Low-income Sectors Research Articles

“Honorable Piracy” and Chile’s Digital Transition

This article examines debates around Chile’s digital television transition in order to trace the socio-historical relation between piracy and social change. During the military dictatorship (1973–1990), media activists used what they called “honorable piracy” for counter-communication efforts aimed at restoring democracy. Following the return to democracy, community television participants have rationalized their unauthorized transmission of alternative programming to low-income sectors using a similar logic of honorable piracy. For these community television participants, the digital transition represented the possibility of redefining democratic access to the public sphere and attaining legal recognition. Through an analysis of citizen activism around the move from analog to digital television, this article argues that discussion of piracy emerges as an expression of conflicting notions of the definition, use, and distribution of public resources.

Introduction: Indigenous peoples and autonomy in Latin America

At the threshold of the twenty-first century, the concept of autonomy is a disputed term within academia and among different social sectors globally and regionally. In particular, the meaning of the term ‘autonomy’ remains elusive and highly contested in the relationships between Indigenous Peoples and Latin American states. The case studies and reflections presented in this special issue provide evidence that the concept of autonomy is not enough to understand the complex relationships between Indigenous Peoples and the kind of state that prevails today in Latin America. Throughout the region, capitalism as a global mode of production continues to expand and dominate, liberal democracy is characterized by limited levels of pluri-cultural participation in state decision-making, and there is widespread corruption and abuse of power among state officials at different levels. Moreover, liberal democracy continues to disregard the pressing socio-economic needs of the low-income sectors of society, in particular Indigenous Peoples. After reviewing the materials included in the special issue, this introductory essay argues that a theoretical convergence between decolonial and Indigenous studies and scholarship can offer an enhanced perspective for interpreting the meaning of autonomy.

Programas de vivienda social nueva y mercados de suelo urbano en el Perú

El gobierno del Peru esta implementando el Programa Techo Propio Adquisicion de Vivienda Nueva (AVN), destinado a los sectores de menores ingresos. El logro de su objetivo, sin embargo, se ha visto obstaculizado por diversos problemas, como el desbalance existente entre la demanda, por una parte, y los escasos proyectos de vivienda desarrollados en el pais y precios de la tierra urbana, por otra. Para el estudio de esta situacion se realizaron dos tipos de analisis, cualitativo y cuantitativo, destinados a evaluar los resultados del programa. Junto con la revision de la literatura sobre el tema, la herramienta utilizada para dichos analisis fue el estudio de casos (Lima y Trujillo), con la aplicacion de una encuesta y el desarrollo de entrevistas, en un enfoque en que se examina la situacion del Peru en perspectiva comparada con otros paises de America Latina.

El impacto de las remesas internacionales sobre el consumo turístico interno de México, un análisis econométrico con encuestas a hogares

El crecimiento de la migración y el turismo son dos de las más significativas manifestaciones de la globalización. Ambos fenómenos involucran el movimiento de personas, sin embargo, actualmente existe poca investigación respecto a esta relación. México ocupa el segundo lugar en captación de remesas internacionales debido a que sus migrantes se encuentran en Estados Unidos. Los vínculos que genera la migración están relacionados con el turismo. El objetivo de la investigación consistió en conocer cuál es la contribución de las remesas generadas por los migrantes mexicanos a la economía del turismo interno de México. Con datos de la Encuesta Nacional de Ingresos y Gastos de los Hogares se conocen tanto las remesas como los gastos turísticos en hospedaje y paquetes, así como el transporte turístico, que en suma conforman el consumo turístico interno que obtienen y realizan los hogares de México. Con estos datos y para contestar la pregunta de investigación se utilizó un modelo de selectividad asumiendo que el turismo es un bien de lujo y que los hogares se autoseleccionan para realizar consumo turístico. Los hogares que hacen consumo turístico son estadísticamente diferentes respecto a los hogares que lo hacen pero que además reciben remesas, por lo que es importante analizar el efecto diferenciador de las remesas. El modelo permitió identificar que por cada peso que ingresa por remesas internacionales, el 6% se destina al turismo interno. Esto equivale a 1.296 millones de dólares anuales. Sin duda, las remesas enviadas por los migrantes principalmente de Estados Unidos elevan el consumo turístico dentro de México. Esto indica que los hogares, en el momento en que uno de sus miembros se encuentra en otro país, estarán dispuestos a viajar, es decir, hacer alguna actividad característica del turismo, ya sea transporte, hospedaje o alimentación y bebidas, pues se crea una influencia a través de las pláticas e intercambio de experiencias que transmite el migrante. Por lo tanto, es necesario implementar políticas públicas que atiendan este sector, que al mismo tiempo es de bajos ingresos.

