Jorge Nef

Globalization, Neoliberalism, and the State of Underdevelopment in the New Periphery

This study provides an analytical sketch of the context, culture, structures, processes, and consequences of neoliberalism. It examines the subject from two fundamental and complementary perspectives. The first involves an appraisal of the history and evolution of neoliberalism as a socio-political phenomenon from its origins to the present. The second perspective provides a systematic analysis of the theory and practice of neoliberalism, its circumstances and effects, with special reference to the issue of globalization and its impact upon the weaker sectors of society. The authors conclude that neoliberal globalization has contributed to the emergence of a new centre and periphery, no longer based on distinct geographical regions, but on different political and economic strata in both the North and South.

Managing development in a global context

Managing Development in a Global Context: An Introduction PART ONE: THEORETICAL AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES History of Development and Development as History Globalization and Trans-nationalization of the State Poverty and Sustainable Livelihoods Marginalization and Exclusion Trade, Labour and Human Rights in a Global Context PART TWO: CONTEMPORARY PARADIGMS The Transition From Development Administration to New Public Management: An Interpretative Exploration PART THREE: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES Global Challenges and Managerial Culture Challenges for the Administrative Culture in a Globalized World Democracy, Governability and Governance Ethics of Development: Governance and Management in a Global Era PART FOUR: THE WAY AHEAD Some Reflections on the Wellbeing of Nations

The Politics of Repression: the Social Pathology of the Chilean Military

Until 1969, most observers of Chilean politics-especially foreign observersneglected the military establishment (Gil, 1966; Petras, 1969; Pike, 1963). This neglect is understandable. Since 1932 Chile had been characterized bv a relatively low degree of overt military intervention in domestic affairs vis-a-vis the other Latin American nations. Furthermore, as Carlos Nunez suggested, If there is an entrenched myth in almost all the rainbow of Chilean political literature, this is doubtless the &dquo;professionalism&dquo; of ... the armed forces, the latter understood as restraint of [military] participation in the nation’s political life f Nunez, 1970:60). This myth, though given credibility by comparison with other Latin American countries, seems to have been largely maintained bv psychological mechanisms of dissonance-avoidance on the part of the public and national analysts alike and

The Challenges of Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is nothing new. Biological and historical evidence indicate that sustainability is built into the functioning of natural and man-made systems. Indeed, animals, plants, and humans have continually submitted to these rules by design, force, or by choice. Tribal communities still exhibit sustainability as a core principle in their daily lifestyles. What is new about the idea of sustainable development is its emergence as an explicit paradigm rather than a default system of adaptation or a last resort. The need for an explicit paradigm emerged from the loss of traditional livelihoods, once humans began to exercise their know-how to alter or control nature. As a consumption-intensive lifestyle began to overshadow the practice of sustainability, the need to find a paradigm that could reverse the course of events became necessary. In this chapter, we discuss the evolution of sustainable development as a paradigm, followed by a brief discussion of its various characteristics. We conclude by identifying the challenges we face in making sustainability a “way of life.”

Terrorism and the Pedagogy of Violence: a Critical Analysis

This essay studies the relationships between terrorism and the culture of violence from an interpretative, phenomenological, and standpoint perspective.1 The span of its narrative covers nearly three decades. The conceptual framework used is centered on the notions of human security and mutual vulnerability. Such an approach posits that in an integrated system the security of the whole, including its stronger components is contingent upon its weakest links.2 The human security construct offers a vantage point to look at the connections and dynamics between micro and macro scales, historical and structural factors, and the multiple flows and feedbacks between integrated global cores and their respective peripheries.

Human Security and Insecurity: a Perspective from the Other America

This essay deals with four interconnected themes: international development, globalization (Cox 1994), the crisis of the state, and the worldwide impact of terrorism (Powell 2004). It does so from a distinctively theoretical and critical standpoint (Smith 1987; Schutz 1962a), that of a Chilean-Canadian. Two concepts are central in our study: human security and mutual vulnerability (Nef 1995). The former refers to the creation and maintenance of circumstances conducive to the reduction of risk and uncertainty in the achievement of what Lasswell referred to as ‘human dignity’ (Lasswell 1950). Mutual vulnerability (Head 1991), in turn implies shared dysfunctions affecting the overall well-being of people.

The Transition from Development Administration to New Public Management: an Interpretative Exploration

The internationalization of the theory and practice of public administration is a phenomenon closely related to the creation and evolution of the modern world system. Its roots are found in the European colonial expansion into the New World and subsequently Asia and Africa. The overseas empires and administrative systems that evolved there corresponded to particular modalities of accumulation in different historical periods. In the earlier cases of seventeenth-century Spain and Portugal, the mold was mercantile, while in the cases of British, French, Dutch, or Belgian expansion in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, modern capitalism prevailed.

Socioeconomic and Political Factors of Health Security and Insecurity in Latin America and the Caribbean

This essay examines health security and insecurity in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region from a systemic perspective. It concentrates on the concepts of health system and health regime, derived from the contributions of numerous disciplines. Focusing on the notions of living conditions, risk, vulnerability, insecurity, quality of life, coverage, and accessibility, the paper analyses the relationships between the processes of generation and allocation of health (and health risks) and the historical and structural circumstances affecting health. Five analytically interrelated clusters of variables are discussed: (a) the economic, social, and political contexts of health (and their trends) in the LAC region; (b) the cultures and ideologies of health; (c) the delivery structures, both institutional and otherwise, which make up the actually-existing health regime; (d) the policies and processes of health generation and distribution (as well as its accessibility); and (e) the effects or consequences of the aforementioned policies and processes upon the region’s health and its circumstances.

Chile: Myths, realities and misconstructions

Abstract Introduction Contemporary Chile constitutes a fortunate blending of economic liberalism with political democracy for political and economic orthodoxy. Domestic accomplishments have been coupled with a new international status. In 1993, the country applied for membership, and formally joined APEC during the November 1994 summit in Djakarta. Chile began its accession to NAFTA in early January 1995. As one of Latin Americas strongest economies, ostensibly with political stability, it is attractive to foreign investors. It is hardly surprising that the mainstream media has praised the Chilean example as a model for the region, the Third World and beyond; a major Canadian newspaper went as far as proposing that Canada emulate the southern republic. Of course, by contrast with most of the Third World, Chile appears as an island of stability and prosperity; an optimistic view shared by many Chileans. Academics and bureaucrats in the Hemisphere and as far away as Eastern Europe have made Chile part of t...

Science, technology and underdevelopment: a contextual approach.

ABSTRACT The article seeks to provide a conceptual framework for analyzing the role of science and technology in development. It begins by concentrating on the systematic relationship between the processes of socio-economic, cultural and political change on the one hand, and the contextual circumstances which regulate the generation, application and reproduction of technology on the other hand. The essay examines the issue of scientifically-driven progress which has been a central ideological fixture in Western thinking. Even though the diffusionist development paradigm has been discredited, the intimate relationship between the capability for technological innovation and development is still maintained. This relationship is further discussed taking into account of the conditioning factors such as cultural, professional and administrative circumstances. The essay concludes with various normative considerations pertaining to the role of development managers.