Research Library

Rice faculty scholar Leslie Schwindt-Bayer shares key findings from a recently published book she edited, “Gender and Representation in Latin America," which examines the factors that help increase women’s political presence in Latin American governments.

Mexico’s Ministry of the Interior estimates there could be 430,000 to 600,000 children and youth who are U.S. citizens but now reside in Mexico. Without the necessary documents, they become a vulnerable population without proper access to schools or social and health services. This brief explores the issues related to this population and calls for more research to be done to understand its impact.

Fellow Francisco J. Monaldi examines the factors that led to the collapse of Venezuela’s oil industry and the impact of sanctions against the country.

The people of Costa Rica will face a dilemma when they vote for a new president on April 1, writes Erika de la Garza: In Carlos Alvarado they have a candidate whose party has failed to deliver the change it promised in the last election. His opponent, Fabricio Alvarado appeals to their conservative instincts but seems unconcerned about Costa Rica’s reputation for tolerance, respect for all human rights, and regard for international institutions.

The outlook for the Venezuelan oil industry and the broader economic and political challenges facing the country are intrinsically linked. This report summarizes possible political and economic scenarios, as well as potential next steps for the country, discussed during a workshop convened by Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy.

The economic and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela took a turn for the worse in the second half of 2017. Declines in oil production and exports are accelerating. The government has fallen behind in debt payments, past the grace period in several cases. This report summarizes some key takeaways from an expert workshop convened by Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy to appraise these alarming developments.

Days after Peru's Congress nearly impeached the country's president, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, he pardoned his authoritarian predecessor, Alberto Fujimoro.

Rising crime and violence in Mexico threaten to derail the economic reforms that are President Enrique Peña Nieto's legacy.

A scandal that involves high-ranking officials from Costa Rica's three branches of government is testing the country's reputation for democratic stability. 

While academic and popular debates tend to focus on differential benefits and costs of trade across countries or industries, this brief highlights winners and losers at the level of individual firms. The authors demonstrate that preferential liberalization produces concentrated benefits among a relatively small number of very large and productive firms.