Suchergebnisse

Tesi amb diferents seccions retallades per drets de l'editor ; Currently, around 1.2 billion people remain without access to electricity in rural areas of Africa, Asia and Latin America. To date, rural electrification programs have been carried out mainly using conventional technologies based on fossil fuels and/or expanding the coverage of transmission and distribution networks. In addition, in recent years, rural electrification with renewable energy or alternative energy sources has begun to be considered technically feasible. However, it is necessary to improve the evaluation methods of implemented programs and projects in order to know with certainty under which determining one or another technology becomes more convenient. Thus, the participation regional and national governments is expected to be promoted in long-term rural electrification programs, to increase universal access to electricity. In this context, the main objective of this PhD thesis is to propose an evaluation methodology of rural electrification programs to promote their continuous improvement, in terms of design and implementation. In this sense, a formative approach is sought, since ongoing programs require elements for continuous improvement. In addition, a management perspective is assumed, as the results are presented in an appropriate manner for program leaders so as the implementation can be improved by applying the appropriate modifications, when and where needed. The proposed methodology considers a complete evaluation in 4 sustainability dimensions: environmental, technical, socioeconomic and institutional; in turn organised in 15 criteria that allow to analyse in detail the design and implementation of the program. The criteria are evaluated through some indicators that consider the specific characteristics of each project within the program to be studied. The results of the application of the methodology allow weighting, on an objective basis, the effectiveness of electrification programs based on renewable energy technologies (RET) in comparison with the conventional electricity grid extension and/or diesel generators. In order to develop the evaluation methodology proposed in this PhD thesis, from 2016 to 2018, visits have been made to 24 rural communities in Venezuela, electrified with renewable energy or diesel generators, from the extreme southeast (rainforest), on the border with Brazil, up to the extreme northwest (desert), on the border with Colombia, going through the Andean Cordillera (frozen mountain), in a journey of more than 2,200 kilometres that has allowed to consider different social and climatic contexts. The visits have been useful to clearly identify the dimensions that define projects sustainability, as well as the criteria and indicators to be considered for their evaluation. Subsequently, the proposed methodology has been applied to the electrified communities with renewable energy of the Venezuelan program "Sembrando Luz" (Sowing Light) that has reached 900 rural communities to date, and is expected to benefit 2,020 more in the near future, using renewable energy. In this regard, the evaluation methodology promotes continuous improvement in favour of universal access to electricity in the rural communities of Venezuela, and the lessons learned can be useful for the development of similar initiatives in other developing countries. ; En la actualidad, alrededor de 1.200 millones de personas permanecen sin acceso a la electricidad en zonas rurales de África, Asia y América Latina. Hasta la fecha, los programas de electrificación rural se han desarrollado mayoritariamente utilizando tecnologías convencionales basadas en combustibles fósiles y/o la ampliación de la cobertura de las redes eléctricas de transmisión y distribución. Además, en los últimos años se ha comenzado a considerar técnicamente factible la electrificación rural con energías renovables o fuentes alternativas de energía. Sin embargo, es necesario mejorar los métodos de evaluación de los programas y proyectos implementados, con la finalidad de conocer con certeza bajo qué condicionantes es más conveniente una u otra tecnología. Así, se espera favorecer la participación de gobiernos regionales y nacionales en programas de electrificación rural a largo plazo, para incrementar el acceso universal a la electricidad. En este contexto, el objetivo principal de esta tesis doctoral es proponer una metodología de evaluación de programas de electrificación rural para promover su mejora continua, en términos de diseño e implementación. En este sentido, se busca un enfoque formativo, ya que los programas en curso requieren de elementos para la mejora continua. Además, se asume una perspectiva de gestión, ya que los resultados se presentan de forma adecuada para los líderes del programa de modo que se pueda mejorar la implementación aplicando las modificaciones adecuadas, cuando y donde sea necesario. La metodología propuesta considera una evaluación completa en 4 dimensiones de sostenibilidad: ambiental, técnica, socioeconómica e institucional; a su vez compuestas por 15 criterios que permiten analizar en detalle el diseño y la implementación del programa. Los criterios se evalúan mediante unos indicadores que consideran las características específicas de cada proyecto dentro del programa a estudiar. Los resultados de la aplicación de la metodología permiten ponderar, sobre una base objetiva, la efectividad de los programas de electrificación basados en tecnologías energéticas renovables (Renewable Energy Technologies, RET) en comparación con la extensión de la red eléctrica convencional y/o los grupos electrógenos. Para el desarrollo de la metodología de evaluación propuesta en esta tesis doctoral, entre 2016 y 2018, se han realizado visitas a 24 comunidades rurales en Venezuela, electrificadas con energías renovables o grupos electrógenos, desde el extremo sureste (bosque tropical lluvioso), en la frontera con Brasil, hasta el extremo noroeste (desierto), en la frontera con Colombia, pasando por el Cordillera de los Andes (montaña congelada), en un recorrido de más de 2.200 kilómetros que ha permitido considerar diferentes contextos sociales y climáticos. Las visitas han servido para identificar con claridad las dimensiones que definen la sostenibilidad de los proyectos, así como los criterios e indicadores a considerar para su evaluación. Posteriormente, la metodología propuesta se ha aplicado a las comunidades electrificadas con energías renovables del programa venezolano "Sembrando Luz" que hasta la fecha ha llegado a 900 comunidades rurales, y se espera que beneficie a 2.020 más en un futuro cercano, utilizando energías renovables. En este sentido, la metodología de evaluación promueve una mejora continua en favor del acceso universal a la electricidad en las comunidades rurales de Venezuela, y las lecciones aprendidas pueden ser útiles para el desarrollo de iniciativas similares en otros países en vías de desarrollo. ; Postprint (published version)

Problem setting. Since the creation of the United Nations, it has been 73 years since, the world has changed dramatically, and accordingly, the Organization must change, rebuild under new realities. Due to the increase in the number of international conflicts, global problems of our time, the intensification of world globalization, informatization and computerization of all spheres of society, old methods and ways of getting out of crisis situations either cease to work or become ineffective. Therefore, the way in which the United Nations is transformed will determine the state of affairs in the international arena, world peace and security.Recent research and publications analysis. In the sociology of international relations and related academic disciplines, the issue of UN activity and development was studied by such scholars as B.M. Ashavsky, M.P.O. Baccarini, M.O. Baimuratov, Z. Bauman, S. Browne, M.V. Buromensky, R. Butler, S. Chesterman, K. Engelbrekt, Y.P. Godovnik, R.V. Guban, J.M. Hanhimaki, D. Howell, I. Johnstone, D. Malone, P. Nadin, O.V. Serdyuk, B.I. Tarasyuk, N. Turchin, Yu.O. Voloshin, T.J. Weiss, I.V. Yakovuk, Y.M. Zhukovsky, A.M. Zlenko et al. The situation on the international scene is changing, and today the United Nations is faced with new challenges and challenges that have not been studied by the authors or have been studied fragmentarily, so the appeal to comprehend the possible models of reforming the UN in today's conditions is quite expedient.Paper objective ‑ identification of problems in the activities of the United Nations and its ability to perform the tasks set before the organization, as well as proposals to overcome the problems identified to ensure the effectiveness of the UN work.Paper main body. The UN structure is rather complex and includes a large number of different organizational units of committees, commissions, departments, etc. Main structural units the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the International Court of Justice, Trusteeship Council (suspended on 1 November 1994), the Secretariat. From the point of view of the level of authority, the General Assembly and the UN Security Council are the most important.The beginning of the active reform process of the United Nations is linked to the election of Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 1997. During the 52nd session of the UN General Assembly, the main directions for updating the UN were proposed, including structural changes in the Secretariat, coordination of organizations of the UN system at the country level, and improving interaction with civil society. This topic was developed at the Millennium Summit in 2000 immediately after the 55th session of the UN General Assembly, which took place in September of the same year.Summing up the achievements of the United Nations during its existence, it is worth pointing out the process of its transformation from the organization, which was focused mainly on conference services, to a truly global provider of services, which operates in virtually every corner of the world, thereby helping to improve the lives of people in need of assistance. The following statistical information confirms the progress achieved: more than 70% of the annual budget is allocated to peacekeeping and other field operations, which is almost 20% more than in the mid-1990s; the number of humanitarian missions increased from 12 to 43; the number of human rights defenders of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in the states has increased by almost four times. However, there remain problems that have not yet been overcome, the most important of them is the reform of the Security Council. Discussions about reforming the UN Security Council have been taking place since the first years of its existence. The need for the reform of the UN Security Council is due to significant changes in the world that took place after the Second World War: economic, military-political, demographic, etc. The current composition of the UN Security Council does not proportionally represent the geographical zones of the conflict. Among the 15 members of the UN Security Council, 5 seats were assigned to the Western Europe and other Western European countries (including three permanent members), 2 to Eastern Europe (including Russia), 3 to the Asia-Pacific region (APR, including China), 3 to Africa and 2 ‑ Latin America and the Caribbean. These regional quotas show that one-third of the seats in the UN Security Council are in the «golden billion», while Eastern Europe, in which there are many unsettled conflicts, is represented only by Russia and one non-permanent member, and the Middle East is the source of the most severe conflicts, has only one representative from the APR group. In addition, the Asian quota can not always take into account the positions of States whose interests affect a number of territorial conflicts in the South China and East China Seas through which the main sea routes of the world pass.Conclusions of the research. There is a need for further UN reform. It is necessary to consistently carry out the reform of the UN Security Council, forming within its framework the agreed conceptual framework and practical measures to preserve and strengthen it as the central UN body, but the transformation is necessary: the world has changed, the structure that protects it must be changed. At the initial stage it is necessary to increase the number of members of the Council, the number of permanent members should reflect the regional picture of the world, new permanent members do not have veto power for 15-20 years. ; В статье исследуется деятельность ООН, ее институты и структура. Доказывается, что ООН нуждается в реформировании, прежде всего, ее главных структур: Генеральной Ассамблеи и Совета Безопасности, превращение их в эффективно работающие структуры. Кроме того требуют своего реформирования и совершенствования деятельность по поддержанию мира и разоружению, создание эффективной системы обеспечения прав человека, укрепление судебной системы, координация деятельности специализированных учреждений и специальных комиссий и фондов ООН, укрепление кадрового потенциала. ; У статті досліджується діяльність ООН, її інститути і структура. Доводиться, що ООН потребує реформування, насамперед, її головних структур: Генеральної Асамблеї і Ради Безпеки, перетворення їх в ефективно працюючу структуру. Крім того вимагають свого реформування та вдосконалення діяльність з підтримки миру і роззброєння, створення ефективної системи забезпечення прав людини, зміцнення судової системи, координація діяльності спеціалізованих установ та спеціальних комісій і фондів ООН, зміцнення кадрового потенціалу.

