Handbook of Public Policy in Latin America
Published on 13. June 2025
Book
Hardback
692 pages
978-1-0353-1018-0 (ISBN)
Description
Bringing together an array of recognized scholars and practitioners from the region and beyond, this Handbook provides a comprehensive overview of public policy research in Latin America. It showcases diverse perspectives on the policymaking process, from historical, descriptive and prescriptive approaches to critical and feminist analyses.
The Handbook is divided into three core thematic sections, covering analytical models and frameworks, cross-country comparisons, and in-depth case studies. Chapters explore the current use of mainstream theories and investigate topics such as transparency, innovation, regulation, communication, and public policy teaching, identifying key challenges as well as opportunities for development. They conduct detailed examinations of countries across Latin America, highlighting the heterogeneity of the region and revealing how policies are shaped by local political regimes, socio-economic conditions, and cultural factors. Ultimately, the Handbook encourages a rethinking of public policy processes in Latin America, underscoring the need to promote South-South connections and to develop analytical models that are sensitive to the regional context.
Presenting original practical and theoretical innovations from Latin America to a wider international audience, this Handbook will benefit students and academics in public policy, public administration, policy analysis and evaluation, regulation and governance, and development studies. It is also an important read for policymakers and professionals looking to improve public policies in Latin America.
The Handbook is divided into three core thematic sections, covering analytical models and frameworks, cross-country comparisons, and in-depth case studies. Chapters explore the current use of mainstream theories and investigate topics such as transparency, innovation, regulation, communication, and public policy teaching, identifying key challenges as well as opportunities for development. They conduct detailed examinations of countries across Latin America, highlighting the heterogeneity of the region and revealing how policies are shaped by local political regimes, socio-economic conditions, and cultural factors. Ultimately, the Handbook encourages a rethinking of public policy processes in Latin America, underscoring the need to promote South-South connections and to develop analytical models that are sensitive to the regional context.
Presenting original practical and theoretical innovations from Latin America to a wider international audience, this Handbook will benefit students and academics in public policy, public administration, policy analysis and evaluation, regulation and governance, and development studies. It is also an important read for policymakers and professionals looking to improve public policies in Latin America.
Reviews / Votes
'A marvelous compilation of chapters on how various theoretical frameworks have been adapted and expanded for the Latin American context. Along the way we get windows into numerous policy areas in specific countries. This Handbook is an intriguing reference work for scholars of Latin America and of public policy generally.' -- Deborah Stone, Brandeis University, USA 'This Handbook is essential for anyone wanting to learn about policy studies in Latin America. Leonardo Secchi and Cesar N. Cruz-Rubio have gathered leading scholars writing on theories, country comparisons, and cases. This Handbook's impacts will last years with long-term historical value for policy studies in Latin America and worldwide.' -- Christopher Weible, University of Colorado, Denver, USA 'A wide overview of research on the policy-making process in Latin America, written by distinguished scholars. Well represented countries and issues provide an updated knowledge on this highly relevant and exciting subject. A must read Handbook for students, scholars and policy makers interested in comparative public policy.' -- Oscar Oszlak, Centro de Estudios de Estado y Sociedad, Argentina 'The Handbook of Public Policy in Latin America is an essential and timely contribution to the field of public policy, offering a comprehensive analysis of the region's unique challenges and theoretical advancements. The volume not only captures the current state of public policy research and practice in the region, but also points to emerging trends and future challenges. This would be an essential reference for academics, practitioners, and students seeking to navigate the nuances of policymaking in Latin America.' -- M Ramesh, National University of SingaporeMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cheltenham
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 244 mm
Width: 169 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-0353-1018-0 (9781035310180)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Edited by Leonardo Secchi, Professor of Public Policy, Department of Public Administration, Santa Catarina State University, Brazil and Cesar N. Cruz-Rubio, Policy Researcher, GIGAPP, and Professor, Carlos III University of Madrid, Spain
Content
Contents
Foreword by Luis F. Aguilar-Villanueva xxiii
Acknowledgments xxx