Impact of Low-Income Occupant Behavior on Energy Consumption in Hot-Humid Climates

Within the residential sector, the low-income segment accounts for a significant amount of energy consumption. In addition to poor housing conditions in the low-income sector, occupant behavior is one of the most important drivers of energy performance. This paper examines specific cases of behavior in low-income housing in hot-humid climates. Given the scant literature available on this subject, this study uses both quantitative and qualitative approaches to concurrently analyze both (1) subjective perceptions of low-income occupants and (2) real field data. Using principal component analysis, a wide range of behaviors was categorized into nine independent factors. Then, using multiple regression analysis, those factors were ranked in terms of their impact on household energy bills. The results revealed that the top five behavioral factors that have a significant impact on the energy bills of low-income occupants are the following (in order of importance): (1) cooling set point during summer; (2) energy-saving practices/behaviors of households; (3) occupant behavior with respect to indoor environment quality; (4) occupant behavior with respect to lighting and electrical appliances; and (5) heating set point during winter. The findings from this research will contribute to a better understanding of the impact occupant behavior in the low-income housing sector has on energy consumption.

Adolescents from low-income sectors: the challenge of studying in a time of digital environments

This paper is about practices and perceptions regarding the study of adolescents from low-income sectors in the City of Buenos Aires. The methodology consisted of 26 in-depth interviews with low-income adolescents and participant observations in twenty cybercafés of the South Area of the City of Buenos Aires. Among the findings, these students highlight that ICTs allow them to handle information in a more agile and entertaining way, more consistent with their daily uses. However, doing research on school content is what students do the least, since adolescents use technology mainly for communicative, social and recreational ends. These adolescents recognise some disadvantages in using ICTs to study: the unreliable information, the difficulty to distinguish which topics related to school content are more appropriate and the disruptive and continuous use of social networks. In this sense, these adolescents tend to have more problems in benefitting from ICTs for academic purposes than other adolescents. While communication and recreational skills tend to be similar, the evaluation of different sources of information and the skill to make complex searches online are usually more strongly developed in adolescents of middle and high-income households. In conclusion, we think it is necessary to take these problems into consideration in the social sciences research of the area and besides when implementing digital literacy programs.

Inferiorization and deference: The construction of social hierarchies in the context of paid domestic labor

Synopsis In Argentina, domestic work is one of the main occupations for women from low-income sectors. As in other Latin American societies, it is one of the most paradigmatic forms of contact between the different social classes. As such, this labor relationship has been analyzed in numerous studies as a critical location for the reproduction of social differences and inequality. The interpersonal relationships between employers and workers mobilize categorization criteria and stereotyped images that reveal wider dynamics regarding the construction of social hierarchies. On the basis of a qualitative study, the objective of this article is to analyze, in the city of Buenos Aires, the processes of constructing social hierarchies that are implied by this particular labor relationship. This analysis seeks to reveal the operations through which employers construct a stereotype of social inferiority for domestic workers through which they legitimize their dominant position in the labor relationship, and to examine the tensions and ambiguities of this.

Endeudamiento estudiantil y acceso a la eduación superior en Chile

Este trabajo analiza si el temor al endeudamiento, por cursar estudiospostsecundarios, afecta las decisiones de postulación e ingreso de potencialesestudiantes a la educación superior, si hay relación entre el temor alendeudamiento y el nivel socioeconómico de las familias a las que pertenecenlos potenciales estudiantes, y si hay asociación entre el temor al endeudamientoy el rendimiento escolar. El trabajo muestra que el temor alendeudamiento para cursar estudios superiores no sería una limitante paraque jóvenes de sectores populares accedieran a la educación de tercer ciclo.El estudio también indica que la disponibilidad de crédito favorece el acceso ala educación superior. Los hallazgos de este estudio contradicen las conclusionesde los trabajos de Claire Callender y Jonathan Jackson, quienespreviamente y con los mismos propósitos analizaron el caso británico.

