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| Latin American and Caribbean Network of Economic Research | |
|---|---|
| Name | Latin American and Caribbean Network of Economic Research |
| Formation | 20th century |
| Region served | Latin America and the Caribbean |
| Membership | research centers, universities, think tanks |
| Leader title | Director |
Latin American and Caribbean Network of Economic Research is a regional consortium connecting research centers, universities, and think tanks across Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, Uruguay, Bolivia, Paraguay, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Belize, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Bahamas, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Saint Lucia, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, and other Caribbean territories. Its networked model draws on comparative experience from institutions such as the University of Buenos Aires, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Universidade de São Paulo, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Columbia University, London School of Economics, and multilateral organizations like the Inter-American Development Bank, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, and World Bank.
The network emerged during the late 20th century amid debates involving scholars associated with Raúl Prebisch-influenced institutes, ECLAC-aligned researchers, and heterodox centers linked to Dependency theory and Structuralist economics. Early collaborators included research units at the Institute of Development Studies, partners connected to the Brookings Institution and regional universities such as the Universidad de Chile and Universidad de la República (Uruguay). Influences from policy episodes—like the Washington Consensus era, the Mexican peso crisis (1994), the Argentine great depression (1998–2002), and the Brazilian economic stabilization (Plano Real)—shaped priorities and cross-border exchanges with organizations such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the International Monetary Fund.
Membership spans public and private research centers including university departments (for example Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Universidad de São Paulo), independent think tanks such as Centro de Implementación de Políticas Públicas para la Equidad y el Crecimiento and Fundación Getulio Vargas, and policy-oriented units linked to central banks like the Banco de la República (Colombia), the Banco Central do Brasil, and the Banco Central de Chile. Governance arrangements reflect models found in consortia like the Council of Foreign Relations and the International Network for Economic Research, with steering committees resembling boards at the Inter-American Dialogue and secretariats similar to those at the Caribbean Community. Affiliate members include scholars affiliated with the London School of Economics, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University, Princeton University, Stanford University, and regional institutions such as FLACSO.
The network coordinates comparative studies on topics linked to regional episodes and institutions: trade liberalization after NAFTA, fiscal policy responses to the Global financial crisis of 2007–2008, social protection expansions in Bolsa Família and conditional cash transfer programs, macroeconomic stabilization episodes like the Plano Real, inflation episodes such as hyperinflation in Peru (1980s), labor market dynamics in the wake of Mercosur integration, inequality research referencing data from the World Inequality Database, and environmental-economic studies on Amazon Rainforest conservation, extractive industries in the Andes, and climate adaptation linked to Hurricane Maria. It engages topics studied at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and intersects with analyses produced by the Pan American Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization.
The network publishes working papers, policy briefs, and collaborative monographs that circulate among institutions such as IDEAS, RePEc, and university presses at University of Chicago Press, Cambridge University Press, and Oxford University Press. Series often feature contributions by scholars with affiliations to CEPAL, CEMLA, Cepal research units, and regional centers like IDB-funded teams. Topics frequently cited include monetary policy experiences in Chile, debt restructurings like those involving Ecuador (2008–2009) and sovereign default episodes analyzed in comparison with Argentina (2001–2002), and labor informality research paralleling work from International Labour Organization.
Annual conferences and thematic workshops mimic formats used by the Latin American Studies Association, the American Economic Association, and the World Bank’s training programs. Events rotate among host institutions such as the University of the West Indies, Universidad de los Andes (Colombia), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and Universidad de la República (Uruguay), and bring together participants from ministries like the Ministerio de Hacienda (Mexico), central banks, and multilateral agencies including the International Monetary Fund and Inter-American Development Bank. Capacity-building courses adopt curricula inspired by programs at Harvard Kennedy School, Institute of Development Studies, and the London School of Economics.
Funding sources combine grants and project support from multilateral lenders and foundations: Inter-American Development Bank, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Ford Foundation, Open Society Foundations, Gates Foundation, and regional development banks such as the Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo. Partnerships extend to academic networks like CLACSO, policy platforms such as the Inter-American Dialogue, and cooperation with UN agencies including the United Nations Development Programme, UNICEF, and World Health Organization.
The network’s research has informed policy debates over debt restructuring in episodes involving Argentina and Ecuador, social policy reforms exemplified by Programa Bolsa Família and Chile Solidario, and macroeconomic policymaking during crises like the Latin American debt crisis and the 2008 global financial crisis. Its analyses are cited in reports by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and national ministries of finance and central banks across the region, contributing to dialogues hosted by forums such as the Summit of the Americas and regional policy dialogues under the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.
Category:Research networks