This report examines the quality of public policies in Latin America and the Caribbean after more than a decade of political and economic reform. A wide variety of examples and case studies are presented in an analytical framework to help explain why policies that work in certain institutional...

This report raises a number of fundamental questions about the multidimensional and interrelated nature of social exclusion and moves beyond the traditional emphasis on outcomes and groups to view exclusion as a process that results from societal traits that limit the functionings of the...

This report moves beyond the conventional scope of economics to examine three entrenched structural factors -demography, geography and institutions- that are closely connected to economic and social development. Historical in nature and slow to evolve, these variables are not always in the...

This publication is the fourth in a series that documents experiences in different dimensions of social development and social policy issues in Latin America, the Caribbean and East and Southeast Asia. This series has been orchestrated by the Inter-American Institute for Social Development...

Although science has unlocked the secrets of the human genome, the causes of social and economic development remain stubbornly enigmatic. Why do some countries adopt new technologies more readily than others? Why does income inequality persist in some regions--even in the face of rapid economic...

Latin America and the Caribbean is one of the regions in the world with the greatest ethnic, racial and cultural diversity. This diversity is a major asset that holds the key to achieving lasting economic and political stability and constructing a fair, cohesive and democratic society. However,...

This book presents but a few examples of the many Bank-financed productive activities carried out by the people of the region, and pays tribute to the women and men who, in their efforts to succeed, daily renew their hopes for a better future. In addition, the book pays tribute to the...

Development requires more than financial resources. It also requires pertinent projects and the creation and transfer of knowledge and experiences about the various issues that, together, have an impact on economic, social and political development. This includes traditional areas such as...

In this book, the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean draws upon the Latin American and Caribbean region's experience in order to formulate a historical and multidimensional assessment of the globalization process from the perspectives of developing countries....

Fourteen essays by experienced political leaders, researchers and scholars examine the political economy and international relations of the Caribbean. Strategies for sustainable development include proposals to link productive structures among private sectors and increase institutional flexibility.