Characterizing Emerging Markets

This article looks at Emerging Markets and Low Income Sector characteristics with the scope of understanding the generalizability of the market-based approaches developed in High Income Countries. The literature review highlights that existing studies have not presented clear classifications of characterics and that current listings are partial.
 The article adopts and adapts the market environment theory classification and summarizes the published and documented characteristics of EM and LIS. In the process it highlights that it is necessary to distinguish between primary and secondary characteristics and that many of these characteristics overlap. Finally, it builds on the organizational theory distinction between objective and enacted environment to discuss low income sector's emerging market environments as constraints or challenges.

Expectativas de acceso a la Universidad en los jóvenes de sectores populares bogotanos

The strategies young people from low-income sectors in the Usme District of Bogota use to gain access a college education are explored in this article. Interviews and focus groups were conducted from a qualitative methodological perspective with the graduates surveyed by Romero (2009), who expressed a desire to enter college upon finishing high school. The study found that aspirations are important in implementing strategies to move up the educational pyramid, but are not the principal driving force. Social origin and regulation of the educational field are crucial when it comes to young people realizing their expectations and producing the habits and practices required to do so. It also was found that students who do make it into college pursue their studies as part of a family project that requires three strategies: first, assuming the project as a family commitment; second, dismissing the absence or shortage of capital supporting them; and, third, betting on will, effort and sacrifice, since access to college is an obstacle course.

Projeto ESPAÇOS de Curitiba, Brasil: aplicabilidade de métodos mistos de pesquisa e informações georreferenciadas em estudos sobre atividade física e ambiente construído

To describe the methods employed to assess the built environment and physical activity (PA) as part of a multicenter international study, and to discuss the challenges faced to obtain the necessary data in the Brazilian context. In 2010 a household survey was conducted with adults aged from 20 to 65 years in the city of Curitiba, Brazil. The study involved the used of geo-referenced information to measure walkability in all 2 125 census sectors in Curitiba. Census sectors were categorized by walkability and income, taking into consideration the average income of heads of the family in each sector. Physical activity was assessed by self- report and using an objective measure (accelerometers). Sixteen high walkability and 16 low walkability sectors were studied, with eight high-income and eight low-income sectors in each category. A total of 699 subjects were interviewed and 381 wore accelerometers. The response rate was 66.4% for the interviews and the compliance with accelerometer use was 85.8% (n = 327). The results show that it is feasible to conduct high-quality studies on physical activity and built environment in the Brazilian context in accordance with international standards.

Prevalência e características de mulheres com aborto provocado - Favela México 70, São Vicente - São Paulo

In Brazil, abortion is among the leading causes of maternal mortality. Research has shown that abortion is practiced clandestinely by women of all social classes, but has unequal consequences depending on social inclusion, producing risks to poor women. Although the issue has been widely explored in the past 20 years, there is a lack of data about low-income women. Thus, the present study aims to estimate the prevalence of women with induced abortion. Women from a population-based household survey in low-income sectors of São Vicente, São Paulo were recruited. Women of childbearing age from 15 to 49 years were eligible. The evaluation of the prevalence ratios for women with induced abortion was performed by using generalized linear models, with Poisson log-link function and robust variance to approximate the binomial. The most frequent variables that influenced reporting of abortion were: "always accept this practice" (95% CI 2.98-11.02), followed by "not having a child born alive" (95% CI 1.35-19.78), having "two to five live births" (95% CI 1.42-14.40), "having 'six or more live births" (95% CI 1.35-19.78), "age at interview" (95% CI 1.01-1.07) and "income" < R$ 484.97' (95% CI 1.04-2.96). A widespread campaign about the practice of abortion, which can raise awareness among women in favor of the cause, especially among those in low-income strata is necessary to prevent unnecessary deaths.