Problem setting. Since the creation of the United Nations, it has been 73 years since, the world has changed dramatically, and accordingly, the Organization must change, rebuild under new realities. Due to the increase in the number of international conflicts, global problems of our time, the intensification of world globalization, informatization and computerization of all spheres of society, old methods and ways of getting out of crisis situations either cease to work or become ineffective. Therefore, the way in which the United Nations is transformed will determine the state of affairs in the international arena, world peace and security.Recent research and publications analysis. In the sociology of international relations and related academic disciplines, the issue of UN activity and development was studied by such scholars as B.M. Ashavsky, M.P.O. Baccarini, M.O. Baimuratov, Z. Bauman, S. Browne, M.V. Buromensky, R. Butler, S. Chesterman, K. Engelbrekt, Y.P. Godovnik, R.V. Guban, J.M. Hanhimaki, D. Howell, I. Johnstone, D. Malone, P. Nadin, O.V. Serdyuk, B.I. Tarasyuk, N. Turchin, Yu.O. Voloshin, T.J. Weiss, I.V. Yakovuk, Y.M. Zhukovsky, A.M. Zlenko et al. The situation on the international scene is changing, and today the United Nations is faced with new challenges and challenges that have not been studied by the authors or have been studied fragmentarily, so the appeal to comprehend the possible models of reforming the UN in today's conditions is quite expedient.Paper objective ‑ identification of problems in the activities of the United Nations and its ability to perform the tasks set before the organization, as well as proposals to overcome the problems identified to ensure the effectiveness of the UN work.Paper main body. The UN structure is rather complex and includes a large number of different organizational units of committees, commissions, departments, etc. Main structural units the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the International Court of Justice, Trusteeship Council (suspended on 1 November 1994), the Secretariat. From the point of view of the level of authority, the General Assembly and the UN Security Council are the most important.The beginning of the active reform process of the United Nations is linked to the election of Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 1997. During the 52nd session of the UN General Assembly, the main directions for updating the UN were proposed, including structural changes in the Secretariat, coordination of organizations of the UN system at the country level, and improving interaction with civil society. This topic was developed at the Millennium Summit in 2000 immediately after the 55th session of the UN General Assembly, which took place in September of the same year.Summing up the achievements of the United Nations during its existence, it is worth pointing out the process of its transformation from the organization, which was focused mainly on conference services, to a truly global provider of services, which operates in virtually every corner of the world, thereby helping to improve the lives of people in need of assistance. The following statistical information confirms the progress achieved: more than 70% of the annual budget is allocated to peacekeeping and other field operations, which is almost 20% more than in the mid-1990s; the number of humanitarian missions increased from 12 to 43; the number of human rights defenders of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in the states has increased by almost four times. However, there remain problems that have not yet been overcome, the most important of them is the reform of the Security Council. Discussions about reforming the UN Security Council have been taking place since the first years of its existence. The need for the reform of the UN Security Council is due to significant changes in the world that took place after the Second World War: economic, military-political, demographic, etc. The current composition of the UN Security Council does not proportionally represent the geographical zones of the conflict. Among the 15 members of the UN Security Council, 5 seats were assigned to the Western Europe and other Western European countries (including three permanent members), 2 to Eastern Europe (including Russia), 3 to the Asia-Pacific region (APR, including China), 3 to Africa and 2 ‑ Latin America and the Caribbean. These regional quotas show that one-third of the seats in the UN Security Council are in the «golden billion», while Eastern Europe, in which there are many unsettled conflicts, is represented only by Russia and one non-permanent member, and the Middle East is the source of the most severe conflicts, has only one representative from the APR group. In addition, the Asian quota can not always take into account the positions of States whose interests affect a number of territorial conflicts in the South China and East China Seas through which the main sea routes of the world pass.Conclusions of the research. There is a need for further UN reform. It is necessary to consistently carry out the reform of the UN Security Council, forming within its framework the agreed conceptual framework and practical measures to preserve and strengthen it as the central UN body, but the transformation is necessary: the world has changed, the structure that protects it must be changed. At the initial stage it is necessary to increase the number of members of the Council, the number of permanent members should reflect the regional picture of the world, new permanent members do not have veto power for 15-20 years. ; В статье исследуется деятельность ООН, ее институты и структура. Доказывается, что ООН нуждается в реформировании, прежде всего, ее главных структур: Генеральной Ассамблеи и Совета Безопасности, превращение их в эффективно работающие структуры. Кроме того требуют своего реформирования и совершенствования деятельность по поддержанию мира и разоружению, создание эффективной системы обеспечения прав человека, укрепление судебной системы, координация деятельности специализированных учреждений и специальных комиссий и фондов ООН, укрепление кадрового потенциала. ; У статті досліджується діяльність ООН, її інститути і структура. Доводиться, що ООН потребує реформування, насамперед, її головних структур: Генеральної Асамблеї і Ради Безпеки, перетворення їх в ефективно працюючу структуру. Крім того вимагають свого реформування та вдосконалення діяльність з підтримки миру і роззброєння, створення ефективної системи забезпечення прав людини, зміцнення судової системи, координація діяльності спеціалізованих установ та спеціальних комісій і фондів ООН, зміцнення кадрового потенціалу.

Tropical forests store and exchange carbon through biomass, supporting biodiversity cycles while acting as sources of timber and Non Timber Forest Products (NTFP), and are biomes inclusive of human habitation. For centuries, most tropical forest communities actively stewarded forests through sustainable management processes. The sustainment of living conditions through livelihoods continues to be an important contributing driver of environmental conservation and the climate control. These conservation based livelihoods are being increasingly threatened and disincentivized over the last few decades by commercial timber, cropland and pasture industry that plunders tropical forests for the extraction of valuable timber or farming purposes. This thesis presents an option of how the economic and social livelihood of tropical forest communities can be secured and improved while contributing to the sustainable tropical forest management, and thus stabilizing the climate. The first part of this dissertation describes the results of a field research of economic activities from two Brazilian forest communities. Brazil has been chosen as the research site as it has the largest area of tropical forests in the world and experiences one of the highest rates of deforestation. After conducting the field research, three stages of a longitudinal experimental research were conducted while applying the Fair Trade concept. A team of NTFP harvesters has been organized and a harvesting strategy was developed with the provision of pre-financing capital for the stock creation of NTFP. Analysis of these interventions suggested that through organizational support and pre-financing, harvesters are able to organize themselves, to increase their income and to manage forest territories sustainably. Interdependency could be identified between the external support continuity, the size of pre-financing and the number of participants, their income as well as the size of managed forest territory. Clear land tenure as well as technical, organizational and marketing assistance is essential throughout the first years of intervention. In the second part of this thesis the aim was to generalize the results of the previous study and to develop a global concept of how tropical forest conservation and livelihood creation can be achieved in tropical forest communities. Based on the global Poverty and Environment Network (PEN) study organized by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) which analyzed 334 forest villages from 24 tropical forest countries of Asia, Latin America and Africa, global conclusions on social, economic and ecological interrelations could be made. After formalizing qualitative causal relations it could be concluded that sustainable development in forest communities cannot be achieved without 1) legal rights for forest management, 2) targeted investments and initial capital for the organization of economic activities with ecological and social responsibility, and 3) organizational, technical, and methodical support. As the result the compatibility of the forest communities' realities with the theoretical concept of the sustainable development could be analyzed and the concept of the Small Scale Forest Enterprise with Social and Ecological Responsibility (SSFESR) introduced. The SSFESR is defined as an enterprise managed and employed by indigenous and other local forest communities, which is aimed at making profit from sustainable harvesting, processing and trade of NTFP and sustainable timber management practices. In the third part of this thesis, a quantitative assessment of the ecological, social, and economic returns on investments into the development of the SSFESR is presented. The Optimal Investment Forest Conservation and Livelihood Creation Model (OIFC) has been developed 1) which determines the environmental and social benefits of investments into SSFESR and 2) mathematically formalizes the interdependencies between the investments into development of SSFESR, poverty alleviation, forest conservation, and carbon benefits in conserved forest territory. The extent of forest conservation is restricted by the number of people living and working in the forest community and the maximal sustainable yield for the chosen NTFPs. This model can become a tool for policy makers for decision making on allocation of resources into the forest conservation and poverty alleviation in tropical forest regions. The model results show that investments into the SSFESR can simultaneously address social, economic and environmental objectives. In particular, it can increase the income of local inhabitants from the sale of processed NTFP, expand the range of activities, increase the conserved forest area covered, and also create new jobs and decrease the level of poverty. ; Tropische Wälder speichern Kohlenstoff, unterstützen Biodiversitätszyklen, dienen als Quelle für Holz und Nicht-Holz-Waldprodukte (NHWP) und bilden einen Lebensraum für Lebewesen. Seit Jahrhunderten bewirtschaften die meisten tropischen Waldgemeinden die Wälder durch nachhaltige Managementprozesse. Die Erhaltung der Lebensbedingungen durch die Gemeindeeinwohner ist nach wie vor ein wichtiger Beitrag zum Umweltschutz und zur Klimakontrolle. Diese naturschutzbasierten Lebensgrundlagen wurden in den letzten Jahrzehnten zunehmend von der Holz-, Acker- und Weideindustrie, die die tropischen Wälder zur Gewinnung von wertvollem Holz oder für landwirtschaftliche Zwecke plündern, bedroht und abgebaut. In diesem Kontext stellt sich die Frage, wie die nachhaltige Bewirtschaftung der Wälder unterstützt und gefördert werden kann. Diese Dissertation präsentiert daher eine Möglichkeit, wie die soziale und ökonomische Lebenssituation der Tropenwaldgemeinden gesichert und verbessert werden kann, während sie zur nachhaltigen Tropenwaldbewirtschaftung beitragen und so das Klima stabilisieren. Im ersten Teil dieser Dissertation werden die Ergebnisse der Feldforschung über die wirtschaftlichen Aktivitäten zweier brasilianischer Waldgemeinden beschrieben. Brasilien wurde als Forschungsstandort gewählt, da es weltweit das größte Gebiet von tropischen Wäldern umfasst und momentan eine hohe Entwaldungsrate aufweist. Nach der Durchführung der Feldforschung wurden unter Anwendung des Fair-Trade-Konzepts drei Phasen eines Langzeitexperiments umgesetzt. Durch die Bereitstellung von Vorfinanzierungskapital für die Erstellung von NHWP-Lagerbeständen konnte ein Team von NHWP-Sammlern organisiert und eine nachhaltige Erntestrategie entwickelt werden. Die Analyse dieser Interventionen zeigte, dass die organisatorische Unterstützung sowie das Vorfinanzierungskapital dazu führen, dass sich die NHWP-Sammler organisieren, ihr Einkommen steigern und in der Lage sind, Waldgebiete nachhaltig zu bewirtschaften. Es konnte eine Wechselwirkung zwischen der Kontinuität der externen organisatorischen Unterstützung, dem Vorfinanzierungsumfang, der Anzahl der Sammler und der Größe des verwalteten Waldgebietes identifiziert werden. Klare Landbesitzrechte sowie technische, organisatorische und Vertriebsunterstützungen sind entscheidend während der ersten Jahre der Interventionen. Der zweite Teil der Dissertation beschäftigt sich mit der Verallgemeinerung der Ergebnisse der vorherigen Studie und der Entwicklung eines globalen Konzepts, wie der tropische Wald geschützt und die Existenzsicherung in tropischen Waldgemeinden erreicht werden kann. Auf Grundlage der internationalen Studie des Zentrums für internationale Forstwissenschaft (CIFOR), die 334 Waldgemeinden aus 24 tropischen Waldländern Asiens, Lateinamerikas und Afrikas analysierte, konnten globale Schlussfolgerungen zu sozialen, ökonomischen und ökologischen Zusammenhängen gezogen werden. Nach der Formalisierung qualitativer Kausalbeziehungen kann festgestellt werden, dass eine nachhaltige Entwicklung in Waldgemeinden nicht ohne 1) Rechte für die Waldbewirtschaftung, 2) gezielte Investitionen und Anfangskapital für die Organisation von Wirtschaftsaktivitäten mit ökologischer und sozialer Verantwortung und 3) organisatorische, technische und methodische Unterstützung erreicht werden kann. Als Ergebnis konnte die Vereinbarkeit der Waldgemeinden-Realität mit dem theoretischen Konzept der nachhaltigen Entwicklung analysiert und das Konzept des Kleinwirtschaftsunternehmens mit sozialer und ökologischer Verantwortung (SSFESR) vorgeschlagen werden. Das SSFESR ist definiert als ein Unternehmen, welches von indigenen und anderen lokalen Waldgemeindeeinwohnern verwaltet wird, mit dem Ziel, durch Verarbeitung und Handel von NHWP und durch nachhaltiges Holzmanagement Gewinn zu erzielen. Im dritten Teil der Arbeit wird eine quantitative Bewertung der ökologischen, sozialen und ökonomischen Rentabilität der Investitionen in SSFESR anhand eines Investitions-Optimierungsmodels durchgeführt. Das Investitions-Optimierungsmodel zum Waldschutz und zur Schaffung von Existenzgrundlagen wurde entwickelt, um 1) die ökologischen und sozialen Vorteile von Investitionen in die SSFESR zu ermitteln und 2) die Wechselbeziehungen zwischen diesen Investitionen, dem Waldschutz und der Armutsminderung mathematisch zu formalisieren. Die Modellergebnisse zeigen, dass Investitionen in die SSFESR gleichzeitig soziale, ökonomische und umweltpolitische Ziele ansprechen können. Insbesondere kann es das Einkommen der örtlichen Einwohner aus dem Verkauf von verarbeiteten NHWP steigern, das Spektrum der Wirtschaftsaktivitäten erweitern, den Erhalt der bewirtschafteten Waldflächen erhöhen und die Schaffung neuer Arbeitsplätze sowie die Verringerung des Armutsniveaus bewirken.

*This series is the result of an adaptation of a paper presented as part of a seminar on "Theories and Research in International Relations" at Hebrew University, July 2012. Commentaries are welcome to daniel.wajner@mail.huji.ac.il Controversial discussions about the nature of Power have characterized the study of Social Sciences, in general, and International Relations (IR) in particular. This seems logic - if we consider politics as a "game", their "participants" tend to develop a range of "skills", which allow them to assume different "roles", influencing thus in the "results". Thus, understanding the mechanisms by which this whole process ("the game") operates is intrinsic to the analysis of the outcomes, what explains why the revision of the concept of power has always been especially popular, including in recent times.Throughout this series we will review some academic approaches to the concept of power and its implementation in international politics. We will present in this first article the debates on the ontology of power (generally referred as "the faces of power"), and the ways in which this influenced the theoretical divisions in IR.In a second article we will introduce epistemological approaches, leading to controversies on the mechanisms involved in the activation of power and its dimensions (such as today's mantra "hard vs. soft power"). Finally, we will deal in a third article with some methodological schemes for Power Analysis in IR, while indicating areas for possible innovation using cases of the "Arab Spring" as illustrations.Power, Powerful, Powerless: The Ontological DebateThe first ontological debate around the concept of power could be placed in the dispute between those who address it as an interaction and those who understand it as a resource.To this end, Weber constitutes our first station. He identifies power in a relationship as the ability to control the behavior of others, even against its will. Weber is focused on the context of that relationship (one's position vis-à-vis others), which determines the capacity of empowerment.1That led him to approach the topic of legitimacy by dividing between power (Macht) and authority (herrschaft, i.e. legitimate power), issue that will be reminded in next articles.Against Weber's integral approach came out Dahl with his renowned definition: "A has power over B, if A gets B do something that B would not otherwise do", which installed "officially" the controversy in political sciences on how power is operated. According to Dahl, that "something" must be based in a change of behavior produced by an observable act - possible to analyze and be measured. His attention was centered on the characteristics of the material resources (their Base, Means, Amount and Scope) and how they are utilized to get certain effects; however, power is still conceptualized as a relationship, since what needs to be clearly discernible is the conflict, the interaction. Non-observable acts, according to Dahl, should be included in a different concept, such as Influence.2The Realist tradition in IR, as well as many scholars in the Liberal tradition, adopted Dahl's definition as a starting point for their analysis on Power Relationships, and even went one step forward. They saw the context as secondary, since certain power bases are so critical that do not really depend on circumstances or specific nature of interaction. Consequently, for classical realists as Carr, Morgenthau and Aron, the military force is "that" observable act which represents the power of the actors (albeit in most of the cases the economic resources were a prerequisite, as explain Berenskoetter and Williams).3Against that mainstream idea, some scholars battled in the sixties and seventies by presenting two approaches which became popularly known as The Second Face of Power and The Third Face of Power. It is important to note that both approaches emerge from this ontological debate on "what is power?", but their main implications would be on the epistemological discussion on "how do we study power relations?", which helped to the development of Critical and Constructivist research programs, as we will see in the next article.In the first approach, Bachrach and Baratz argue that not always a concrete change in behavior needs to be detected to confirm the existence of a conflict in Power Relationships; it could be expressed through the "mobilization of bias", an "unmeasurable element".4 In the second approach, Lukes went beyond that idea and expressed that the mere existence of conflict is not a condition; in other words, the absence of conflict do not necessarily indicate the absence of Power Relationships.5 Lukes, as a neo-marxist building on Gramsci, introduced the structural sphere of the concept of Power. Powerful and powerless agents are characterized in function of their ability to shape the system through culture and education, which will determine the interests of the actors. Foucalt and Bourdieu, with their vision of Knowledge-as-Power6 and Symbolic Power7 , respectively, went in the same direction.More recently, a similar ontological debate could be found in terms of Power Over-Power To, presented by Barnett and Duvall. In the first one, they define power as "the capacity of the actor to determine his own actions", so the perspective is based on the actor itself; by contrast, in the second one a Power Relationship is needed.8 In that sense, the famous article of Nye about Soft Power, which would be broadly approached in the following articles, builds also on this issue - power could be understood as "the ability to get the outcomes one wants" (in the form of Power-To), but also as "the ability to influence the behaviors of others to get the outcomes one wants." (in the form of Power-Over)9.1 Max Weber, Economy and Society: An Outline of Interpretive Sociology. (California: University of Berkeley, 1978. Edited by Guenther Roth and Claus Wittich).2Robert A. Dahl, "The concept of Power", Behavioral Science 2(3), July 1957, 201-2153Felix Berenskoetter and Michael .J. Williams. Power in World Politics. (NYC: Routledge, 2007), p.64Peter Bachrach and Morton S. Baratz. "Two Faces of Power". The American Political Science Review 56 No4 (December 1962), 947-9525Stephen Lukes, "Power and the Battle for Hearts and Minds", Millennium, 33, No3 (2005), 477-4936Michael Foucalt, Power/Knowledge: Selected Interviews and Other Writings 1972-77 (Brighton: Havester, 1980)7Pierre Bourdieu, Language & Symbolic Power (NYC : Polity Press, 2001)8Michael Barnett and Raymond Duvall, "Power in International Politics," International Organization 59, No1, (Winter 2005), p. 469Joseph S. Nye, Soft Power- The Means to Success in World Politics (NYC: PublicAffairs, 2004), p.2 Fabian Daniel Wajner is a Research and Teaching Assistant at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Department of International Relations) and a Fellow of the Liweranth Center for Latin America Studies.

