Cities and Economic Inequality in Latin America: Intra-Urban Inequality in Argentina

This book explores trends and determinants of economic inequality in Latin American cities, focusing on housing, schooling, and employment. It identifies factors such as labor market, informal employment, and social protection systems that contribute to inequality and discusses the pitfalls of privatizing public services and the promises and unintended consequences of slum upgrading initiatives. The book offers lessons that can inform policies and practices in the region and beyond, emphasizing the need for a public and urban response to combat inequality.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 182 pages
Publication date: 29 January 2024
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive book delves into the trends and determinants of economic inequality in cities across Latin America, a region known for its profound levels of disparity. It explores how the gap between the haves and the have-nots manifests in various aspects of urban life, including housing, education, and employment. The book raises important questions about why some cities experience higher inequality than others and what valuable insights we can glean from these differences as we strive to combat inequality.

The book begins by examining the policies and forces that have contributed to the rise and fall of inequality in Latin America since the 1990s. It sheds light on the challenges that have hindered progress in reducing inequality and highlights the need for innovative approaches.

The book then focuses on the cities of Argentina, applying a range of quantitative tools to identify the key determinants of inequality. It explores how intra-urban inequality generally mirrors national-level trends, but local factors such as the labor market, informal employment, and social protection systems also play a significant role. The book discusses the pitfalls of privatizing public services, which have led to increased inequality in access to essential resources like water in metropolitan Buenos Aires. It also examines the promises and unintended consequences of slum upgrading initiatives in Buenos Aires' Villa 20.

Throughout the book, the authors present valuable lessons that can inform policies and practices in the region and beyond. They emphasize the importance of developing a strategy against inequality that incorporates local features and resists the temptation to rely solely on the free market for solutions to urban problems. Drawing from fields such as development economics, urban studies, and Latin American studies, the book demonstrates that the battle against inequality is not only fought in cities but also requires a uniquely public and urban response.

This book will be of interest to advanced students, researchers, and policymakers engaged in development economics, urban studies, and Latin American studies. It offers a comprehensive and insightful analysis of the complex factors that contribute to economic inequality in Latin American cities and provides valuable insights for addressing this pressing issue.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032063591