La pérdida del valor social de la vivienda

El tema de la vivienda ha sido objeto de preocupación para la mayoría de los países; en Latinoamérica cobra un significado particular como producto de políticas públicas de tipo financiero que han dejado a los sectores populares sin posibilidad de acceder a este bien, lo cual ha impactado en la pérdida “social” del concepto de vivienda de interés social que, en épocas anteriores, se destinaba exclusivamente a los sectores de bajos recursos económicos que carecían de ella. Con la inclusión tanto de agentes financieros como del sector inmobiliario, además del alejamiento del Estado como agente regulador, ésta se ha encarecido volviéndose inaccesible a los sectores populares. Por ello, la vivienda social es adquirida por sectores medios de la sociedad, no siempre para resolver sus necesidades de habitación, sino más bien como una segunda residencia para el disfrute ocasional o como una propiedad que se incorpora al mercado de vivienda en alquiler.

Shifts in family policy in the UK under New Labour

In the years since it came to power in 1997, New Labour has set about reforming key elements of the British welfare state. In its wide-ranging vision, project even, the family has had a central place. This article probes the meaning and significance of New Labour’s focus on the family and considers whether it represents a change compared with past policies. The impressive range of measures put in place by New Labour suggests considerable change. These measures address, inter alia, children’s early education and care, services to stabilise and improve the quality of family relations especially in low-income sectors of the population, parental employment and greater flexibility in work and family life. But the balance between change and continuity is a relatively fine one. While New Labour’s concerns about family have sui generis aspects, they also draw upon long-standing features of and concerns around the welfare state in the UK. One conclusion, then, is that while there has been innovation, not least in the policy settings and instruments, New Labour’s approach to the family draws upon and reinforces existing philosophies around welfare and the family. However, under New Labour, the family became more rather than less important as a concern of policy. A second conclusion, then, is that New Labour has sought a balance between its selectivist approach and a more universalist concern to elevate family as an agent and source of social stability. A third conclusion and a key element of the argument advanced is that New Labour’s policy has to be understood as part of an ideological project that is both social and economic in nature.

Role of Communities in Resource Mobilization and Risk Sharing: A Synthesis Report

Most community finance schemes have evolved in the context of severe economic constraints, political instability, and lack of good governance. Usually government taxation capacity is weak, formal mechanisms of social protection for vulnerable populations absent, and government oversight of the informal health sector lacking. In this context of extreme public sector failure, community involvement in financing health care provides a critical though insufficient first step in the long march toward improved access to health care by the poor and social protection against the cost of illness. It should be regarded as a complement to-not as a substitute for-strong government involvement in health care financing and risk management related to the cost of illness. Based on an extensive survey of the literature, the main strengths of community financing schemes are the extent of outreach penetration achieved through community participation, their contribution to financial protection against illness, and increase in access to health care by low-income rural and informal sector workers. Their main weaknesses are the low volume of revenues that can be mobilized from poor communities, the frequent exclusion of the very poorest from participation in such schemes without some form of subsidy, the small size of the risk pool, the limited management capacity that exists in rural and low-income contexts, and their isolation from the more comprehensive benefits that are often available through more formal health financing mechanisms and provider networks. The authors conclude by proposing concrete public policy measures that governments can introduce to strengthen and improve the effectiveness of community involvement in health care financing. This includes: (a) increased and well-targeted subsidies to pay for the premiums of low-income populations; (b) use of insurance to protect against expenditure fluctuations and use of reinsurance to enlarge the effective size of small risk pools; (c) use of effective prevention and case management techniques to limit expenditure fluctuations; (d) technical support to strengthen the management capacity of local schemes; and (e) establishment and strengthening of links with the formal financing and provider networks.

Enterprising Local Market-Based Initiatives

This article starts by introducing the examples of three nonprofits currently engaging in social innovation globally. These examples illustrate the notion of social innovation, providing the grounds to compare three definitions. Next, several key features that characterize third sector innovation are explained. The article’s central focus lies on a study of 24 innovative social organizations that have launched market-based initiatives involving low-income sectors in Ibero-America. Finally, the article sketches some initial ideas on local social innovation, revisiting the definition of social innovation.