Distintas formas de populismo se han consolidado en la última década en América Latina. La génesis del fenómeno es similar: desencanto con los resultados del proceso de reforma de los 90´, auge de los precios de las commodities y baja calidad de la democracia. Las dos últimas condiciones se encuentran relacionadas.La dinámica que se ha consolidado entre altos precios de las commodities y debilidad democrática es una versión política de "la maldición de los recursos naturales" o "enfermedad holandesa". Este concepto económico fue primero desarrollado por el Semanario The Economist en 1977 a partir del descubrimiento de gas hecho por Holanda en el Mar del Norte. La mencionada publicación lo define de la siguiente manera: "…This malady involves commodity exports driving up the value of the currency, making other parts of the economy less competitive, leading to a current-account deficit and even greater dependence on commodities. This matters all the more because mining and hydrocarbons are capital-intensive businesses, generating relatively few jobs."(1)A su vez, otros analistas han introducido el concepto relacionando recursos naturales y debilidad institucional. Por ejemplo, Thomas Friedman ha estudiado la incidencia del petróleo en las autocracias de Medio Oriente. Para el autor "La primera ley de la petropolítica postula lo siguiente: el precio del crudo y el ritmo de la libertad siempre se mueven en direcciones opuestas en Estados petroleros ricos en crudo. Cuanto más alto sea su precio medio global, más se erosionan la libertad de expresión, la de prensa, las elecciones libres y justas, la independencia del poder judicial y de los partidos políticos y el imperio de la ley. Y estas tendencias negativas se refuerzan por el hecho de que cuanto más sube el precio, menos sensibles son los gobernantes con petróleo a lo que el mundo piensa o dice de ellos."(2)Paso seguido, mientras por un lado Friedman menciona la relación entre ingresos extraordinarios del petróleo y fortalecimiento de autocracias, es necesario remarcar la relación entre ingresos extraordinarios de las commodities y debilitamiento de las democracias. La diferencia es relevante: mientras que en el primer caso Friedman ha descrito un fenómeno que busca la permanencia de un régimen, los populismos describen un proceso que busca distorsionar y deteriorar otro régimen, la democracia liberal.Así, un punto analítico importante que ha introducido la versión populista basada en los ingresos extraordinarios es la paulatina distorsión en una regla básica del juego democrático: la vigencia de elecciones realmente competitivas. Definimos elecciones competitivas como la disputa en un pie de igualdad entre dos o más partidos o coaliciones. Si uno de ellos utiliza recursos públicos ordinarios para financiar su campaña estará bastardeando un precepto central de la democracia. El problema actual en distintos países de América Latina es el sistemático uso de recursos extraordinarios.¿Por qué el populismo se ha beneficiado particularmente de esta nueva dinámica? En parte porque el fracaso de las reformas de los 90´ ha contribuido a la generación de un marco donde ha sido más sencillo señalar ganadores, perdedores y los supuestos responsables de ello. Por ejemplo en Argentina, el traumático final de la convertibilidad (diciembre 2001) ha supuesto para los nuevos populistas la oportunidad de articular una coalición política de los perdedores. Sumado a ello, se ha dado posteriormente (desde 2004 en adelante) una coyuntura económica inédita en la historia contemporánea. Si concatenamos el fracaso de las reformas, la existencia de un grupo definido de perdedores, la posibilidad de señalar ganadores y culpables y los altos precios internacionales, es posible concluir que la calidad de la democracia no solo está amenazada sino que esa amenaza posee condiciones para mantenerse en el tiempo.Paso seguido, es necesario preguntarse como salir de este círculo vicioso entre ingresos extraordinarios y debilidad institucional. Siguiendo esta lógica, podríamos pensar que una caída en los precios de las materias primas debiesen repercutir en una mayor fortaleza institucional. Este razonamiento lineal es obviamente falso: la hipotética caída de los precios dejaría menos recursos para profundizar determinadas políticas pero no ayudaría a modificar prácticas anteriores consolidadas.El corto-mediano plazo posee más interrogantes que respuestas para los países envueltos en la dinámica maniquea del populismo contemporáneo. Un dato principal de las experiencias del pasado es que determinados modelos económicos tarde o temprano terminan por colapsar, pero eso no conlleva necesariamente que los actores involucrados aprendan de sus errores. Las personas o grupos aprenden de sus errores cuando poseen una referencia histórica, es decir, cuando tienen la posibilidad de comparar distintos episodios. Una de las características de los populismos contemporáneos es la capacidad que han desarrollado para re-fundar, simbólica o realmente, la vida política en países tan disímiles como Venezuela, Bolivia o Ecuador, haciendo más difícil el necesario ejercicio de la comparación. Las elecciones presidenciales en Argentina en octubre del 2011 develarán hasta que punto el neo-populismo y los ingresos extraordinarios han transformado una sociedad otrora compleja en una pobre versión del maniqueísmo.(1) El mencionado semanario ha publicado un reporte sobre las oportunidades que el inédito crecimiento económico ofrece a la región. Uno de los artículos del reporte hace mención al papel de los recursos naturales y los posibles problemas que ello conllevaria. Ver "Special Report on Latin America". The Economist. 9 de septiembre de 2010. http://www.economist.com/node/16964094(2) Friedman, Thomas. Foreign Policy. Ley de Petropolitica. 2006. Version online en español en http://www.fp-es.org/la-primera-ley-de-la-petropolitica. En este trabajo se citan libros y papers anteriores que desarrollan la relación entre recursos naturales y crecimiento. Por ejemplo, "…Daniel Yergin The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power (Simon & Schuster, Nueva York, 1991), A su vez,. Sustaining Development in Mineral Economies: The Resource Curse Thesis (Routledge, Nueva York, 1993), de Richard Auty, explica por qué los países dotados de recursos naturales con frecuencia no logran desarrollarse. Jeffrey Sachs y Andrew Warner dan cuerpo a esta tesis en Natural Resource Abundance and Economic Growth(National Bureau of Economic Research, Washington, 1995)…" *Profesor adjunto de Ciencia Política en la Universidad Abierta Interamericana de Buenos Aires.Master en Filosofía Política de London School of Economics and Political Science.

