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Defining Governance in Latin America

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Abstract

This exploratory research aims to propose a conceptual definition of governance and to speculate on the state of governance in Latin America. Political instability, corruption, government trust, the rule of law, and nascent democracy complicate the definition and practice of governance in the region. Nevertheless, this papers offered a working definition. Such definition applies variously across countries-- some cases show disheartening results, others seem promising. Common to all countries is that governance is not sufficiently collaborative and innovative in designing democratically responsible solutions to complex twenty-first-century problems because it still depends on highly hierarchical structures and it is rule driven.

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Notes

  1. Colombia’s historical struggle with terrorism affects its citizens’ perception of political stability.

  2. Given Cuba’s unique political system, it would be invalid to compare it to other Latin American countries. Thus, Cuba is not included in this study.

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  1. The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA

    Alejandro Rodriguez

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  1. Alejandro Rodriguez
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Correspondence to Alejandro Rodriguez.

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Rodriguez, A. Defining Governance in Latin America. Public Organiz Rev 19, 5–19 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-018-0427-5

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