American Nations Research Articles

Beyond revolutions: Mao-era China’s market entry strategies in Latin America

How did the People’s Republic of China develop commercial relations with the Global South during its Maoist years? This paper aims to explore the question through China’s market entry strategies in Latin America. Latin America posed significant challenges for Mao-era China in establishing robust relations. Under intense US pressure and the dominance of conservative politics, most Latin American nations maintained minimal commercial and political ties with China until 1971 when Beijing replaced Taipei in the UN. Notable exceptions were Cuba, following its armed revolution in 1959, and Chile, after its peaceful revolution in 1970, which formally recognised the PRC, leading to substantial trade agreements. This paper examines Chinese trade promotion in the region during the 1960s and early 1970s, contending that commercial ties, particularly Chinese exports to Latin America, were not simply the inevitable outcome of these revolutions and the establishment of diplomatic relations. Policy makers in Beijing and Chinese commercial representatives in Latin America strategically navigated market entry by leveraging cultural promotions, focusing on competitive Chinese products, notably processed foods, and tapping into the Chinese Overseas community as intermediaries. These strategies not only cultivated a favourable image of China in the region but also acquainted Latin American consumers with Chinese brands and products. Moreover, the paper analyzes how Chinese trade promoters recognised and addressed the nuances and disparities among Latin American countries, comprehended the significance of Cuba and Chile within the region, and contextualised Latin America’s position in the global market.

CEMLA’s survey on central bank digital currencies in Latin America and the Caribbean

In late 2021 and early 2022, CEMLA conducted a thorough survey involving 12 central banks to analyze key aspects related to the potential implementation of a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). The findings revealed prevalent issues and objectives regarding digital payments in the region, as well as promising avenues for central bank involvement. However, it highlighted the challenges of creating a universal CBDC framework due to significant disparities among neighboring countries. Nonetheless, the collaborative research approach promises valuable insights for future efforts. To protect participant anonymity, each country’s responses were anonymized with randomly assigned letters.The survey extensively examined awareness and understanding of CBDCs across diverse stakeholders in Latin American nations, including the general public, corporations, and financial institutions. These insights could shape educational campaigns and communication strategies, enabling policymakers and central banks to effectively share information about CBDCs.Moreover, this research effort sheds light on public perceptions, expectations, and concerns about CBDCs in Latin America. By exploring various dimensions such as awareness, interest, adoption potential, concerns, preferences, and regulatory considerations, the survey offers a comprehensive understanding of the CBDC landscape in the region. This holistic approach provides valuable insights for policymakers, central banks, and stakeholders to navigate the complexities of CBDC implementation effectively and responsibly.

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Economic Growth in Latin America: An Empirical Analysis for the 2000-2020 Period

Introduction ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) play a crucial role in improving efficiency and productivity in various economic sectors. The research focuses on measuring the impact of ICTs on the economic growth of Latin American nations during the period 2000-2020. Methods A fixed effects, panel data model covering 17 countries in the region has been applied using ordinary least squares methodology. The variables selected for the empirical exercise are: the number of individuals using the Internet, fixed and mobile telephone subscriptions, trade balance, domestic credit, foreign direct investment and gross domestic product per capita. Results The study’s findings show that ICTs have a positive impact on economic growth. That is, for every percentage point increase in the percentage of the population using the Internet, GDP per capita increases by US$16.82. Conclusion This highlights the unique influence exerted by digital connectivity in shaping the regional economic landscape. At the same time, mobile and fixed telephone subscriptions are not significant variables in the model.

Western Domination, Destructive Governance, and the Perpetual Development Crisis in the Arab Region

This article presents a theoretical view that describes how the rooted Western imperial political structure in the Arab region has trapped the latter in a perpetual development crisis. It follows a de facto analysis and contends that Western imperialism has maintained a counter-development of Arab governance since the mid-19th century, which has resulted in a persistent economic deficiency in the region. This article discusses why Washington Consensus endeavors have failed to deliver the promised results in the development of the region, and argues that it has condoned the principal problem, which is the foreign de facto hostile Western strategic rule that has an inherent disinterest in achieving comprehensive development in the Arab region. This article provides an argument against the views that blame the Arab’s economic failures on domestic institutional factors, and maintains that the foreign Western hostile domination is the primary source of the lasting backwardness in the Arab region. This article defines the West as the consortium of European and North American nations that have had imperial enterprises in the Arab region in the modern period. The most notable of these nations are the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.