AMÉRICA LATINAPiñera descarta indultar a los represores de Pinochet.Para más información:http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/Pinera/descarta/indultar/represores/Pinochet/elpepuint/20100727elpepiint_10/TesPromesas de cambios en Cuba.Para más información:http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/27/world/americas/27cuba.html?ref=worldhttp://www.lemonde.fr/ameriques/article/2010/07/27/cuba-le-silence-des-freres-castro-face-aux-reformes_1392453_3222.htmlhttp://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/Cuba/hara/cambios/ritmo/presiones/prensa/extranjera/elpepuint/20100726elpepuint_16/TesAlerta en El Salvador por epidemia de gripe.Para más información:http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/697930.htmlRafael Correa amenaza con cerrar el Congreso ecuatoriano.Para más información:http://www.eltiempo.com/mundo/latinoamerica/rafael-correa-amenaza-con-cerrar-el-congreso-ecuatoriano_7827811-1Venezuela dobló su presencia militar en los estados fronterizos con Colombia.Para más información:http://www.eltiempo.com/mundo/latinoamerica/venezuela-doblo-su-presencia-militar-en-frontera-con-colombia_7826944-1Chávez pedirá a la Unasur apoyo para un plan de paz.Para más información:http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1288809Colombia confirma asistencia a cita de Unasur.Para más información:http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/697939.htmlUribe y sus reclamos al ejército colombiano respecto a la lucha contra las FARC.Para más información:http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1288810"MSNBC" y "The Economist" analizan la tensión existente entre Colombia y Venezuela.Para más información:http://www.economist.com/node/16646252?story_id=16646252 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38365066/ns/world_news-americas/ Cuatro periodistas están reportados como desaparecidos en la provincia mexicana de Durango.Para más información:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38438911/ns/business-media_biz/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-10793481 ESTADOS UNIDOS / CANADÁSe hallaron los restos de uno de los soldados estadounidenses desaparecidos en Afganistán.Para más información:http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/Hallados/restos/soldados/estadounidenses/desaparecidos/Afganistan/elpepuint/20100727elpepuint_1/Teshttp://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/07/27/world/asia/AP-AS-Afghanistan.html?ref=worldhttp://www.miamiherald.com/2010/07/26/1746707/police-26-killed-in-afghan-bus.htmlLa filtración de documentos secretos de la guerra en Afganistán desata la polémica en Washington.Para más información:http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/28/world/asia/28wikileaks.html?_r=1&ref=worldhttp://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2010-07/26/content_11051128.htmhttp://www.eltiempo.com/mundo/otrasregiones/documentos-secretos-de-guerra-en-afganistan-se-filtraron_7824964-1http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/07/27/1748168/military-documents-on-wikileak.htmlhttp://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1288838Ratifica Obama su plan para Afganistán.Para más información:http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1288829British Petoleum intenta cambiar su imagen mientras siguen desarrollándose los efectos del derrame.Para más información:http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2010-07/27/content_11057488.htmhttp://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2006661,00.htmlhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38423486/ns/business-oil_and_energy/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-10791343EUROPALa Unión Europea endurece sus sanciones contra Irán.Para más información:http://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2010/07/26/iran-les-sanctions-europeennes-sont-d-une-ampleur-sans-precedent_1392348_3210.htmlhttp://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-robinson-germanyiran-20100726,0,3437850.storyhttp://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2010-07/26/content_11050518.htmhttp://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/UE/adopta/sanciones/duras/Iran/elpepuint/20100727elpepiint_5/Teshttp://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/07/27/iran.europe.sanctions/index.html#fbid=A5hLEVv15GlSituación de los cubanos liberados en España.Para más información:http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/697905.htmlhttp://www.miamiherald.com/2010/07/25/1746580/political-prisoners-in-spain-confronted.htmlSarkozy anuncia represalias contra Al Qaeda por el asesinato del rehén francésPara más información:http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/Sarkozy/anuncia/represalias/Qaeda/asesinato/rehen/frances/elpepuint/20100726elpepuint_15/Teshttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38409834/ns/world_news-africa/Tragedia de la Loveparade en Alemania.Para más información:http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/numero/fallecidos/tragedia/Loveparade/eleva/elpepuint/20100726elpepuint_13/Teshttp://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/697929.htmlhttp://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1288972http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2010/07/27/magnay.germany.love.parade.cnnhttp://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/697929.htmlEl ex líder bosnio Ejup Ganic queda en libertad.Para más información:http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/07/27/england.bosnian.extradition/index.html#fbid=A5hLEVv15GlCataluña decidió prohibir las corridas de toros.Para más información:http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1288965http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38444092/ns/world_news-europe/http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fgw-catalonia-bullfighting-20100729,0,1162449.storyDiez detenidos de la mafia calabresa.Para más información:http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1288771 ASIA- PACÍFICO/ MEDIO ORIENTEEl primero de los cinco acusados por el genocidio de Camboya ha sido juzgado.Para más información:http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/jefe/torturador/jemeres/rojos/condenado/35/anos/carcel/elpepuint/20100726elpepuint_3/Teshttp://www.citytv.com.co/videos/138810http://www.lemonde.fr/asie-pacifique/article/2010/07/27/cambodge-l-ex-khmer-rouge-douch-fera-appel-de-sa-condamnation_1392487_3216.htmlEncuentro entre el Rey de Jordania Abdullah III y Netanyahu.Para más información:http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/07/27/jordan.abdullah.netanyahu.meeting/index.html#fbid=A5hLEVv15GlJapón y su política migratoria.Para más información:http://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2010/07/27/la-crise-incite-le-japon-a-revoir-sa-politique-migratoire_1392579_3234.htmlAtentado terrorista en Irak deja 25 muertos.Para más información:http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2010-07/27/content_11054388.htmCorea del Norte y su desarrollo nuclear.Para más información:http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2010-07/26/content_11051427.htmTragedia en Paquistán: se estrelló un avión con 152 personas a bordo.Para más información:http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1288963http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2007011,00.htmlhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38441455/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-pakistan-plane-crash-20100729,0,5833871.storyhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-10784971Visita de Cameron a India.Para más información:http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2007005,00.htmlBomba en ómnibus mata a 25 personas en Afganistán.Para más información:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38441403/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/Se estrella helicóptero en Irak dejando 11 víctimas fatales.Para más información:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38442746/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-10788989Nueva política de incentivos a la natalidad en Irán.Para más información:http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2006998,00.htmlhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38434672/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/ ÁFRICANueve pasajeros de un helicóptero de las Naciones Unidas fueron capturados en Darfur.Para más información:http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/07/27/sudan.russians/index.html#fbid=A5hLEVv15Glhttp://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2010/07/27/neuf-passagers-d-un-helicoptere-de-l-onu-captures-au-darfour_1392774_3212.htmlLa Unión Africana añade 4.000 soldados a la fuerza de paz de Somalia.Para más información:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38430530/ns/world_news-africa/Inminente huelga de trabajadores en Sudáfrica.Para más información:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-10793611"The Economist" analiza la trascendencia de este año de elecciones en el continente.Para más información:http://www.economist.com/node/16640325?story_id=16640325OTRAS NOTICIAS La ONU reconoce el acceso al agua como derecho humano.Para más información:http://www.eltiempo.com/mundo/euycanada/la-onu-reconoce-el-acceso-al-agua-como-derecho-humano-_7830353-1The Economist presenta su informe semanal: "Business this week".Para más información:http://www.economist.com/node/16648201?story_id=16648201CNN publica la sección: "Impact your world":Para más información:http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/impact.your.world/

On 29th - 30th March 2007, SUERF and the Central Bank of Cyprus jointly organized a Seminar: Corporate Governance in Financial Institutions. The papers in the present publication are based on a sample of the presentations at the Seminar. Together, the papers illuminate a number of key issues in corporate governance in a variety of financial firms. In the first paper based on a keynote address, Spyros G. Stavrinakis, Central Bank of Cyprus gives an overview of the legal framework for corporate governance in financial institutions in Cyprus. According to a Central BankDirective issued in 2006, implementation of corporate governance principles is mandatory for all banks incorporated in Cyprus and their overseas branches and for some Cyprus branches of foreign banks domiciled outside the European Economic Area. Banks are obliged to have a robust internal governance framework, consistent lines of reporting and effective risk identification, management, monitoring and reporting procedures for all the risks to which credit institutions are actually or potentially exposed. The board of directors should take the lead in establishing and approving ethical standards and corporate values for itself and for the bank's senior executive management. Potential conflicts of interest should be identified, prevented or appropriately managed. Each bank should maintain a compliance function that monitors compliance with rules, regulations and policies. Clear lines of responsibility and accountability should be set and enforced. New members of the board of directors as well as the senior executive managers of banks have to be vetted and approved by the Central Bank of Cyprus for their " fitness and properness." In order to ensure transparency concerning the implementation of the principles, each bank's corporate governance framework should be disclosed in the bank's annual report and on its public website. In the second paper by Christian Harm, University of Muenster, "The Governance of the Banking Firm" the author builds on the literatures on corporate governance and financial regulation. In relation to governance of financial institutions, agency theory has both merits and shortcomings. It provides good explanations in many delegation situations but it has severe difficulties in dealing with institutions with several stakeholders and complex objective functions for the management. Firms guided by shareholder value may work more effectively than firms guided by stakeholder cacophony. Depositors are important stakeholders in banks. Since they are typically incapable of managing the supervision of their claims on the bank, they rely on regulators to do it for them. Remuneration systems for bank managers should provide proper incentives. According to the author, incentives should be structured such as to reward particular strategic achievements. Banks can apply executive stock option plans, but should confine options to a secondary place behind other long-term incentives based on success criteria that further shareholder interests without compromising the regulatory mission. Such an incentive framework tends, however, to be very complex so that the general ambiguities associated with the concept of governance could imply that in the banking firm, selecting managers with a proper intrinsic motivation may be superior to defining complex remuneration programs. In the third paper "Corporate Governance Issues in Non-Shareholder Value Financial Institutions: ACase Study of Mutual Building Societies in the UK", David T. Llewellyn, Loughborough University, focuses on corporate governance in non-incorporated financial firms. The author describes the relevant stakeholders and the nature of agency problems in different types of financial firms. He compares monitoring mechanisms, incentives, abilities and feasibilities of managers and members of mutuals. Mutuality raises specific corporate governance issues: Corporate governance is less clearly defined because the firm's objectives are less clearly defined. Conflicts of interest between managers and owners are less easily identified and it is more difficult to create management incentives. The almost exclusive source of capital is retained profits and each member has a non-exclusive and non-marketable claim to residual net worth. Voting rights are typically not proportional to the size of the ownership stake. There is no market in ownership claims and therefore no effective market in corporate control. Consequently, there is ample scope for mutuals to be inefficient. There is, however, no evidence that the efficiency and performance of mutuals are poorer that that of incorporated financial firms. In the fourth paper "Corporate Governance in Emerging Market Banks", Bridget Gandy, Fitch Ratings Ltd., and her co-authors from the rating agency look at the framework for corporate governance of banks in a sample of emerging market countries. Since the crisis in the late 1990s in Latin America and Asia, there has been a marked improvement in corporate governance of financial institutions in the regions under observation. Many countries have taken legal steps to develop functioning market economies with a view to the need to satisfy the demands of international capital markets. Several banks have listed their shares on stock exchanges in developed markets and foreign bank ownership and involvement in local banking systems have increased. In Central and Eastern Europe, countries' desire for EU-accession has impacted on the development of their corporate governance systems. At the individual bank level, Fitch Ratings looks at bank board independence and quality, oversight and the importance of related party transactions, the integrity of the audit process, acceptability of executive and director remuneration, ownership structures and transparency. In evaluating the quality of governance at the country level, the authors apply a three-pillar approach in line with Montesquieu: Powers and responsibilities need to be separated between a representative legislature, a competent and accountable executive branch and a fair and independent judiciary. The paper contains an interesting table in which a number of key regulatory initiatives in a sample of emerging market countries are compared. The authors point out that large scale privatizations have reduced the importance of state-owned banks in many countries. There are, however, still several examples with complex holding structures involving banks with potential negative implications for corporate governance quality and problems with related party transactions. Acquisitions by foreign banks with developed corporate governance standards have generally had a positive impact and also listing of bank shares on foreign stock exchanges with tough disclosure and transparency requirements have contributed positively to the quality of corporate governance in emerging market banks. Read together, the four papers give a good overview of the development of corporate governance practices and remaining problems in financial institutions of different types and with domicile in different countries.