Simulación Dinámica y Estudio Comparativo de diferentes Configuraciones de Sistemas de Enfriamiento Evaporativo para Mexicali, México

The design and evaluation of several configurations of evaporative cooling systems for air conditioning of a dwelling for low-income sectors in Mexicali, Mexico using simulation with TRNSYS 16.A is presented in this paper. The configurations studied include direct as well as indirect evaporative cooling with heat exchange and also systems with solid desiccant. The main rating parameters to classify the different configurations are the internal comfort conditions, the efficiency and the number of required equipments. The results show that the best configuration is one that includes a heat exchanger that pre-cools the air inlet stream with a cooling stream delivered by air coming from the dwell, but there is a small fraction of the time during the day that comfort is not met. If thermal comfort is to be met during the whole day, solid desiccant systems are the best choice.

Gated Communities and Housing Projects: The Control of Public Space in San Juan

Este artículo estudia dos maneras específicas en las que están creadas y reguladas las urbanizaciones cerradas con acceso controlado en Puerto Rico. A través de una serie de políticas públicas restrictivas de planificación urbana, el acceso a espacios que se consideraban públicos fue transformado en maneras que afectan el flujo de personas en las áreas urbanas, particularmente en el área metropolitana de San Juan. Esas políticas y particularidades en la construcción de comunidades cerradas en Puerto Rico, así como los patrones de privatización de los espacios públicos en la isla, serán analizadas. Una interpretación de cómo la concepción de los espacios públicos y privados explican estas políticas en un entorno caribeño y sus efectos en la polarizaron social, será parte de la discusión. Los diferentes efectos que estas políticas de planificación tienen en los espacios ocupados por sectores de mas bajos recursos de la población serán comparados con los efectos en personas en las clases medias y mas altas.

Risk factors of cervical neoplasia in a low income sector under control program in a developing country

1545 Background: There are a high number of risk factors (RF) in cervical neoplasias, most of them related with human papilloma virus infection: women with history of multiple sex partners (MSP), with early onset of sexual intercourse (EOSI),and non-previous cervical Papanicolaou (Pap) smear (NPAP).Objective: To determine the presence of RF in the studied population, the frecuency and types of lesions found, and the correlation between non-previous pap smear and underlying pathology. Methods: The population included in the study were 14,021 patients from institutions of public (PU) (n = 7523) and private (PRI) (n = 6499) sectors in the province of Tucumán–the average age being 34 and 43 years old, respectively–studied between 2007 and 2008, in a routine screening for CC with Pap testing. Both sectors include mostly low income people with none or limited health insurance. All testings were performed under methodologic norms of a CC Detection Program. The RF analized were: NPAP, EOSI, and MSP. Cervical lesions were studied with Bethesda System 2001. The statistic applied was the exploratory analysis. Results: NPAP in PU n = 4562 (75.76%), PRI n = 3247 (81.66%). EOSI with mean age being in PU 17 years old (sD 3.55) and PRI 19 (sD 5.33).MSP above 4 partners PU n= 482 (6.55%) PRI n= 161 (2.75%).Frecuency of LSIL in PU n= 30 (0,40%) PRI n = 50 (0.80%).HSIL in PU n = 29 (0.39%) PRI n = 28 (0.45%).Ca INV in PU n = 6 (0.08%) PRI n = 3 (0.05%). ASCUS in PU n = 24 (0.32%) PRI n = 10 (0.16%). Asociation between NPAP and cervical pathology was found p = 0.024 &lt; 0.05 given that 100/142 (70.42%) patients with lesion had NPAP and 42/142 (29.57%) paitents had previous Pap. Conclusions: The results in this sample indicate low Pap coverture is mantained in PU and PRI sectors and the need to approach the population under 20 years old in Tucuman, Argentina, to prevent CC. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Economic Penalties and Rewards of Family Formation, Gender and Education in the Low-income Sector in Germany1

This article examines the differential effects of changes in family formations on men's and women's economic vulnerability. The motivating question is whether investments in education provide sufficient resources to escape the risk of poverty in the low-income sector or if changes in household characteristics are more important determinants of one's living standard. Changes in household characteristics are defined in terms of partners' entry into and exit from households and partners' different labour market profiles. The analysis focuses on households in the low-income sector in Germany, a population that is at high risk of poverty in a social welfare state that is expected to mitigate the effects of changes in family formation independent of gender. Findings from panel regression analysis demonstrate that women, in contrast to men, benefit economically as much as or more from investing in traditional family formations than in their own labour market position. This is especially the case for women with lower levels of education.