Democratic Governance and Economics

In the last 30 years, Latin American countries have overwhelmingly transitioned from authoritarian governance and state-driven economic models to democracy and free market economies. Yet in many countries these democratic institutions remain new and weak, resulting in underperforming economies and social systems that create high levels of poverty, inequality, and violence. The quality of democracy, stable governance, and the rule of law are among the region’s most pressing challenges and will be a central focus of the Baylor in Latin America initiative as we work with scholars and practitioners from around the globe to address these issues. This content area reflects the foci of many peer institutions with initiatives addressing the relationship between Latin America and the United States.