Die lateinamerikanischen Währungskrisen lenkten erst kürzlich wieder das Augenmerk auf die Gefahren wechselkursbasierter Stabilisierungen (WKBS). Dies sind Inflationsstabilisierungsprogramme, die den nominalen Wechselkurs als vorrangiges geldpolitisches Instrument einsetzen. Die vorliegende Dissertation dokumentiert die Wirkung der Stabilisierungen und präsentiert Erklärungsmodelle für deren stilisierte Fakten. Das erste Kapitel untersucht in Burns-Mitchell-Diagrammen typische reale und monetäre Effekte von 13 Stabilisierungsepisoden. Der anfängliche Anstieg des Konsums und des BIPs, die reale Aufwertung und die Verschlechterung der Leistungsbilanz sind dabei die auffälligsten stilisierten Fakten. Auf die Expansion folgt eine wirtschaftliche Abschwächung, d. h. niedrigeres oder Nullwachstum, falls die Stabilisierung noch andauert, und negative Wachstumsraten, falls das Programm bereits aufgegeben wurde. Die Kapitalimporte folgen einem ähnlichen Zyklus: Dem Anstieg zu Beginn der Stabilisierung folgt drei bis sechs Jahre später eine drastische Umkehr, die häufig mit dem Zusammenbruch des Programms einhergeht. Die Kurzlebigkeit von WKBS ist ein weiterer stilisierter Fakt: 70 % der betrachteten Stabilisierungen scheiterten innerhalb von 10 Jahren. Die anfängliche reale Aufwertung während WKBS wird meist als Anstieg des relativen Preises nicht-handelbarer Güter modelliert; empirische Ergebnisse hingegen unterstreichen die Bedeutung der internationalen Preisunterschiede handelbarer Güter. Kapitel 2 untersucht diese Ursachen durch die Anwendung von Engels Methode der Varianzzerlegung auf den realen Wechselkurs zwischen Brasilien und den USA. Die Ergebnisse bestätigen dabei sowohl die Modelle als auch den empirischen Befund: Bei Betrachtung der gesamten Stichprobe (von Januar 1981 bis Mai 2001) bestimmen Veränderungen der Preise handelbarer Güter und des nominalen Wechselkurses nahezu die gesamten Bewegungen des realen Wechselkurses. Während Perioden fester Wechselkurse hingegen sind die Preise nicht-handelbarer Güter von ähnlicher Bedeutung. Aufgrund dieses Ergebnisses wird in den in Kapitel 3 und 4 präsentierten Modellen der reale Wechselkurs in Abhängigkeit des relativen Preises nicht-handelbarer Güter dargestellt. Diese Modelle bilden kleine, offene Volkswirtschaften ab, die von nutzenmaximierenden repräsentativen Agenten mit perfekter Voraussicht bevölkert sind. Monetäre Größen sind aufgrund von cash-in-advance- Beschränkungen von Bedeutung. Weitere wichtige Modellelemente sind die Existenz von Marktimperfektionen (Preisstarrheiten und unvollständige Kapitalmobilität) sowie die mangelnde Glaubwürdigkeit der Stabilisierung. In Kapitel 3 ist diese durch die Antizipation einer Währungskrise à la Krugman (1979) begründet. Die reale Aufwertung kann dann mit vorausblickender Preissetzung der monopolistischen Produzenten nicht-handelbarer Güter erklärt werden: Aufgrund von Preisstarrheiten erhöhen diese ihre Preise in Erwartung der Währungsabwertung. Da die Preise handelbarer Güter durch das Gesetz des einheitlichen Preises bestimmt werden, folgt daraus ein Anstieg des relativen Preises nicht-handelbarer Güter und eine reale Aufwertung. Zudem wird aufgrund intertemporaler Konsumsubstitution der anfängliche Konsumboom reproduziert. Ökonometrische Evidenz bestätigt den Preissetzungsmechanismus: KQ-Schätzungen mit monatlichen mexikanischen Daten zeigen für Perioden fester Wechselkurse einen signifikanten positiven Zusammenhang zwischen dem relativen Preis nicht-handelbarer Güter und dem mexikanisch-US-amerikanischen Zinsdifferential als Approximation der Abwertungserwartung. Während das Ende der Stabilisierung in obigen Modell durch eine fundamentale Inkonsistenz von Wechselkursziel und Staatsausgaben bedingt ist, zeigt Kapitel 4, daß der Zusammenbruch auch aus sich-selbst-erfüllenden Erwartungen resultieren kann. Ein wesentliches Element ist dabei die Begrenzung der internationalen Kapitalmobilität. Diese erlaubt es, sowohl den anfänglichen Konsumboom als auch das Ende der Stabilisierung mit Erwartungen bezüglich der Dauer des Pegs und der nachfolgenden Geldpolitik zu erklären. Zusammenfassend zeigt die Dissertation die Gefahren wechselkursbasierter Stabilisierungen auf: Im Gegensatz zur herkömmlichen Meinung sind sogar relativ erfolgreiche und langlebige WKBS mittelfristig mit einer Kontraktion verbunden; nur wenige Programme erzielen eine nachhaltige Reduktion der Inflation. Die hier präsentierten Modelle zeigen, daß die mangelnde Glaubwürdigkeit der Programme - selbst wenn diese nicht durch Fundamentaldaten gerechtfertigt ist - zu Allokationsverzerrungen führt und den Erfolg der Stabilisierungsmaßnahmen gefährdet. ; Exchange rate crises in Latin America recently put a spotlight on the perils of Exchange Rate-Based Stabilizations (ERBS), which use the nominal exchange rate as the main policy target for stabilizing inflation. This dissertation documents the effects of ERBS in high inflation economies and develops models to explain these stylized facts. The first chapter assesses the empirical regularities associated with ERBS. Based on a sample of 13 stabilization episodes, typical real and monetary dynamics are investigated in Burns-Mitchell diagrams. Stylized facts of ERBS are the initial increases in consumption and GDP, the real appreciation and the current account deterioration. Moreover, consumption and output are found to follow a boom-slowdown cycle, where slowdown means reduced or zero growth if the ERBS is still in effect, and negative growth rates for failed ERBS. Capital inflows follow a similar boom-bust cycle: Their increase at the stabilization''s inception is followed by a sharp reversal three to six years later, very often coinciding with the program''s collapse. This transitoriness of ERBS constitutes an additional stylized fact: 70 % of the programs under consideration failed within 10 years after their implementation. The origin of the initial real exchange rate appreciation during ERBS has been subject to controversy: Most models assume an increase in the relative price of non-traded goods. Empirical findings, in contrast, emphasize the contribution of traded goods'' cross-country prices. Chapter 2 sheds light on this issue by applying Engel''s (1995) method of variance decomposition on Brazilian-US real exchange rate fluctuations. The results confirm both the models and the empirical findings: When considering the full sample (from January 1981 to May 2001), changes in traded goods'' prices and the nominal exchange rate account for almost all of the observed real exchange rate movements. During periods of pegged exchange rates, however, non-traded goods'' prices are equally important for real exchange rate fluctuations. Thus, changes in relative non-tradables'' prices are incorporated as a determinant of real exchange rate fluctuations during ERBS in the theoretical frameworks presented in chapters 3 and 4. These explain the stylized facts in models of small, open economies populated by a utility-maximizing representative agent endowed with perfect foresight. Money matters due to cash-in-advance constraints. Further important features are the existence of market imperfections - price stickiness or imperfect capital mobility - and the stabilization''s deficient credibility. In chapter 3, the latter is due to the anticipation of a Krugman (1979)-style currency crisis. The initial real appreciation during ERBS can then be explained with forward-looking price setting by monopolistic non-tradable goods'' producers: These are subject to staggered price setting and incorporate the peg''s anticipated termination - i.e. higher future devaluation rates - by increasing their current prices. As tradables'' prices are determined by the law of one price, this implies higher relative non-tradables'' prices and thus a real exchange rate appreciation. Furthermore, due to intertemporal consumption substitution, the observed initial consumption boom is reproduced. Econometric evidence confirms the proposed price setting mechanism: Using the Mexican-US interest rate differential as an indicator for devaluation rate expectations, OLS regressions with monthly Mexican data find a significant positive relation between relative non-tradables'' prices and the interest rate spread during periods of pegged exchange rates. In the previous model, the stabilization effort collapses due to a fundamental inconsistency between the exchange rate target and government finance. Chapter 4 shows that the collapse can also result from self-fulfilling expectations. This is achieved by introducing partial international capital mobility. Given this constraint, both the initial consumption boom and the stabilization''s collapse can be shown to result from expectations about the duration of the peg and post-stabilization monetary policy. In conclusion, the dissertation points to the perils of ERBS in high inflation countries: Contrary to what is commonly believed, even relatively successful and long-lived exchange rate pegs are associated with a late slowdown; only very few ERBS are successful at stabilizing inflation rates in the medium and long run. The models show that stabilizations'' deficient credibility - regardless if justified by fundamentals or not - engenders real dynamics which distort economic activity and jeopardize the stabilization effort: The miracle of ERBS turns into a mirage.