War, Politics, and Change

Historians have long documented the ways in which war and politics bring about social, economic, and cultural change. Nowhere is this more evident than during the American Civil War and Reconstruction. The war devastated the South; it upended the system of chattel slavery and instigated remarkable transformations to the region’s demographics, political, and economic structures. Reconstruction emerged out of the ashes of war. This critical and hotly debated period redefined U.S. citizenship, expanded suffrage rights, and altered the relationship between the federal government and the states. Many of the lofty goals of Reconstruction, however, fell short as southern “Redeemers” regained political power and enshrined a new system of white supremacy. While many of the changes during this era were structural, individuals also experienced personal metamorphoses. Each of the manuscripts reviewed in this issue explore these various transformations, shedding new light on military command and contingency, national and regional politics, and individual struggles as the American nation navigated disorienting change during these fateful years.

Preliminary Phytochemicals Investigation in Begonia cucullata

People specifically or by implication profited of plants. Begonia cucullata, a perpetual blooming plant taxonomically considered to the family of Begoniaceae. Begonia cucullata is local to the all South American nations. In India found in Assam, Meghalaya and Manipur. The shade dried plant powder was taken for extraction through organic solvents like petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol and water extract. The Biochemicals investigation is performed by taking after standard methods. Primary phytoconstituents investigation of the plant extract indicated the existence of carbohydrates, glycosides, flavonoids, phytosterols, and saponins in methanol and watery extricate. The plant extricate of methanol and refined water have appeared most extreme positive tests for Phytochemicals, which clearly shows that the existence of a few dynamic standards within the plant that are having vital restorative esteem.

Evaluating sustainable efficiency: A study on transportation systems in South America using data envelopment analysis

The transport sector is pivotal in fostering economic growth and environmental sustainability. Extensive research has scrutinized various transportation modes individually, yet a holistic assessment encompassing all modes while considering CO2 emissions needs to be more conspicuously present. Our study employs Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to evaluate the efficacy of transportation policies in South American nations in the context of United Nations-established sustainable development goals. Our overarching objective is to classify the sustainability status of South American countries' transport sectors and to establish benchmark models rooted in the six dimensions of sustainability. Methodologically, our analysis integrates operational transportation metrics, Gross Domestic Product per capita, Human Development Index, and CO2 emissions from transportation systems. Additionally, we draw comparative insights by juxtaposing South American countries against the G8 and BRICS nations. The rigorous application of DEA coupled with bootstrap validation fortifies the reliability of our findings. Our results bring to light these findings, positioning South American countries closer to their developed counterparts. Notably, the sustainable development models of Chile and Uruguay emerge as prominent exemplars. This study underscores the pressing demand for holistic and integrated development strategies to attain more sustainable outcomes across South American nations in a faster way. In conclusion, our research fills a conspicuous void in the extant literature by furnishing a comprehensive evaluation of transportation policy performance in South America. Based on a robust methodology, this empirical evidence offers valuable insights for policymakers striving to advance sustainable regional development.

Políticas institucionales de investigación en educación superior

In Ibero-America, studies on "institutional research policies" in "higher education" constitute a little explored or emerging field; the absence of publications on the subject evokes multi-causal factors such as the lack of maturation of administrative structures oriented to the development of science, technology and innovation -CTeI in the countries, low valuation of knowledge in society, insufficient budgetary and infrastructural capacities in the territories; the instability in the governance of Latin American nations and the volatility in the regulations oriented to research development; makes that for the most part, a divulgative scenario composed of succinct cases with annualized statistical data and without periodicity/transcendence in time is established. This article describes the findings found in the systematic review of the scientific literature on institutional research policies in higher education published from 2014 to 2023. The methodology adopted the guidelines of the PRISMA Statement method and the Cochrane Collaboration manual, to establish a map of motivations, thematizations, and theoretical and methodological contributions; from the deconstruction of records through the MAXQDAÒ qualitative analysis software. The results, discussions, and conclusions are framed in a humanistic perspective of "science and technology studies -ECT" that seek in / from institutional research policies an opportunity to constitute a "research culture" at the various levels of higher education oriented/evaluated from representational, regulatory, identity, productive and usability of knowledge elements.

