The COVID-19 pandemic, perhaps like no other major event in recent memory, has exposed the synergies as well as the tensions between science and policy. At the start of the pandemic, governments immediately turned to scientists for the data, knowledge, and technology necessary to fight the new virus. Science provided increasing … [Read more...] about Science Meets Policy in the Pandemic Response
Politics and Institutions
For a Region in Turmoil, An Updated Database of Political Institutions
In a year when political institutions around the world were tested and pushed to their limits, understanding institutions and institutional features has become more important than ever. The rise of populism, increasing economic inequality, and the emergence of racial and other protests in the U.S. and globally—all against the backdrop of … [Read more...] about For a Region in Turmoil, An Updated Database of Political Institutions
Can Democracy Reduce Inequality?
Despite two decades of social policies targeting poverty and inequality, Latin America remains one of the most economically unequal regions in the world. Recurrent protests motivated by economic grievances have been a regular reminder of this reality. The ongoing health crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic has disproportionately harmed already vulnerable populations, … [Read more...] about Can Democracy Reduce Inequality?
Using Social Network Analysis to Identify Decision-Makers and Improve Public Policy
Latin America has achieved significant social progress in recent decades. From the 1990s through 2019, poverty fell by almost 50 percent: mortality in children under five was cut by more than half; and primary school education became nearly universal. But while significant investment was made to accomplish those outcomes, much more could have been achieved if it wasn’t for … [Read more...] about Using Social Network Analysis to Identify Decision-Makers and Improve Public Policy
When Inequality is Baked into the System
Hundreds of thousands of protesters have poured into the streets in recent weeks from Chile and Colombia to Lebanon and Iraq. Transport hubs have been destroyed, stores looted, and government institutions attacked. Dozens have been killed. The immediate causes of the protests have been diverse, ranging from price hikes to rumored changes in laws affecting rights and … [Read more...] about When Inequality is Baked into the System