A partir de la consideración de la exclusión social como un fenómeno protagonista en las sociedades y su efecto en el desarrollo de las economías, el objetivo de la presente tesis consiste avanzar en el análisis de la exclusión social respecto a su conceptualización y medición. Se examinan sus determinantes y caracterización y se propone, desde un enfoque axiomático, un conjunto de indicadores para mensurarlo. Adicionalmente, desde el abordaje empírico, se analiza la situación para Argentina.En el capítulo I se aborda la conceptualización del fenómeno, estudiando su origen y propagación por el mundo y el ambiente académico. Adicionalmente, se expone una revisión bibliográfica sobre su caracterización, las dimensiones determinantes de los procesos excluyentes y la importancia que ha tomado a nivel mundial, en América Latina y, puntualmente, en Argentina. Posteriormente, en el capítulo II, los esfuerzos se abocan a distinguir la exclusión social del resto de los fenómenos abordadospor las ciencias sociales, y en particular por la economía. Así, se detallan las diferencias con la desigualdad social, la vulnerabilidad, la pobreza (unidimensional y multidimensional), la marginalidad y la desafiliación. Luego, en el capítulo III, a partir de la definición de exclusión adoptada y la postura de que no se trata de un fenómeno dicotómico, se propone una serie de indicadores con objetivo de mensurar la exclusión social. El abordaje propuesto es de tipo axiomático, considerando imprescindible que el comportamiento de los indicadores de un fenómeno multidimensional, dinámico, relativo y politizable esté modelado. En esta parte de la tesis, se plantea la construcción de un indicador de fallas de funcionamiento, que será el principal input paralos indicadores de privación individual, exclusión individual y exclusión social. Finalmente, en el último capítulo, se aplican los indicadores a la realidad argentina de los últimos años. Reconociendo las limitaciones y exigencias del enfoque axiomáticodesarrollado, se utiliza la Encuesta Permanente de Hogares (EPH) para evaluar si los determinantes de los procesos de exclusión (si los hubiera) se mantienen a lo largo del tiempo. Adicionalmente, en segundo orden de importancia, se evalúa el grado de exclusión de la población argentina. El capítuloconcluye con la recomendación de incorporar ciertos instrumentos al cuestionario de la EPH, a fin de contemplar las dimensiones faltantes para una mejor medición del fenómeno. Los resultados obtenidos muestranque la exclusión es un fenómeno multidimensional y dinámico, en el cual los umbrales y la relatividad son cuestiones centrales. En Argentina son escasos, bajo el mayor conocimiento adquirido, los antecedentes que contemplan de forma simultánea todas las características mencionadas. La aplicación de los indicadores propuestos pone en evidencia que una proporción no despreciable de la población en Argentina evidencia privaciones sostenidas en dimensiones centrales de la vida social y que, si bien han disminuido a lo largo de los años, las causas no son homogéneas para toda la población. Así, las dimensiones que determinan los procesos excluyentes son diversas, lideradas por cuestiones educativas, de condiciones de vida y laborales. Las exigencias que este ejercicio empírico implica sobre las bases de datos a utilizar limitan el alcance del análisis, considerando central la incorporación de las dimensiones faltantes en el cuestionario de la Encuesta Permanente de Hogares ; From the consideration of social exclusion as a leading phenomenon in societies and its effect on the development of economies, the aim of this thesis is to advance in the analysis of social exclusion with respect to its conceptualization and measurement. Its determinants and characterization are examined, and a set of indicators is proposed, from an axiomatic approach, to measure it. Additionally, from the empirical approach, the situation of exclusion for Argentina is analyzed. In chapter I, the conceptualization of the phenomenon is studied, principally its origin and propagation through the world and the academic environment. In addition, a bibliographic review is presented regarding its characterization, the determining dimensions of the excluding processes and the importance it has taken in the world, in Latin America and, specifically, in Argentina. Subsequently, in Chapter II, efforts are made to distinguish social exclusion from the rest of the phenomena addressed by the social sciences and, in particular, by the economy. Thus, the differences with social inequality, vulnerability, poverty (onedimensional and multidimensional), marginality and disaffiliation are detailed. Then, in chapter III, based on the definition of exclusion adopted and the position that it is not a dichotomous phenomenon, a series of indicators is proposed in order to measure social exclusion. The proposed approach is axiomatic, considering that the behavior of the indicators of a multidimensional, dynamic, relative phenomenon and likely to be approached by politics is modeled. In this part of the thesis, the construction of a functioning failure indicator is considered, which will be the main input for the indicators of individual deprivation, individual exclusion and social exclusion. Finally, in the last chapter, the indicators are applied to the Argentine reality of recent years. Recognizing the limitations and demands of the axiomatic approach developed, the Permanent Household Survey (EPH, by its initials in Spanish)) is used to assess whether the determinants of exclusion processes (if any) are maintained over time. Additionally, in second order of importance, the degree of exclusion of the Argentine population is evaluated. The chapter concludes with a recommendation to incorporate certain instruments to the questionnaire of the EPH, in order to contemplate the missing dimensions for a better measurement of the phenomenon. The results obtained show that exclusion is a multidimensional and dynamic phenomenon, in which thresholds and relativity are central issues. Under the greater knowledge acquired, in Argentina there are few antecedents that simultaneously contemplate all the mentioned characteristics. The application of the proposed indicators shows that a not insignificant proportion of Argentina evidences sustained deprivations in central dimensions of social life and that, although they have decreased over the years, the causes are not homogeneous for the entire population. Thus, the dimensions that determine the exclusionary processes are diverse, led by educational issues and life and work conditions. It is recognized that the demands that this indicator implies on the databases to be used limit the scope of the empirical analysis, considering as central the incorporation of the missing dimensions in the questionnaire of the Permanent Household Survey. ; Fil: Ibañez Martín, María María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Investigaciones Económicas y Sociales del Sur; Argentina

Throughout all different socio-historical tensions undergone by the Latin American modernit(ies), the literary-historical production as well as the reflection on the topic - regional, national, supranational and/or continental – have been part of the critical and intellectual itinerary of very significant political and cultural projects, whose particular development allows the analysis of the socio-discursive dynamics fulfilled by the literary historiography in the search of a historical conscience and representation of the esthetic-literary processes. In present literary and cultural Central American literary studies, the academic thought on the development of the literary historiography has given place to some works whose main objects of study involve a significant corpus of national literature histories published mainly in the 20th century, between the forties and the eighties. Although these studies differ greatly from the vast academic production undertaken by the literary critics in the last two decades, the field of research of the literary historiography in Central America has made a theoretical-methodological effort, as of the eighties and until now, to analyze the local literary-historical productions. However, this effort was carried out more systematically in the last five years of the 20th century, within the Central American democratic transition and post-war context, when a national, supra national and transnational model of literary history was boosted. This gave place to the creation and launching of the project Hacia una Historia de las Literaturas Centroamericanas (HILCAS) at the beginning of the new millennium. Given the ideological relevance which the literary historiography has played in the process of the historical formation of the Hispano-American States, and whose philological tradition has also had an impact in the various Central American nation states, the emergence of this historiographic project marks an important rupture in relation with the national paradigms, and it is also manifested in a movement of transition and tension with regard to the new cultural, comparative and transareal dynamics, which seek to understand the geographical, transnational, medial and transdisciplinary movements within which the esthetic narrative processes and the idea and formation of a critical Central American subject gain shape. Taking this aspect into account, our study puts forward as its main hypothesis that the historiographic thought developed as a consequence of the project Hacia una Historia de las Literaturas Centroamericanas (HILCAS) constitutes a socio-discursive practice, which reflects the formation of a historic-literary conscience and of a critical intellectual subject, an emergence that takes place between the mid-nineties and the first decade of the 21st century. In this respect, and taking as a basis the general purpose of this investigation indicated before, the main justification for our object of study consists of making the Central American historiographic reflection visible as a part of the epistemological and cultural changes shown by the Latin American historiographic thought, and from which a new way of conceptualization of the space, the coexistence and the historic conscience emerge with regard to the esthetic-literary practices and processes. Based on the field and hypothesis stated before, the general purpose of this research is framed by the socio-discursive dimension fulfilled by the Latin American literary historiography, and it aims to analyze the Central American historical-literary thought developed