Poverty in South America
the problem:
For this project, I compare the cities of Caracas, Venezuela and Lima, Peru. I am trying to solve the large problem of poverty by analyzing the ways in which poverty manifests itself in each city. Although the histories of the cities are similar, the current governments are very different. I aim to learn more about the costs and benefits of a government like that of Alan Garcia versus that of Hugo Chavez. Politics are changing in the twenty-first century and I am trying to find out what the impact is on urban (and rural) poverty in Latin America.
vital stats:
people impacted:
15people involved:
2why it's important:
I spent a semester in Lima, Peru in fall, 2008. During this experience, I had various opportunities to volunteer with the urban poor, and also had the opportunity to observe the diverse ways in which poverty worked throughout the city in terms of infrastructure and social makeup. The government of Hugo Chavez fascinates me and from the outside it seems like he is doing good work. I would like to know to what extent the effects truly are positive.
the plan of action:
I have conducted considerable research on both countries. During this semester, I have examined the political and economic histories of Peru and Venezuela, which will provide a basis for analysis for next semester. I will travel to Caracas, Venezuela and conduct a week of field research, examining manifestations of poverty in public spaces throughout the city. Furthermore, I will conduct interviews (in Spanish) with people of Caracas. I will then spend the semester comparing and contrasting my findings in Caracas with my findings in Lima. By the end of the semester I will produce an analytical paper with the intention of publishing it in a scholarly publicaton (this will be my high honors thesis for my Latin American Studies major). The ultimate goal will be to impact the policies surrounding poverty in Latin America.
how you can get involved:
I have been in contact with numerous professors in many departments of my university. I have also spoken with students, deans, and multicultural groups about this project. All people have been interested in the work and fascinated by its prospects. I anticipate involving my contacts in Venezuela in Peru as key informants to the issues of poverty in each country. Others can help spread the information I uncover during my research and advocate for the dimunition of poverty in Latin America. I anticipate that an individual, having read my report, will be well informed about the pros and cons of certain types of government policy and action. This will allow them to debate knowledgeably about the issues related to Latin American poverty.
