Rebecca Baran-Rees Humanities and Social Science
Managing Trash: New Urban Governance and Political Networks in Argentina
My research project addresses the important questions of how new forms of governance are emerging in response to the growing challenges of urban management in many parts of the third world. Specifically, I will investigate the newest forms of solid waste management initiatives in Argentina put forth by the World Bank, the national and provincial governments of Argentina, local cooperatives and private agenciesand the extent to which these organizational forms can actualize participatory development goals. As hundreds of thousands of Argentinos have taken to picking and sorting trash as a means for survival, it is increasingly important to assess how these new networks of urban and regional governance are bridging the private-public divideand ultimately whether the interests of the intended beneficiaries are truly being included in development projects.