Political sources of urban concentration in Latin America

ABSTRACT Latin American nations are highly urbanised around a small number of megacities that account for the majority of these nations’ productivity and population. Scholars of urban planning and economics argue these cities may be overly large, leading to environmental, transportation and housing issues that depress growth and increase economic inequality. We use fine-grained satellite data from 1992–2018 to document urban concentration in Latin America. We argue political decentralisation creates incentives to distribute urban populations more evenly throughout the territory. Our results demonstrate a strong empirical relationship between political decentralisation and lower urban concentration. We link our findings to literature on economic geography, political institutions and urbanisation, with broader implications for the politics of economic growth.

Incidence and risk factors for catheter-associated urinary tract infection in 623 intensive care units throughout 37 Asian, African, Eastern European, Latin American, and Middle Eastern nations: A multinational prospective research of INICC.

To identify urinary catheter (UC)-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) incidence and risk factors. A prospective cohort study. The study was conducted across 623 ICUs of 224 hospitals in 114 cities in 37 African, Asian, Eastern European, Latin American, and Middle Eastern countries. The study included 169,036 patients, hospitalized for 1,166,593 patient days. Data collection took place from January 1, 2014, to February 12, 2022. We identified CAUTI rates per 1,000 UC days and UC device utilization (DU) ratios stratified by country, by ICU type, by facility ownership type, by World Bank country classification by income level, and by UC type. To estimate CAUTI risk factors, we analyzed 11 variables using multiple logistic regression. Participant patients acquired 2,010 CAUTIs. The pooled CAUTI rate was 2.83 per 1,000 UC days. The highest CAUTI rate was associated with the use of suprapubic catheters (3.93 CAUTIs per 1,000 UC days); with patients hospitalized in Eastern Europe (14.03) and in Asia (6.28); with patients hospitalized in trauma (7.97), neurologic (6.28), and neurosurgical ICUs (4.95); with patients hospitalized in lower-middle-income countries (3.05); and with patients in public hospitals (5.89).The following variables were independently associated with CAUTI: Age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.01; P < .0001), female sex (aOR, 1.39; P < .0001), length of stay (LOS) before CAUTI-acquisition (aOR, 1.05; P < .0001), UC DU ratio (aOR, 1.09; P < .0001), public facilities (aOR, 2.24; P < .0001), and neurologic ICUs (aOR, 11.49; P < .0001). CAUTI rates are higher in patients with suprapubic catheters, in middle-income countries, in public hospitals, in trauma and neurologic ICUs, and in Eastern European and Asian facilities.Based on findings regarding risk factors for CAUTI, focus on reducing LOS and UC utilization is warranted, as well as implementing evidence-based CAUTI-prevention recommendations.

What Purpose Education? Anna Julia Cooper’s and Booker T. Washington’s Differing Views on Education

ABSTRACT: This article discusses Dr. Anna Julia Haywood Cooper’s and Booker T. Washington’s advocacy for African American education during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Cooper and Washington had very different opinions about the purpose and kind of education African Americans should receive. Each saw education as central to African Americans’ success and inclusion in the American nation. Cooper perceived education as an opportunity for self-actualization and a way to resist political oppression and racial discrimination. Washington had a more pragmatic approach to education, seeing it as a utilitarian tool to help create a Black labor class to reconstruct a New South. Cooper’s A Voice from the South by a Black Woman of the South (1892) and “Educational Programs” (ca. 1930s) and Washington’s Atlanta Exposition speech (1895) and Up from Slavery (1901) provide readers insight into their ideas about the purpose of education. Cooper and Washington were two of the leading voices debating the question, What purpose education? Was education meant to be emancipatory and liberating, as the enslaved and their descendants believed and hoped it would be? Or was it meant to be pragmatic and utilitarian, as those seeking economic solutions to their problems thought it should be? The answers to these questions would have long-lasting effects on the lives of African Americans.

