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Fletcher to Host Conference Nov. 1-2 on Current Policy Dilemmas in Latin America’s Foreign Economic Relations
By Tony Kujawa, MALD ‘02
Office of Public Affairs
Against the backdrop of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks against the United States and continuing global financial instability, Tufts' Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy will host a conference November 1-2 at the Cabot Intercultural Center (160 Packard Ave, Medford, MA) to facilitate a public policy dialogue on current trends and policy dilemmas confronting Latin America’s foreign economic relations.
Although the region has experienced very important changes and reforms in recent years, it is still subject to "continuous crisis" notes Ana Margheritis, Neil Allen Visiting Associate Professor of Latin American Studies at Tufts' Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, who has also organized the conference.
"The dramatic financial crisis of Mexico, Brazil and Argentina with spill-over effects in the region, for example, have greatly threatened international monetary and financial relations," explains Margheritis.
By taking a unique "policy dilemma" approach to exploring issues, the conference will add new perspective clarifying the viable choices available to policy makers. Margheritis expects the conference to make an important contribution to the understanding and practice of policy decisions.
Many countries in Latin America have recently opened their economies as part of a broader search for a more competitive insertion in the international economic system. But trade liberalization, economic regional integration, and capital flow deregulation have not only translated into greater exchanges, but also greater external vulnerability.
Although outcomes have varied across countries (and economic sectors within countries), most of these economies still face some structural problems and recurrent crises (e.g., poor export performance, low savings rate, increasing indebtedness, permanent fiscal imbalance, deteriorating educational standards, etc.). The conference provides a forum to examine the different paths taken to economic opening and the variables that have determined the relative successes.
One highlight will be the participation of a top policy official from the Organization of American States. Jose M. Salazar-Xirinachs, Director of the Trade Unit of the OAS, will speak on the first panel from 5:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. on Thurs., Nov. 1 in a discussion called "Betting on Economic Integration." On Friday, from 9-10:30 a.m. there will be a discussion called "Coping with Financial Instability, one of the panelists will be Andres Valasco, who is a professor of international finance and development at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government will be among the panelists
Prominent scholars from all over the United States and several countries abroad, along with distinguished public officials will present provocative papers that challenge our notions of economic relations in Latin America.
The participants will come from a lengthy list of institutions, including the Fletcher School, the Latin American School of Social Sciences, Argentina, the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University, the Kennedy School at Harvard University, University of Texas-Austin, University of Connecticut, Simmons Graduate School of Management, the Organization of American States, the Center for International Studies of El Colegio de México, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Portsmouth University, UK, the University of Miami’s School of International Studies and others will exchange views on the foreign economic relations in Latin America.
The following four current policy dilemmas will be explored throughout conference:
1) how to cope with recurrent external crisis and to what extent it is possible to prevent financial instability;
2) how to enlarge domestic, regional, and international markets and whether economic integration is a good and feasible option to do so;
3) how to create and accumulate human capital in order to promote economic competitiveness and more broadly shared standards of living;
4) how to build and consolidate democratic institutions that make governmental action efficient, accountable, and credible.
The conference is divided into four panels: Betting on Economic Integration, Coping with Financial Instability, Accumulating Human Capital, and Improving Democratic Governance. Presentation of papers will be followed by discussion.
In panel one, papers include: “Trade strategies in the Southern Cone: Withering Mercosur?” “Proliferation of Sub-Regional Trade Agreements in the Americas: An Assessment of Key Analytical and Policy Issues,” and “The Impact of Trade Liberalization and Regional Economic Integration in Mexico’s Economic Development since the 1980s.” In panel two, instability will be addressed through papers on “Coping with Financial Instability in Latin America” and “Recent Latin American Financial Crises: How Much Systemic, How Much Policy?” Panel three will explore the role of human capital development and education in poverty alleviation. Panel four will explore issues democratic governance and its relationship with foreign direct investment (FDI).
The conference is free and open to the public, and will be held at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy’s Cabot Intercultural Center (160 Packard Ave, Medford, MA). A detailed schedule of conference events can be found. More complete information
and a schedule can be found here.
For additional information please contact Karina Weinstein, kvayns01@tufts.edu;
or call (617)627-2733.
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