On May 31, 1970, an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale rifled across the regions of Ancash and La Libertad in northern Peru, collapsing roads, homes and schools and unleashing an avalanche that buried the town of Yungay in a mass of rock and ice. More than 66,000 people were killed, more than 100,000 were injured, and hundreds of thousands more were left homeless. … [Read more...] about The Hidden Traumas of Natural Disasters
Social Issues
The Problem with Taxing the Rich
It's never easy to get the wealthy to pay their taxes — and Latin America is no exception. Not only do they have the political clout to fight legislation that would increase their contributions relative to low-earners. They can afford top-flight lawyers and accountants to help them maneuver around their income taxes through loopholes and offshore tax havens. As a result, tax … [Read more...] about The Problem with Taxing the Rich
Climate Change Can Harm Your Health
2015 was without a doubt a year for raising awareness, at least as far as the environment is concerned. We closed the year with the Climate Change Summit in Paris, where 195 countries reached an agreement that aspires to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees centigrade by 2100. With that agreement, the heads of state and their representatives in attendance committed to reducing … [Read more...] about Climate Change Can Harm Your Health
Ensuring Access to Quality Early Childhood Development: Anything but Child’s Play
“Ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.” This is one of many important targets set by the United Nations General Assembly on September 27, 2015. How hard will it be to achieve this goal by 2030? Answering this question requires picking this target apart, as … [Read more...] about Ensuring Access to Quality Early Childhood Development: Anything but Child’s Play
What Digital Tools Should an Academic Researcher Use to "Connect" to the Net?
Unbeknownst to many people, academic researchers are subject to constant pressure and competition. From the time a student decides to apply for graduate study, a subtle and permanent state of alert begins to produce relevant publications, gain recognition among peers, increase the number of citations and references, and at the same time succeed, whenever possible, in having a … [Read more...] about What Digital Tools Should an Academic Researcher Use to "Connect" to the Net?