Economic Insights to Optimize Chain of Survival in Emergency Response

Background: Since economics is a social science studying individuals&amp;apos; behavior, it is plausible to employ its relevant concepts to study human behavior in the immediate response of lay citizens towards emergency incidents. In this context, economics has identified three types of policy lags in fiscal decisions that are of great interest to our study: recognition lag, decision lag, and implementation lag. Objectives: This study aims to apply the three policy lags in economics to the concept of ‘chain of survival&amp;apos; (CoS), in the hope of enticing rethinking its first link, and to seek solutions for CoS&amp;apos;s optimal activation. Methods: This cross-sectional study explores immediate responses to prehospital emergencies through a global online survey in four languages. It assesses how lay citizens recognize medical emergencies and activate the EMS system. Data is analyzed with SPSS v26 while summarizing qualitative variables via frequencies and percentages. Results: A total of 239 respondents were recruited in the survey from multiple countries. About 32% of the sample had recognition lag 95% CI of [26.3%, 38.2%]. Lower recognition lag scores were significantly associated with male gender, residing in Europe and Oceania, European and North American nationalities, and first aid training in last 5-10 years. Around 70% of our sample had decision lag 95% CI of [63.6%, 75.3%]. The most statistically significant factor contributing to successful decision to calling for an ambulance was prior first aid training. The average implementation lag score was 46%, which was defined as five minutes delay in calling for an ambulance or more. Conclusion: Applying concise terminology to the CoS&amp;apos;s first link (i.e. calling EMS) reveals behavioral constrains to an effective and timely activation of the CoS. These findings clarify immediate behaviors at times of emergencies, and inform targeted awareness programs addressing behavioral elements for a successful activation of the EMS system.

Among Independence, Sovereignty and Autonomy: The Dutch Caribbean

This paper critiques the structure and functionality of the 21st century nation-state through analysis of emancipatory decisions in the former Dutch Caribbean colonies of Aruba, Curaçao, and Suriname.Suriname, the most culturally Dutch of the Caribbean territories, was the first of the former colonies to secede from the Netherlands. Although Suriname achieved independence in 1975, the economy remained heavily reliant on the policies of the United States. As such, the Surinamese government prioritized the interests of NATO and struggled to reconfigure its preexisting relationship with the suzerain. This dynamic strained Surinamese relation with Latin American nations more actively resisting US imperialism and isolated Suriname politically.Aruba became a constituent country in 1986; however, this shift was not contemporaneously reflected in Curaçao. Curaçao had headed the former Colony of Curaçao and Dependencies, and independence would have weakened its influence on the other islands whose governing structure would have remained unchanged. While Aruba had the opportunity to claim equal status with Curaçao, it instead pursued emancipation. Demographically Mestizo unlike neighboring islands, Aruba was eager to distinguish itself from Curaçao, where advocacy for decolonization arose with support from regional Black Power movements. Aruba and Curaçao had a long history of human exchange with Latin American continent from the pre-Columbian period. The inhabitants, especially those of African descent excluded from citizenship on the basis of race, moved to Spanish colonies where citizenship was granted upon conversion to Roman Catholicism. The people could use religion to obtain citizenship. They had no loyalty to the European empire nor a sense of belonging to any European kingdom. What they wanted was citizenship and human rights.Around the time Suriname declared independence, European governments began to promote neo-liberal policies that advanced smaller or limited government function. The former Dutch empire was itself abandoning its role as sovereign of a nation-state. Aruba, which had witnessed Suriname’s predicament post-independence and where sense of belonging within the nation-state was historically weak, finally elected to retain within the Dutch Kingdom. To become an independent nation would have entailed severing preexisting ties with Europe and rendered the territory more vulnerable, since globalization often facilitates interference from supranational institutions and military alliances such as the EU and NATO. The trajectory of Aruba prompts questions regarding the true definition and function of the 21st century nation-state.Today, even independent nations comply with international regulations and belong to multinational free trade spheres and military alliances. Due to Dutch disinterest, Aruba and Curaçao enjoyed a greater degree of autonomy. Thus, dependent territories such as Aruba that are capable of maintaining intercontinental and supranational affiliations do not immediately necessitate full independence

