Government capacity is in part the ability to hit the long ball, to have long-term policies that look beyond the next election and the next change in administration. In economic policy, as in social policy and so many other areas, it can make all the difference. Unfortunately, in too many countries of Latin America and the Caribbean winning the next election and installing … [Read more...] about When Government Capacity Creates Economic Options
Wielding the Scientific Method For a More Skilled Population
From the 554-foot high Washington Monument down Constitution Avenue towards the United States Congress in Washington, D.C., they marched by the thousands: physicists, biologists, chemists, zoologists, economists, and scientists from virtually every other discipline. The first ever March for Science April 22, along with its teach-ins, and its companion events in hundreds of … [Read more...] about Wielding the Scientific Method For a More Skilled Population
When It Comes to Education, Computers Can Be a Dangerous Temptation
For enthusiasts of computers in the classrooms, a 2015 report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) may have come as a rude surprise. Several OECD countries have invested heavily in information technology, the report found. But students in those countries didn't significantly improve their abilities in reading, mathematics and science as a result. … [Read more...] about When It Comes to Education, Computers Can Be a Dangerous Temptation
Why Are Latin Americans Happier than Their GDP Would Suggest?
Money can’t buy happiness, or at least that’s what many Latin Americans may say. The latest World Happiness Report has shown once again that the region has higher levels of wellbeing than its GDP would predict, and some Latin American countries have a higher happiness index than developed nations from Western Europe. What is it about the region that makes its citizens happy? … [Read more...] about Why Are Latin Americans Happier than Their GDP Would Suggest?
Moving Out of the Social Media Bubble to a More Robust Democracy
Since its founding in 2004, Facebook has boasted of its mission to "make the world more open and connected." And with nearly 2 billion users, including more than 230 million in Latin America, it has in many ways earned boasting rights. Facebook is today the world's dominant social media site for people sharing personal and political news, interests and passions. It unites … [Read more...] about Moving Out of the Social Media Bubble to a More Robust Democracy