Economics Commons^™

Stumbling Toward The Up Escalator: How Trends In International Trade, Investment, And Finance Have Complicated Latin America’S Quest For Sustainable, Diversified Economic Development, Mary Eliza Rebecca Ray

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation explores economic, environmental, and social aspects of Latin America and the Caribbean’s (LAC’s) halting steps away from commodity dependence (the “down escalator” envisioned by Hans Singer). It focuses on the most recent commodity boom (2003-2013), during which the region shifted back toward primary commodity production under a new policy framework aimed at limiting the environmental and social costs of this production while more broadly sharing its benefits through infrastructure, social spending, and closer oversight of foreign investors. This dissertation’s three essays focus on three international flows: trade, development finance, and investment. The first essay weighs the environmental impact …