The identification of subjects ‘foreign relatedness’ of civil legal relations from the perspective of cases

During the trial supervision procedure, the judge did not specify whether the case was determined as a foreign-related case because the applicant had American nationality. Rather, the judge only explained the “service of process and periods” of the foreign-related judicial procedure. The judge believed that the applicant had a fixed domicile in China, which was involved in the case, where the heating fee and property fee were disputed so the legal provisions on foreign-related procedures without a domicile within the territory of the People's Republic of China did not apply to the “service of process and periods”. To further explain the case, the applicant completed the purchase contract in September 2004 and the property management service agreement in November 2004. The applicant completed the Oath of Allegiance and acquired its American nationality on November 28, 2006. The applicant owed the property fee and heating fee for the period from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2016. In terms of time, the applicant had owed property fees and heating fees for nearly a year as a Chinese national and had owed property fees and heating fees for more than nine years as a US national, which means that during the period when the arrears of property fee and heating fee occurred, the nationality of the applicant changed from Chinese to American.

The influence of European Union personal data protection standards in Latin America from the perspective of social actors and Latin American authorities

This article seeks to delve into the perspectives of social actors across several Latin American nations regarding the impact of the European Union’s (EU) personal data protection standards on their respective legal and administrative systems. The analysis is structured into three distinct sections, each contributing to a comprehensive understanding of this influence, culminating in a concise conclusion. The initial segment scrutinises excerpts from field interviews, shedding light on the influence of the EU and its legal provisions in shaping the national legal frameworks of researched countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and Uruguay. The second part shifts the focus to a post General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) era, exploring the heightened awareness surrounding adequacy processes crucial for securing favourable decisions from the European Commission for international data transfers. Concluding the analysis, the third part examines selected excerpts from interviews about the relationship between the abovementioned countries and the Council of Europe’s Convention 108+ and the Budapest Convention. Notably, these conventions serve as additional benchmarks in the data protection landscape. In summary, findings from the field research underscore that the influence of EU law significantly outweighs that derived from standards outlined in Council of Europe treaties. Additionally, interviews reveal a palpable recognition of the imperative to draw insights from diverse global regulatory examples, hinting at the potential for a unified global regulation.

Branding the Nation or Branding the Self? Andy Warhol’s Self-Portraits at the 1967 World’s Fair

During the Cold War, World’s Fairs were the most visible and spectacular part of the ideological confrontation between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. The paper examines Andy Warhol’s artwork through the prism of the 1967 World’s Fair. Expo 67 was Warhol’s very first appearance on the international cultural scene under the auspices of the U.S. government, which back then was rather skeptical about exhibiting American Pop Art in the name of the American nation and preferred Abstract Expressionism instead. The paper explains why the U.S. government chose to display Warhol’s paintings as part of its official exhibition program in Montreal and what benefits this synergy had for both the U.S. nation-branding strategy and the development of the artist’s personal branding strategy.

The republican mother: the ideal woman in the early U.S

Despite the changing family patterns in the US, the views that originated in the early American Republic and formed American identity still largely determine societal expectations of women and the role of motherhood. The article is devoted to the ideology of Republican Motherhood , which prevailed among the upper and middle classes in the United States in the period between the American Revolution and the Civil War. It shaped the feminine ideal, turning homemaking into civic virtue and emphasizing women's moral and enlightening role. The concept viewed mothers as key in raising future patriotic leaders. From now on, the development and prosperity of the American nation depended on women. This transformed motherhood from a biological function to a socially important role, with mothers shaping children's values and beliefs. Republican Motherhood also expanded educational opportunities for women. The study also evaluates the socio-cultural influences that shaped perspectives on American women and their role as mothers.

