Two New Papers Published: On Complex Natural Disasters and on China and Latin American Industrialization

The Boston University Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future published two new papers in its Issues in Brief series. The first – No. 017 in the series (October, 2010) – is written by Enrique Silva and focused on the potential and future role of the university in disaster mitigation and humanitarian emergencies(here). The second – No. 018 in the series (October, 2010) – is written by Kevin Gallagher and discusses how China’s rise to prominence on the world trade scene has affected Latin America and what Latin America might learn from China’s ascendency.(here).

The Issues in Brief series publishes original policy commentary based on research related to issues of high policy significance, including policy reflections building on Pardee Center conferences and workshops.

Pardee Center Issues in Brief No. 017 is written by Prof. Enrique Silva – Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the City Planning and Urban Affairs programs at Boston University. The paper, titled Complex Natural Disasters and the Role of the University, argues that universities need to harness the wealth of knowledge and interest within and across their institutions to think critically about and work creatively on “natural” disasters, and cites examples of how this effort has begun at Boston University and elsewhere. (Download full paper here).

Pardee Center Issues in Brief No. 018 is by Prof. Kevin Gallagher, Associate Professor of International Relations at Boston University and a Faculty Fellow at the Pardee Center, as well as Senior Researcher at the Global Development and Environment Institute at Tufts University. Titled China and the Future of Latin American Industrialization, the brief charts how China’s rise has stimulated Latin American exports significantly, while simultaneously threatening 92 percent of Latin America’s manufacturing exports. It is an update and expansion of his forthcoming book with Roberto Porzecanski, The Dragon in the Room: China and the Future of Latin American Industrialization. (Download full paper here).

All Pardee Center publications are available for download on our publications page (here).