1 Introduction to Public Policy in Latin America 1
Leonardo Secchi and Cesar N. Cruz-Rubio
PART I ANALYTICAL THEORETICAL
2 Multiple streams framework in Latin America 13
Ana Claudia Niedhardt Capella
3 The Institutional Analysis and Development framework: theoretical
developments and empirical cases in Latin America 27
Raul Pacheco-Vega and Miguel Eduardo Alva-Rivera
4 Two decades of uses and applications of the Advocacy Coalition
Framework to study the policy process in Latin America: what have we
learned? 47
Paul Cisneros
5 The Punctuated Equilibrium Theory in Latin America 73
Laura Chaques Bonafont, Felipe Goncalves Brasil and Beatriz Policicio Rey
6 The argumentative turn in policy analysis: tracking its development in
Latin America 86
Leonardo Secchi, Frank Fischer and Sulivan Desiree Fischer
7 Critical policy studies in Latin America 103
Rosana de Freitas Boullosa
8 Evolution of the narrative approach to public policy in Latin America: the
cases of Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico (1990-2022) 119
Alejandro Miguel Estevez and Marcela H. Cifarelli
9 Latin America and policy transfer, diffusion, and circulation 143
Osmany Porto de Oliveira, Cecilia Osorio Gonnet and Raul Pacheco-Vega
10 Movement, irreversibility, and instability: elements for rethinking the
functioning of government and public policy 159
Pedro Medellin Torres
11 The Coalitions of Future Temporalities (CFT) Framework: a route of
theoretical hybridization for glocal policies 171
Martha Isabel Gomez Lee
12 Latin American developments in public policy theory 187
Andre-Noel Roth-Deubel
PART II CROSS COUNTRY
13 Is it rational? The rationalist approach in the design of health policies in
Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico 202
Laura Flamand and Ana Paulina Gonzalez Arroyo
14 Transparency in Latin America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico 224
Marco Antonio Carvalho Teixeira, Robson Zuccolotto, Mario Vinicius
Claussen Spinelli and Rayane Vieira Rodrigues
15 Citizen participation in the policy cycle in Latin America 243
Thamy Pogrebinschi and Melisa Ross
16 Subnational development, state capacities, and policy implementation: a
comparative analysis of Brazil, Chile, and Colombia 257
Jose A. Hernandez-Bonivento, Eduardo Jose Grin and Camilo Vial Cossani
17 Evaluation from and for Latin America: key elements for a culturally
responsive evaluation approach proposal adapted to the regional reality 285
Celeste Ghiano
18 Regulation and public policy in Latin America: regional experience and
contemporary challenges 297
Bruno Queiroz Cunha
19 Towards a design of gender-transformative care systems in Latin America:
Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay 310
Alejandra Benitez Silva and Tatiana Revilla-Solis
20 Teaching policy in Latin America: an overview 326
Fernando de Souza Coelho and Bruno Dias Magalhaes
21 Communication policy in Latin America 341
Palmira Chavero, Werner Vasquez von Schoettler and Isabel Ramos
22 Critical theory in public policy and anti-corruption strategies in Latin
America: unveiling the limitations (and hypocrisy?) of the dominant anticorruption discourse 354
David Arellano-Gault, Gabriel Rojas-Salazar and Luis Roberto
23 Design and implementation of open government policies and strategies in
Latin America (2012-2022) 370
Alvaro V. Ramirez-Alujas and Cesar Nicandro Cruz-Rubio
24 Public sector innovation labs in Latin America: grasping their maturity
level 385
Cristina Galindez Hernandez and Hironobu Sano
25 Artificial intelligence in Latin America's public policy cycles 403
Juan David Gutierrez and Sarah Munoz-Cadena
26 Problem definition in the agenda setting process for the decriminalization
of abortion in Central America 421
Jeraldine Alicia del Cid Castro and Gloria del Castillo Aleman
PART III COUNTRY AND CASE STUDIES
27 Public policy-making process in Argentina 439
Diego Pando
28 A critical analysis of public policies in Bolivia 455
Mauricio Alzerreca Medrano
29 Public policies in the building of independent Brazil: a historical
perspective 467
Frederico Lustosa da Costa
30 Public policy in Chile 481
Bernardo Navarrete Yanez
31 Public policy in Colombia 504
Juan Guillermo Vieira Silva, Santiago Leyva Botero and Pablo
Sanabria-Pulido
32 Politics and public policy in Guatemala 521
Jeraldine Alicia del Cid Castro
33 Public policy in Mexico: tensions at the center of government 537
Ernesto Velasco Sanchez
34 Public policies in Peru: a historical background 553
Luis Solari de la Fuente and Mariano Solari Moscoso
35 Policymaking at the world's eco-laboratory: contradictions in Costa Rican
environmental policy 567
Alonso Ramirez Cover and Tania Rodriguez Echavarria
36 Human rights and public policies in Ecuador: between centrality and the
"thorn in the side" 582
Efren Ernesto Guerrero Salgado
37 Higher education policy in Venezuela: the transition from a participatory
to an exclusionary model 598
Jose Rafael Mendoza Marquez
38 Public policy in the Dominican Republic in light of the National
Development Strategy 2012-2030 612
Gregorio Montero Montero
PART IV CONCLUSIONS
39 Challenges and perspectives for public policy in Latin America 625
Cesar N. Cruz-Rubio, Leonardo Secchi, Nicolas Bentancur, AndreNoel Roth-Deubel and Juan Guillermo Vieira Silva
Foreword by Luis F. Aguilar-Villanueva xxiii