Verbalization of the Lexeme «LOVE» in Modern Animated Films

The article discusses the verbalization of the lexeme «LOVE» in modern animated films of American production at the beginning of the XXI century (family and adventure genre). &#x0D; In the theoretical part, lexicographic interpretations of love given in Russian and English dictionaries were presented, the study of this concept in the works of S.G. Vorkachev was considered, and a working definition of love as a feeling of deep sympathy or attachment to animate and inanimate objects was formulated.&#x0D; In the practical part of the study, 121 examples were identified and analyzed that maximally verbalize the lexeme «LOVE» in the monologue and cartoon characters' dialogical speech.&#x0D; As a result of the study, it was revealed that the feeling of deep attachment manifests itself in subject-subject relationships (in the family, between partners, friends, colleagues, fans, as well as to oneself) and subject-object relationships (to pets, actions, states, place of stay). Individual cases of love have been identified as destructive.&#x0D; A percentage analysis of the frequency of use of the lexical unit «LOVE»&#x0D; has established the leading position of the manifestation of a sense of deep affection in family relationships. This is followed by partner love, love for pets, objects,&#x0D; friendly love, love for states, for the place of stay, for actions, destructive love.&#x0D; The least number of examples fell on fanatical and selfish love.&#x0D; Thus, the manifestation of a sense of deep affection and sympathy between&#x0D; all family members is the main indicator of the strong and positive emotional and&#x0D; mental states of the American nation.

The Influence of Social Vulnerability and Culture on Physical Inactivity in the United States – Identifying Hot Spots in Need of Attention

BackgroundIn the United States, ongoing efforts to increase individual- and population-level physical activity have made little to no progress over the past decade in reducing the percentage of individuals who report no leisure-time physical activity. The purpose of the current study is to further assess the relationship between social vulnerability and the prevalence of physical inactivity at the county level. MethodsWe merged county-level data on physical inactivity prevalence, the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), and the American Nations regional cultures schematic. ResultsPhysical inactivity significantly correlated (P < .001) with the overall SVI score and all subtheme scores to varying levels of strength. Clear and statistically significant heterogeneity in the SVI scores was apparent across distinct regions using the American Nations model, consistent with previously demonstrated patterns of physical inactivity prevalence. ConclusionsOn a national level, physical inactivity prevalence is unacceptably high and has not appreciably improved over the past decade. Within the United States, high levels of social vulnerability and physical inactivity are concentrated within specific geographic regions that need tailored solutions to resolve health disparities.

American evangelical nationalism: history, status quo, and outlook

Evangelical nationalism is a new manifestation of American nationalism in the twenty-first century. Internally, it advocates the integration of national identity and Christian faith, claiming that “America is a Christian nation”. Externally, it pursues the “America First” and isolationist foreign policy. The early religious, political and social activities of evangelicals were mainly embodied in the religious revival called the Great Awakening. The rise of the Moral Majority in the 1970s and 1980s represented an essential exercise in or attempt at evangelical nationalism. The election of Donald Trump as president in 2016 marked the development of conservatism, such as evangelicalism in the U.S., from a religiously conservative force to a full-blown nationalism. Evangelical nationalism rose in the context of response to dramatically changing internal and external environments, the adjustment of traditional conservative strategies, the revival of white racism, the interplay between civic and ethnic nationalism, and the crisis of modernity. On the one hand, the momentum of evangelical nationalism will diminish with the relative alleviation of conflicts both within and outside the U.S., the corresponding adjustment of conservative strategies, and especially the growth of the civic nationalist camp. On the other hand, from the perspective of “identity and ultimate belief”, although the identity problem characterized by the “culture war” will be relatively relieved with the mitigation of internal and external conditions, the United States, as a “Christian nation” underpinned by Christian culture and faith, will see evangelical nationalism resilient. Evangelical nationalism will continue to play an important role in the domestic and foreign affairs of the United States.