100 Adventures in Rio

Rio de Janeiro. Apparently more than just a beach town. From the day I touched down I was swept up in parades, dancing in the streets, capoeira, climbing to waterfalls, samba, forro, farmers markets, outdoor jazz parties, anti-homophobia film festivals, favela photography exhibitions, make-your-own maracuya caipirinhas, and even an evangelical music concert! Oh yeah, and sunbathing on Ipanema isn't bad either. Check out my 100 best moments in Rio. Volcanic ash cloud, you can leave me stranded in Rio any time you like! Brazil was FULL of surprises.

After Neoliberalism: The Future for Development in South America

By Melaina A. Spitzer

In the midst of what is becoming known as the “crisis of development,” countries around the world that once put their faith in the large financial institutions like the IMF and World Bank are growing weary. Resistance movements have sprung up across the globe, challenging the neoliberal model for development, holding it responsible for the perpetration of grave economic violence, all while failing to bring about economic growth. In South America, with the deepening crisis of neoliberalism, questions are bubbling: What next? Can South American countries shed the crippling neoliberal model, and if so, what would take its place? Through a study of the entrenched neoliberal strategy in Ecuador and Peru, as well as the emergence of new models that threaten neoliberal dominance in the region, we evaluate the challenges to and possibilities for a post-neoliberal and perhaps even post-development model. This paper argues that while new initiatives have emerged in Ecuador, which challenge the extractive development model, repressive policies in both Ecuador and Peru have meant that neither country is out of the neoliberal woods just yet.

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