Regional Authority in Latin America: An Analysis of 27 Countries (1950-2010)

34 Pages Posted: 13 Jul 2012 Last revised: 20 Aug 2012

See all articles by Sandra Chapman Osterkatz

Sandra Chapman Osterkatz

University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill

Sara Niedzwiecki

University of New Mexico

Gary Marks

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Political Science Department

Liesbet Hooghe

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Political Science Department; European University Institute - Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies (RSCAS)

Date Written: 2012

Abstract

This paper presents a new dataset on regional authority in 27 Latin American and Caribbean countries for 1950 to 2010 based on the Regional Authority Index (RAI). For the first time, levels of regional authority can be directly compared over time and across the region. We explain the conceptualization, operationalization, and coding of regional authority. Our study offers an assessment of regional authority under authoritarian rule and evaluates unwritten as well as written norms. We present substantive observations about the variation across countries and over time and discuss the implications and challenges of expanding the RAI to the Latin American and Caribbean context. We conclude by considering avenues for future research and opportunities for cross-national comparison.

Keywords: multilevel governance, decentralization, democracy, Latin America, measurement

Suggested Citation

Chapman Osterkatz, Sandra and Niedzwiecki, Sara and Marks, Gary and Hooghe, Liesbet, Regional Authority in Latin America: An Analysis of 27 Countries (1950-2010) (2012). APSA 2012 Annual Meeting Paper, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2104720

Sandra Chapman Osterkatz

University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill ( email )

102 Ridge Road
Chapel Hill, NC NC 27514
United States

Sara Niedzwiecki

University of New Mexico ( email )

107 Humanitites Building
Albuquerque, NM 87131-1221
United States

Gary Marks (Contact Author)

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Political Science Department ( email )

Chapel Hill, NC 27599
United States

Liesbet Hooghe

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Political Science Department ( email )

Chapel Hill, NC 27599
United States

European University Institute - Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies (RSCAS) ( email )

Villa Schifanoia, Via Boccaccio 121
50016 San Domenico di Fiesole
Florence, Florence 50014
Italy

HOME PAGE: http://https://hooghe.web.unc.edu

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