Acknowledgments xxx
1 Introduction to Public Policy in Latin America 1
Leonardo Secchi and Cesar N. Cruz-Rubio
PART I ANALYTICAL THEORETICAL
2 Multiple streams framework in Latin America 13
Ana Claudia Niedhardt Capella
3 The Institutional Analysis and Development framework: theoretical
developments and empirical cases in Latin America 27
Raul Pacheco-Vega and Miguel Eduardo Alva-Rivera
4 Two decades of uses and applications of the Advocacy Coalition
Framework to study the policy process in Latin America: what have we
learned? 47
Paul Cisneros
5 The Punctuated Equilibrium Theory in Latin America 73
Laura Chaques Bonafont, Felipe Goncalves Brasil and Beatriz Policicio Rey
6 The argumentative turn in policy analysis: tracking its development in
Latin America 86
Leonardo Secchi, Frank Fischer and Sulivan Desiree Fischer
7 Critical policy studies in Latin America 103
Rosana de Freitas Boullosa
8 Evolution of the narrative approach to public policy in Latin America: the
cases of Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico (1990-2022) 119
Alejandro Miguel Estevez and Marcela H. Cifarelli
9 Latin America and policy transfer, diffusion, and circulation 143
Osmany Porto de Oliveira, Cecilia Osorio Gonnet and Raul Pacheco-Vega
10 Movement, irreversibility, and instability: elements for rethinking the
functioning of government and public policy 159
Pedro Medellin Torres
11 The Coalitions of Future Temporalities (CFT) Framework: a route of
theoretical hybridization for glocal policies 171
Martha Isabel Gomez Lee
12 Latin American developments in public policy theory 187
Andre-Noel Roth-Deubel
PART II CROSS COUNTRY
13 Is it rational? The rationalist approach in the design of health policies in
Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico 202
Laura Flamand and Ana Paulina Gonzalez Arroyo
14 Transparency in Latin America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico 224
Marco Antonio Carvalho Teixeira, Robson Zuccolotto, Mario Vinicius
Claussen Spinelli and Rayane Vieira Rodrigues
15 Citizen participation in the policy cycle in Latin America 243
Thamy Pogrebinschi and Melisa Ross
16 Subnational development, state capacities, and policy implementation: a
comparative analysis of Brazil, Chile, and Colombia 257
Jose A. Hernandez-Bonivento, Eduardo Jose Grin and Camilo Vial Cossani
17 Evaluation from and for Latin America: key elements for a culturally
responsive evaluation approach proposal adapted to the regional reality 285
Celeste Ghiano
18 Regulation and public policy in Latin America: regional experience and
contemporary challenges 297
Bruno Queiroz Cunha
19 Towards a design of gender-transformative care systems in Latin America:
Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay 310
Alejandra Benitez Silva and Tatiana Revilla-Solis
20 Teaching policy in Latin America: an overview 326
Fernando de Souza Coelho and Bruno Dias Magalhaes
21 Communication policy in Latin America 341
Palmira Chavero, Werner Vasquez von Schoettler and Isabel Ramos
22 Critical theory in public policy and anti-corruption strategies in Latin
America: unveiling the limitations (and hypocrisy?) of the dominant anticorruption discourse 354
David Arellano-Gault, Gabriel Rojas-Salazar and Luis Roberto
23 Design and implementation of open government policies and strategies in
Latin America (2012-2022) 370
Alvaro V. Ramirez-Alujas and Cesar Nicandro Cruz-Rubio
24 Public sector innovation labs in Latin America: grasping their maturity
level 385
Cristina Galindez Hernandez and Hironobu Sano
25 Artificial intelligence in Latin America's public policy cycles 403
Juan David Gutierrez and Sarah Munoz-Cadena
26 Problem definition in the agenda setting process for the decriminalization
of abortion in Central America 421
Jeraldine Alicia del Cid Castro and Gloria del Castillo Aleman
PART III COUNTRY AND CASE STUDIES
27 Public policy-making process in Argentina 439
Diego Pando
28 A critical analysis of public policies in Bolivia 455
Mauricio Alzerreca Medrano
29 Public policies in the building of independent Brazil: a historical
perspective 467
Frederico Lustosa da Costa
30 Public policy in Chile 481
Bernardo Navarrete Yanez
31 Public policy in Colombia 504
Juan Guillermo Vieira Silva, Santiago Leyva Botero and Pablo
Sanabria-Pulido
32 Politics and public policy in Guatemala 521
Jeraldine Alicia del Cid Castro
33 Public policy in Mexico: tensions at the center of government 537
Ernesto Velasco Sanchez
34 Public policies in Peru: a historical background 553
Luis Solari de la Fuente and Mariano Solari Moscoso
35 Policymaking at the world's eco-laboratory: contradictions in Costa Rican
environmental policy 567
Alonso Ramirez Cover and Tania Rodriguez Echavarria
36 Human rights and public policies in Ecuador: between centrality and the
"thorn in the side" 582
Efren Ernesto Guerrero Salgado
37 Higher education policy in Venezuela: the transition from a participatory
to an exclusionary model 598
Jose Rafael Mendoza Marquez
38 Public policy in the Dominican Republic in light of the National
Development Strategy 2012-2030 612
Gregorio Montero Montero
PART IV CONCLUSIONS
39 Challenges and perspectives for public policy in Latin America 625
Cesar N. Cruz-Rubio, Leonardo Secchi, Nicolas Bentancur, AndreNoel Roth-Deubel and Juan Guillermo Vieira Silva