Latin America At The Crossroads

Cuban intellectual Roberto Regalado provides a critical analysis of the issues facing Latin America today and the significance of the recent election of leftist governments in several countries. He examines the political crises and the emerging social movements on the continent that are spearheading international resistance to neo-liberalism - from the water struggles in Bolivia to the landless movement in Brazil - and considers alternative options for development.

"Higher education in Latin America and the Caribbean has expanded dramatically in the past 15 years, as the average gross enrollment rate has more than doubled, and many new institutions and programs have been opened. Although higher education access has become more equitable, and higher education supply has become more varied, many of the 'new' students in the system are, on average, less academically ready than are their more advantaged counterparts. Furthermore, only half of higher education students, on average, complete their degree, and labor market returns to higher education vary greatly across institutions and programs. Thus, higher education is at a crossroads today. Given the region's urgency to raise productivity in a low-growth, fiscally constrained environment, going past this crossroads requires the formation of skilled human capital fast and efficiently. 'At a Crossroads: Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean' contributes to the discussion by studying quality, variety, and equity of higher education in Latin America and the Caribbean. The book presents comprehensive evidence on the recent higher education expansion and evolution of higher education labor market returns. Using novel data and state-of-the-art methods, it studies demand and supply drivers of the recent expansion. It investigates the behavior of institutions and students and explores the unintended consequences of large-scale higher education policies. Framing the analysis are the singular characteristics of the higher education market and the market segmentation induced by the variety of students and institutions in the system. At this crossroads, a role emerges for incentives, information, accountability, and choice."

Presents a critique of the Bush Administration's Iraq policy, arguing that it stemmed from misconceptions about the realities of the situation in Iraq and a squandering of the goodwill of American allies following September 11th.

A provocative and controversial look at Latin America as it stands at a crossroads, this book analyzes the complex economic and social roots of the debt crisis and evaluates the prospects for new development strategies for the 1990s. Dr. Wiarda begins by placing the regional economic crisis in the larger context of technological change, political upheaval, and the international economy. He then explores new choices and realities in inter-American relations and the role international lending agencies can take to assist Latin America in meeting the challenge of the next decade. The author suggests that "smokescreens and mirrors" have obscured the true nature of the crisis and, as a result, have skewed the policy debate.

Two powerful forces measure their strength by acting upon globalization. One of them pushes globalization forward, while the other hinders its advance and promotes its decline.In which of those directions should Latin America move? Uncertainty hinders the region's strategic vision. If the future entails re-launching of globalization, it seems obvious that Latin America should follow along its lines. However, if globalization were to embark on a declining phase and an endangered future, the region would need to look at other options. Latin America, therefore, faces not only a dramatic uncertainty as a result of forces beyond its control, but also needs to anticipate unforeseen events to the best of its abilities, and react to or act upon them. Strategic reflection becomes imperative to manage both uncertainty and the possibility of rapid change.This exercise in strategic reflection implies an immersion in fraught international surroundings, analyzing the forces that push for and against globalization, trying to measure their respective strength, convergence capacity, and potential impact. At the same time, it requires looking into the flaws, weaknesses and contradictions of such forces. With these elements in hand, it will be easier to envisage where the trends are leading to, and by extension, where Latin America may end up standing and which goals it should follow.

A critique and reformulation of US foreign policy from one of the world's leading thinkers - who formerly regarded himself as a neocon.

In this expanded and updated edition of the story of the struggles over the formulation and implementation of U.S. foreign policy toward Central America, Cynthia Arnson incorporates substantial amounts of new primary source and recently declassified material coming out of the Iran-contra trials and other Freedom of Information Act requests. She also includes an entirely new chapter that carries the story of the Nicaragua and El Salvador policy debates to the end of the Bush administration.

The Jesuit educational tradition has existed for more than 450 years, and today, there are more than 150 Jesuit primary and secondary schools in North and Latin America. Jesuit Education at the Crossroads tackles the lack of research on these schools by bringing together scattered studies and asking experts on the issues about the current challenges for Jesuit education. The landscape pictured by this collection of essays suggests that Jesuit primary and secondary education is at a historical moment, analogous to a crossroads. After a crisis between the 1960s and ‘80s, these schools were consolidated, establishing themselves in national and international networks. But the twenty-first century has brought new challenges. For instance, the secularization of culture is demanding an update of the Jesuit educational project; leadership is rapidly shifting from Jesuits to lay men and women, with multiple issues at stake; and researchers and policymakers are asking new questions about the role of these schools and school networks for equity and inclusion in each region. The book touches on these and other points that will be very relevant for all who are interested in the Jesuit educational tradition.