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| Centro Latinoamericano de Economía Humana | |
|---|---|
| Name | Centro Latinoamericano de Economía Humana |
| Founded | 1980s |
| Fields | Social economy, Cooperativism, Human development |
Centro Latinoamericano de Economía Humana
The Centro Latinoamericano de Economía Humana is an independent research and advocacy institution focused on cooperative cooperativism, social solidarity economy, and human-centered development across Latin America and the Caribbean. It engages with stakeholders from academic institutions such as Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Universidad de Buenos Aires, and Universidade de São Paulo as well as international bodies including the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the United Nations Development Programme. Its activities intersect with policy forums like the Summit of the Americas, civil society networks such as the World Social Forum, and funders including the Ford Foundation and the Inter-American Foundation.
Founded in the late 20th century amid waves of neoliberal reform and democratization, the center emerged in the wake of mobilizations by actors linked to Movimiento de los Trabajadores, CEPAL debates, and Catholic social movements influenced by Liberation theology and the Second Vatican Council. Early collaborations involved practitioners from Movimiento de los Trabajadores Rurales Sin Tierra, leaders associated with Central de los Trabajadores de Cuba, and researchers from Centro de Estudios Sociales initiatives. During the 1990s it expanded ties to European institutions such as the European Commission and networks like the International Co-operative Alliance, while responding to crises associated with the Mexican peso crisis, the Argentine economic crisis, and structural adjustments promoted by the International Monetary Fund.
The center articulates objectives oriented to strengthening cooperativism, promoting solidarity economy models, and influencing policy debates at venues including the OECD and the World Bank. Specific aims include capacity building for organizations such as Mondragon Corporation-affiliated cooperatives, policy research for legislators in assemblies like the National Congress of Chile and the Argentine Chamber of Deputies, and advocacy within forums such as the UN Human Rights Council and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The center prioritizes engagement with grassroots actors from movements like Marcha Mundial de las Mujeres and indigenous organizations represented in bodies such as the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
Governance typically involves a board comprising academics from Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, policymakers formerly seconded from ministries like the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (Mexico), and representatives from federations such as the Federación de Cooperativas Agrarias. Operational divisions include research programs linked to think tanks like the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences, training units modeled on Oxfam capacity-building strategies, and outreach teams coordinating with municipal governments such as those in Buenos Aires, Mexico City, and São Paulo. Funding sources have included multilateral grants from the European Union, project support from the Inter-American Development Bank, and philanthropic awards from entities like the Rockefeller Foundation.
Programmatic work spans technical assistance for cooperative enterprise development, regional training academies for leaders from the Caribbean Community and the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America, and policy dialogues convened with delegations from the Andean Community and Mercosur. Activities often feature workshops on financial inclusion in collaboration with institutions like the Microfinance Network and pilot projects in partnership with municipal initiatives exemplified by the Porto Alegre participatory budgeting experience. The center has organized conferences attracting participants from organizations such as ActionAid, Amnesty International, and academic delegations from Harvard University and University of Cambridge.
Research outputs include working papers, policy briefs, and monographs addressing case studies of cooperatives in contexts like Cuba, Uruguay, and Bolivia, comparative analyses employing frameworks from scholars affiliated with Latin American Council of Social Sciences, and empirical studies drawing on data from the Latinobarómetro and the World Bank World Development Indicators. Publications have been cited in proceedings of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and in policy reports by the Inter-American Development Bank. Collaborative volumes have included contributions from researchers associated with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, London School of Economics, and regional journals such as Revista de Economía Institucional.
The center sustains formal partnerships with networks including the International Co-operative Alliance, the Global Partnership for Social Accountability, and regional federations like the Cooperativas de las Américas. It participates in joint initiatives with universities such as Universidad de los Andes (Colombia) and NGOs including CARE International and International Labour Organization programs on enterprise development. Membership in coalitions linked to the World Bank’s Partnerships for Development and advisory roles within the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean’s thematic groups deepen its policy reach.
Proponents credit the center with contributing to the legal recognition of cooperative forms in legislatures such as the Chilean Congress and the Brazilian National Congress and with strengthening municipal initiatives influenced by the Participatory Budgeting model. Critics, including analysts from think tanks like the Cato Institute and commentators in outlets associated with the Heritage Foundation, argue that some prescriptions favor protectionist regulations and may underperform on scalability compared with models promoted by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Debates persist between proponents drawing on experiences from Mondragon and skeptics referencing neoliberal reform case studies in Chile and Argentina.