history and fiction in literature. The works of Michel Foucault, Simone de Beauvoir and Lucia Guerra-Cunningham helped capture the representation of woman throughout history. The two novels studied in this work may be categorized as historical novels since they are anchored in real historical events. The historical representation of the characters follows loosely the model used in the 19th century. Throughout these novels background topics like mestizaje, social castes, and the role of women in the era serve as a realistic backdrop.

<p>The thesis focuses on the environmental sustainability ofwater projects. The concept is analysed from the theoreticaland the implementation viewpoints The evolution of the conceptof sustainable development is presented, with an in-depthdiscussion on the present status of the environmentalsustainability of water projects. Several case studies areanalysed on different important aspects of environmentalsustainability. These case studies include the analysis ofissues like the role of institutions, effectiveness of legalframeworks, participation of stakeholders, contributions ofwater development projects to regional development,consideration of environmental and social issues, and impactsof social and environmental movements.</p><p>The impacts of the Ataturk dam, within the SoutheasternAnatolia (GAP) Project, Turkey, are analysed in terms ofplanning, policy making, institutional arrangements,infrastructural development, and human resources development.Its economic, social and environmental impacts during theconstruction phase and the first seven years of operation arereviewed.</p><p>The role of large dams in poverty alleviation andsocio-economic development are analysed, especially in terms ofresettlement. The current global thinking on involuntaryresettlement is reviewed, as are the experiences onresettlement of the people affected by water projects. Anassessment of the participatory process that was formulated forthe resettlement of the people affected by the construction ofthe Birecik dam, GAP Project, Turkey, is presented.</p><p>Institutional arrangements for integrated river basinmanagement in Latin America is analysed, with special emphasison the Brazilian and the Mexican experiences of watermanagement at the river basin level. Brazil and Mexico werechosen since they are by far the most advanced in this area,compared to all the other Latin American countries.</p><p>It is concluded that economic, social and environmentaldimensions should be considered concurrently within the goalsof water development. Social considerations are essentialbecause poverty is both a cause and an effect of environmentaldegradation, and societies festering with poverty and socialtensions will not have the means, or inclination, to makesustainable development a priority issue. There are noblueprints for a transition to sustainability, but there arepolicy reforms that could reduce environmental degradation,income disparity and persistent poverty. The water sector isnot an exception to this conclusion.</p><p>There is now considerable discussion on the operationalfeasibility of the sustainable development concept. It issuggested that sustainable development should be considered tobe a journey and not a destination. The world is nothomogeneous, and thus there cannot be one unique path tosustainable development that would be equally valid andapplicable for all countries of the world, and for alldevelopment sectors. Each country will have to base its waterdevelopment agendas depending on their own social, economic,cultural and environmental conditions, available managerial,technical and administrative capacities and societalexpectations and aspirations. For developing countries, as longas water development policies, programmes and projects cancontribute to socio-economic development, reduction in povertyand income disparity, and environmental conservation, they arewell on course in their long journey to sustainabledevelopment. Definitional debates as to what constitutessustainable water development are likely to beunproductive.</p>

Thesis (M.A.)--Naval Postgraduate School, 2003. / Title from title screen (viewed Aug. 4, 2004). "December 2003." Also issued in paper format.

Thesis (M.A. in National Security Affairs)--Naval Postgraduate School, December 2003. / Thesis advisor(s): Harold Trinkunas, Robert Looney. Includes bibliographical references (p. 63-66). Also available online.

The main goal of this thesis is to understand a community's perceptions of the potential impact of tourism on the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV/AIDS in Monteverde, Costa Rica. In particular, I examine the ways in which globalization and increased travel affect the overall health and behavioral patterns among young people from a community reliant on tourism. The impact of migration and population movement on the spread of infectious diseases has already been well documented. Moreover, there is a clear understanding of the impact of sex tourism on the spread of STIs. However, this project seeks to understand the impact of tourism on a local population that does not have a formal commercial sex industry. Instead, the majority of sexual interactions between young local men and visiting women reflect more of an attitude of adventure and tend to be romantic in nature. Local men are inclined to have casual sexual relations with female tourists because foreign women are perceived as more liberal and sexually adventurous. Visiting women are attracted to the idea of an exotic, sexual relationship while on vacation. The interactions that result from these mentalities often lead to risky sexual behavior that could facilitate the transmission of STIs. This project was exploratory in nature. Data were collected from various sectors of the Monteverde community with a focus on their perceptions of the role tourism plays on changing local behavior. This project also seeks to understand the current level of sex education and STI prevention among the youth of the community. These data were used to create targeted interventions within the community in recognition of World AIDS DAY on December 1, 2003, and can inform the design of future education and prevention programs that are culturally appropriate.

My dissertation Woman, Nation and Identity in the Narrative of Juana Manuela Gorriti and Clorinda Matto de Turner follows the construction of female identity in the emergent Latin American imaginary, and uses the regional zeitgeist as a framework for the analysis of the works of Juana Manuela Gorriti (Argentina, 1819 - 1892) and Clorinda Matto de Turner (Peru, 1852 - 1909), the latter known as the author of the first widely-read novel about indigenous issues in Latin America. I intend to shed light on the parallels between the turbulent intellectual lives of these two authors, the uncommon voice conferred upon them as members of a privileged upper class, and their active involvement in national politics. My work on these authors and their texts, some of them understudied, focus on the concept of gender in relation to the national project in the violent post-independence era to understand the development of identity in Latin America. I elaborate on these topics by analyzing the feminine subject, the domestic space, and the national imaginary and exploring their textual articulations to demonstrate their relevance in the emergent nations. It is impossible to read these novels without noticing the contradictions between gender performance and the actions of the female characters. The reading of this counter discourse reveals the process by which the agency of the feminine subject subverts the symbolic order and changes the national imaginary. I trace the transfer of power from the male in the public sphere to the female in the private sphere, as well as the role of women in the national project as portrayed in these works. This analysis intends to demonstrate how opening up the private spaces serves to better illustrate, or illustrate in a detailed way, national actuality in opposition to written authorized History. / text

The important role that technocrats play in Latin America has stimulated a lively theoretical debate about experts’ influence in policy making and their effective independence from other sociopolitical players, especially politicians, international financial institutions and business. Through an in-depth analysis of the role of economic and health technocrats in Colombia from 1958 to 2011 and in Peru from 1980 to 2011, this dissertation demonstrates that technocrats are best conceptualized as autonomous actors in Latin America. This technical autonomy, though, varies in strength from policy sector to policy sector and even within the same policy sector across time. I propose a theory of technocratic autonomy to explain both the bases of experts’ autonomy and the determinants that explain the variation in the degree of autonomy across policy sectors and across time. Fundamentally, technocrats’ higher degree of expertise provides them with considerable leverage over sociopolitical actors and allows them to enhance their influence. x Four factors explain experts’ degree of autonomy and its variation across policy areas. First, a high level of technical complexity in a policy area enhances autonomy by making it more difficult for politicians to counter technocrats’ proposals. Second, the degree of technocratic consensus in a policy area limits the possibility of experts being replaced by other experts with preferences closer to those of politicians. Third, experts are more likely to gain autonomy in state areas where bad policy performance causes high political costs for the incumbent. Finally, a balanced constellation of diverse powerful stakeholders having interests in a policy area also enhances technical autonomy. These stakeholders monitor competing stakeholders and the incumbent, opening a space for technocrats to act with more autonomy. I argue that these four factors explain why economic experts, in general, are more likely to gain autonomy and entrench it over time, whereas health experts remain more vulnerable. These factors also explain the variation in technocratic autonomy over time within the same policy area. / text