Search

Measure welfare state development in the region by its multidimensional reality. That is, incorporating the coverage of welfare programmes and the outcomes of welfare institutions to the usual suspect of social expenditure. In addition, the project examines the political and economic explanatory factors of welfare state development in the region, and the impact on multidimensional poverty and income inequality.

This article criticises the social policy literature for equating universalism to the universal coverage of citizens. The current so-called ‘universal’ social protection systems guarantee social citizen rights, while the revisited truly universalism guarantees social human rights for everyone. Crisp-set qualitative comparative analysis (csQCA) is used to map and track the level of exclusiveness or inclusiveness into social pensions in the existing 30 social pension programmes on 28 Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries. The article examines the various paths of eligibility requirements in social pensions conditioning three specific outcomes: (1) access for every older-age individual (truly universal), (2) access for every category of immigrant (no targeting by citizenship or residency) and (3) access for older-age immigrants with legal resident status (targeting by residency but not by citizenship). The research makes several contributions. First, it offers a useful inventory of the eligibility requirements for access to the 30 social pensions in LAC. Second, it proposes an analytical framework to redefine universalism after considering the migration-social policy nexus. Contrary to what the literature claims, there are no universal social pensions in the region. Third, the analysis indicates that only in two countries, Cuba and Jamaica, social pensions have immigrant-friendly targeting rules, requiring neither citizenship nor any length of residency to become a beneficiary. A total of 12 countries require citizenship and 24 of them a certain number of years of residency. Moreover, the overwhelming majority of social pensions are means tested. Finally, the csQCA allows identifying patterns of targeting mechanisms and is used to propose five exploratory regimes of inclusionary social pensions. The article calls for protected international mobility of the older-age population in the form of a truly universalistic system in which the entire aged population has the right to a social pension. Only then, countries would truly adhere to Article 22 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

This is the introductory chapter of the book Welfare and Social Protection in Contemporary Latin America. The purpose of the book is threefold: (i) to present a historical and theoretical analysis of social protection systems and welfare regimes in contemporary Latin America; (ii) to discuss the politics of contemporary social protection and how national/global actors and institutions shape social policy in the region; and (iii) to examine several debates on social protection and welfare systems in contemporary Latin America. The chapter presents state-of-the-art research in the areas of social policy and welfare that is examined in each of the three parts of the book. What do we know about welfare regimes in Latin America? What do we know about the role of (f)actors shaping social protection development and inclusion? What do we know about recent debates regarding social protection and welfare in Latin America? Particular attention is paid to the contribution made by chapters in this edited volume to the social policy literature. The chapter finishes with a description of the content and results of each chapter in this edited volume.

Diversos investigadores han realizado críticas a los ODM por la arbitrariedad en la formulación y fijación de metas, así como en el uso de indicadores que pueden afectar la perspectiva del éxito exhibido por un país o región, favoreciendo a algunos y perjudicando a otros. El propósito principal de este artículo es realizar un balance alternativo crítico del avance ante la pobreza en 38 países latinoamericanos y caribeños. Utilizando indicadores positivos y negativos se contrastaron los resultados (1) de la consecución de la meta oficial 1.A y 7.C de los ODM y (2) de la aceleración del progreso en la reducción de las tasas de pobreza en 4 periodos temporales entre 1980-2015. Se utilizaron dos indicadores de pobreza para examinar la meta 1.A –reducir en un 50% la proporción de población con ingresos inferiores a 1,25 dólares diarios (PPA)- y la meta 7.C –reducir en un 50% la proporción de población sin acceso a fuentes mejoradas de agua potable e infraestructuras sanitarias. Los resultados confirman algunas de las críticas presentadas sobre los ODM. El uso de indicadores negativos y la conceptualización del éxito como aceleración del progreso en la reducción de pobreza presentan una imagen más favorable para la región, Several researchers have criticized the MDGs because of the arbitrariness in the formulation and goal setting, as well as in the use of indicators that may affect the perspective of success exhibited by a country or region, favouring some and hurting others. The main purpose of this paper is to conduct a critical alternative assessment of the success on poverty reduction in 38 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. Using positive and negative indicators, the results on (1) the achievement of the official 1.A and 7.C MDG targets and (2) the accelerating progress on the reduction of poverty rates were contrasted in 4 periods between 1980-2015. Two poverty indicators were used to evaluate the target 1.A – half the proportion of people whose income is less than 1,25 dollars (PPP) per dayand the target 7.C –half the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. The findings confirm some of the criticism made of the MDGs. The use of negative indicators and the conceptualization of success as accelerating the progress on poverty reduction show a more favourable image of the region, Esta investigación es posible en parte por la financiación del Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (Formación de Profesorado Universitario)

Whether social protection benefits should be assigned to all (universal) or kept only for those who meet certain criteria (targeting) remains one of the most contentious questions in social policy research. The purpose of this brief is to revisit two social policy assumptions around basic concerns of efficiency, affordability and sustainability of universal social pensions. Contrary to what many international organisations and scholars have argued, this brief forwards that universal social pensions are economically viable and efficient strategies to produce welfare and alleviate older-age income deprivations. The world clearly has the resources to implement basic social pensions on a global scale; the question is if there is also the political will to do it.

Este capítulo presenta los resultados de una simulación entre jefes de gobierno de los estados miembros de CARICOM sobre la crisis política, social y económica en Venezuela. Estudiantes de grado en Ciencia Política encarnan a los jefes de gobierno y, como parte del aprendizaje activo, se aspira a que sean capaces de comprender y presentar los discursos divergentes que se evidencian en la alta polarización mediática sobre la crisis venezolana entre el gobierno de Nicolás Maduro y la oposición política con representación mayoritaria en el poder legislativo.