between the second half of the nineties and the beginning of the first decade of the 21st century. ; Während der unterschiedlichen soziohistorischen Spannungen, die die lateinamerikanische(n) Moderne(n) durchquerten, waren sowohl die historisch-literarische Produktion als auch die Reflexion, seien sie regionaler, nationaler, supranationaler und/oder kontinentaler Art, ein Teil des kritischen und intellektuellen Weges bedeutender politischer und kultureller Projekte, deren besondere Entwicklung es gestattet, die sozio-diskursive Dynamik zu analysieren, die die literarische Historiographie bei der Suche eines historischen Bewusstseins und einer Repräsentation ästhetischliterarischer Prozesse erfüllt. In zeitgenössischen literaturgeschichtlichen und kulturwissenschaftlichen Forschungen in Zentralamerika führte das akademische Nachdenken über die Entwicklung der literarischen Historiographie zu einigen Forschungsprojekten, deren wichtigste Studienobjekte aus einem signifikanten Korpus nationaler Literaturgeschichten bestehen, die hauptsächlich zwischen den vierziger und achtziger Jahren publiziert wurden. Wenngleich die erwähnten Forschungsarbeiten in vielbedeutendem Kontrast zu der umfassenden akademischen Produktion stehen, die in die literarische Kritik während der letzten zwei Jahrzehnte eingedrungen ist, wurde im Forschungsbereich der literarischen Historiografie in Zentralamerika seit den achtziger Jahren bis zur Gegenwart ein theoretisch-methodischer Aufwand betrieben um die historisch-literarischen Produktionen lokaler Art zu analysieren. Trotzdem wurde erst ab Mitte der neunziger Jahre des 20. Jahrhunderts im Kontext des demokratischen Übergangs und der zentralamerikanischen Nachkriegszeit mit größerer Systematisierung der Entwurf eines historisch literarischen Modells supra- und transnationaler Art vorangetrieben, der dazu führte, dass gegen Anfang des neuen Jahrtausends das Projekt Hacia una Historia de las Literaturas Centroamericanas (HILCAS) erschaffen und initiiert wurde. Aufgrund der ideologischen Relevanz, die die literarische Historiographie im Prozess der hispanoamerikanischen Nationalstaatenbildung besaß und deren philologische Tradition der Entwicklung der unterschiedlichen zentralamerikanischen Nationalstaaten nicht fern stand, erscheint die Entstehung dieses historiographischen Projektes als wichtiges Zeichen für einen Bruch gegenüber den nationalen Paradigmen, wobei es sich gleichzeitig in einer Dynamik des Übergangs und der Spannung zeigt in Bezug auf die neuen kulturellen, komparativen und trans-arealen Dynamiken, die versuchen, die geographischen, transnationalen, medialen und transdisziplinären Verschiebungen zu verstehen, in denen sich die ästhetisch-narrativen Prozesse und die Bildung eines kritischen zentralamerikanischen Subjekts dynamisieren. In Anbetracht dieses letzten Aspektes behauptet die zentrale Hypothese der vorliegenden Forschungsarbeit, dass das historiographische Denken, das von dem Projekt Hacia una Historia de las Literaturas Centroamericanas (HILCAS) aus entwickelt wurde, eine soziodiskursive Praktik begründet, von der aus die Bildung eines historisch literarischen Bewusstseins und eines kritisch intellektuellen Subjekts bewiesen wird, das zwischen der Mitte der neunziger Jahre und den ersten Jahrzehnten des 21. Jahrhunderts eingeschrieben ist. In diesem Sinn und auf Grundlage des übergreifenden Vorhabens, das in dieser Forschungsarbeit geäußert wurde, besteht der wichtigste Nachweis, auf den unser Studienobjekt hinweist, in der Sichtbarmachung des Nachdenkens über die zentralamerikanische Historiografie als Teil der epistemologischen und kulturellen Veränderungen, die das lateinamerikanische historiografische Denken während der letzten zwei Jahrzehnte erfuhr und von dem aus eine neue Form der Konzeptualisierung des Raums, der Konvivenz und des historischen Bewusstseins in Bezug auf ästhetisch-literarische Praktiken und Prozesse errichtet wird. Auf Grundlage der vorher formulierten Bereiche und Hypothesen umfasst das allgemeine Ziel dieser Forschungsarbeit die sozio-diskursive Dimension, die die literarische Historiographie in Lateinamerika erfüllte mit der Absicht, das historische literarische Denken in Zentralamerika zu analysieren, das zwischen Mitte der neunziger Jahre und den Anfängen der ersten Jahrzehnte des 21. Jahrhunderts entwickelt wurde.

From a transdisciplinary approach at the crossroads of sociology, anthropology, history and philosophy, this research, in a first instance, considers how the family, everyday playground of a dialectic mesh between the same and the other, can be the privileged substrate of an "imaginary of the bond". In the light of this hypothesis, and through the social criticism, this thesis interrogates the intersections between family bond (exhibited on stage), social bond (projected on it) and theatrical bond (which structures the dramaturgy and defines a specific theatricalness), during two timeframes particularly intricate on a socio-political standpoint: the last military dictatorship and the post-dictatorship. On the crossroads of theatrical studies and social sciences, this research explores political and social issues while bringing to the forefront the dramaturgical analysis of the corpus. ; ¿Por qué el teatro, y en particular en Argentina, parece tan obsesionado con el tema de la familia ? Rechazando la retórica de la «familia disfuncional», esta tesis analiza las ficciones familiares en su relación con lo social. Desde una perspectiva pluridisciplinar (con herramientas de sociología, antropología, historia y filosofía), se trata primero de pensar cómo la familia, espacio cotidiano de una dialéctica entre lo mismo y lo otro, puede ser el soporte de un «imaginario del vínculo». A partir de esta hipótesis, y con las herramientas de la teatrología y la sociocrítica, la tesis interroga los cruces entre vínculo familiar, vínculo social y vínculo teatral (el que estructura la dramaturgia y la teatralidad), durante dos períodos complejos a nivel sociopolítico: la última dictadura militar y la posdictadura. Respecto al teatro producido durante la dictadura, se matiza la idea de una intención sistemáticamente metafórica (al asumir que un teatro concebido como mero código sería un vínculo teatral profundamente vertical que no corresponde con gran parte de las obras), y se analizan «manchas temáticas» recurrentes, que plasman ...

This book examines the destinations and sites that are being created for tourists, as well as for local people within an urban regeneration context, with a particular focus on tourism's relationship to urban regeneration and cultural development. It examines the impact of such developments on a local sense of place, heritage and identity. It examines how far, arts and artistic quality/integrity is compromised by being used as a tool for regeneration. It examines if global/local debates can be resolved within the context of regeneration, and how. These issues and others are exemplified using a number of international case studies in North and South America, as well as in Europe and the UK. Chapter 1 examines the issues and problems inherent in implementing urban regeneration projects and highlights the increasingly important role that culture and tourism play in the process. Chapter 2 examines the increasingly important role of creativity in urban regeneration. Chapter 3 examines the regeneration of new or less familiar areas of cities, and their development for tourism purposes. Chapter 4 examines mixed-use developments in city fringe areas, especially those with culturally diverse or ethnic populations. Chapter 5 examines the development of ethnoscapes or those areas of cities with a high concentration of ethnic minorities, and analyses the way in which multiculturalism has become an increasingly attractive selling point for city tourism. Chapter 6 examines some of the difficulties of interpreting and commemorating spaces of dissonant heritage in black heritage sites in New Jersey, USA. Chapter 7 examines the complexities that exist within large-scale, mixed-use development projects through the example of the newly developed Waterfront City of Odaiba in Tokyo, Japan. Chapter 8 examines the role of major sporting events in urban regeneration, tourism development, image enhancement and social inclusion. Chapter 9 examines the role of the Olympic Games in the regeneration of U.S. cities. Chapter 10 examines the role of the cultural industries in the regeneration of former industrial cities, focusing in particular on Lowell, Massachusetts in New England, USA. Chapter 11 examines how Chicago, a city in the USA that previously was dependent on the manufacturing industry, has sought to improve its economic position and raises its national and international profile via locally-driven strategies focused on facilitating the physical, economic and cultural restructuring of its downtown area. Chapter 12 examines the Avenue of the Arts in Philadelphia, USA, as an example of a project that has been largely successful due to charismatic leadership, dynamic fund-raising campaigns and coordinated public and private partnerships. Chapter 13 examines the problems and the potential benefits of waterfront developments in the context of regeneration. Chapter 14 examines the changing role of dockland cities and urban regeneration strategies, focusing in particular on case studies of Liverpool and Cardiff in the UK. Chapter 15 examines the use of interpretative planning in the context of Recife, Brazil. In conclusion, the richness, creativity, innovation and ambition of regeneration projects is indicated in a wide range of contexts. But cultural, tourism or urban development, cannot compensate for economic decline, environmental decay or social unrest. They can only alleviate some of the problems and tensions, and give new hope to cities. It would be misguided to suggest that there could be a 'checklist' for all cities hoping to embark on a 'successful' regeneration scheme, especially given that similar schemes can easily fail in different contexts. However, several factors seem to emerge as being rather critical to the future of regeneration. Whatever the context - be it Europe, the USA, Asia, Australasia - the issues and dilemmas surrounding cultural regeneration are broadly similar. Pessimists might conclude that regeneration is just another 'flash-in-the-pan' phenomenon that has helped to plug the gaps in economic and social decline. However, it is argued that within the academic/practitioner community, there is excitement, dynamism and great hope in the future for the phenomenon of regeneratio