Currently, there are three recognized trends of buen vivir (BV): culturalist-indigenous, ecologist-post-developmentalist, and socialist-statist. In recent years, there has been talk of a hybrid trend born out of academic studies. This article first presents all the characteristics defined to date regarding this hybrid BV. It then analyzes all articles on BV in the categories of «economics» and «development» in three databases, to determine the principles that define this trend. It has been concluded that it is not correct to speak of a new trend: on the one hand, there is no total consensus on whether BV is an alternative to development or an alternative development; on the other hand, BV is often linked to terms such as «well-being», «community», «sustainability», «food sovereignty», and/or «social and solidarity economy», as well as «indigenous ways of life». However, depending on the work consulted, different and even contradictory interpretations appear.
Transport infrastructure fosters agglomeration, by reducing trade costs and enhancing market access. Village road networks drive intra-regional cohesion, by establishing rural-urban connectivity. In Turkey, the 2012 administrative reform effectively restricted village road provision to non-metropolitan provinces. This paper estimates the reduced-form income and growth effects of village roads under this policy through a market access channel. To account for temporal adjustments and endogeneity, this study employs a dynamic panel data model estimated via a system generalized method of moments framework. The results indicate a positive relationship between village roads and both the level and growth rate of gross domestic product per capita. However, the marginal income gains become statistically insignificant at an urbanisation threshold of approximately 42 %. These findings suggest that rural road investment decisions should consider regional urbanisation rates. Additionally, they provide economic justification for the policy shift through the 2012 administrative reform. Post-estimation diagnostics validate the model specifications and instrument validity.
This article examines key labour market trends during the COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, and Uruguay, covering the period from its onset through 2022, and provides a comprehensive analysis of the policies implemented to mitigate its effects. It explores their influence on formal jobs, labour and household incomes, as well as institutional arrangements. By comparing pre-pandemic gaps in decent work and adequate income with the situation three years after the outbreak of the pandemic, this article assesses whether Latin American labour markets have moved closer to, or further away from, addressing persistent gaps in job quality, wage levels, and their distribution. Finally, it draws policy lessons from both the advances achieved and the challenges that remain in labour and income policies.
La cooperación descentralizada (CD) se ha posicionado como un instrumento clave para el desarrollo territorial, al permitir que gobiernos subnacionales participen en el ámbito internacional. No obstante, en contextos de alta desigualdad como el colombiano, su implementación se enfrenta a importantes limitaciones. En este estudio, se analiza por qué la CD no se ha consolidado plenamente en gobiernos locales, tomando como caso 47 municipios del departamento de Antioquia. A través de una metodología mixta que combina análisis documental de planes de desarrollo municipales (2020-2023), entrevistas a funcionarios y un marco teórico basado en la paradiplomacia, la interdependencia compleja y la nueva gestión pública, se identifican barreras estructurales y oportunidades. Los resultados evidencian profundas brechas en capacidades institucionales, una comprensión limitada de la CD como fuente de financiamiento y una débil articulación con el nivel nacional. Se concluye que su efectividad requiere gestión estratégica, integración en la planificación y fortalecimiento de la asociatividad territorial.
This article examines the strategic competition between China and the European Union (EU) through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Global Gateway, focusing on Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Based on the premise that infrastructure has emerged as a new geopolitical and geoeconomic tool, it analyses how each actor uses infrastructure to consolidate its power and influence. Employing a qualitative and comparative method, the study outlines the presence of both initiatives in the region. The findings indicate that the BRI has enabled China to expand its influence, whereas the Global Gateway has yet to achieve comparable results for the EU. Nonetheless, the primary aim of the Global Gateway appears to be containing China’s rise and defending the principles and institutions of the Liberal International Order. Thus, both initiatives should be understood as broader efforts to reshape regional power dynamics and influence the international order.
