Health and Society

Beyond the Olympics: A Brief Look at the South American Games

By Connor Weber
October 5, 2016

Much attention has been given to the fact that both the World Cup and Olympics are being held in Brazil and for good reason, they showcase the hosting country on the international stage.  The sporting events allow the host country, and even the surrounding region to a lesser extent, the ability to put its best foot forward and signal its growth, stability, and good governance.  While these two mega-events receive international attention, they are not the only international sporting events that take place in South America.

Régimen de Extorsión en Ciudad de Guatemala: las Viudas del Transporte Público

By Manuela Camus Bergareche
October 5, 2016

Ser conductor o ayudante de autobús es una de las profesiones con mayor riesgo de muerte en esta metrópolis. Ellos son ejecutados por mareros para presionar el cobro de la extorsión: sumando el 2013 y 2014 han sido asesinados 180 choferes y 87 ayudantes del transporte público a nivel nacional (PDH, 2015: 5). Sus mujeres, hijos y familiares se ven golpeados por el trauma y por las enormes dificultades que han de librar para su sobrevivencia.

Comerciantes Aymaras como una élite emergente en Bolivia

By Alexis Vargas
October 5, 2016

El proceso de cambio en Bolivia ha impulsado una política de desarrollo alternativo y resistente al capitalismo que funciona en el mercado mundial. Sin embargo, la implementación de este modelo económico, a casi diez años de su inicio, está generando un crecimiento significativo de una nueva élite burguesa que proviene de las clases comerciantes populares de este país.

Deathscapes in Metropolitan Colombia

By Christien Klaufus
October 10, 2016

When societies urbanize and the demographic composition of the population changes, local administrations have to prepare proactively for future dead-disposal capacity and sustainable deathscapes. This situation occurs in the US and Europe, where the aging population requires more end-of-life and death services while urban space is scarce. In 2010 the New York Timesstated that “[c]emeteries are scrambling to create more space, and as lot prices have soared, the number of cremations has also risen” (Santora, 2010).

Conditional Cash Transfer Programs and the Impact on Violent Crime in Mexico and Brazil

By Justin Lance
October 10, 2016

Statistics from the UNDOC routinely rank Latin America as the most violent region in the world, and more than 150,000 people died from homicide in the Americas in 2012. In Brazil alone, more than 50,000 people were victims of homicide in 2012, more than triple the number in the U.S. (UNDOC, 2013).  The crime epidemic that has arisen in the past decade in Latin America has resulted in the militarization of conflict, most exemplified by the Mexican government in its ongoing battle with drug cartels.

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