FEATURES SPRING 2012
Soci al
Inclusion
Each of our heroes is an inspiring example of what
can be achieved with determination and courage.
Social inclusion comprises multiple dimensions: eco- nomic opportunity, politi- calrights, participation and representation, recognition,
and access to social services. This special issue of Americas Quarterly reflects this complexity, recognizing
the advances that have occurred in
civil rights, democracy and human
rights, as well as the benefits produced by the expansion of effective
social programs across the region. It
also addresses the collective challenges that remain.
But there is perhaps no better way
of capturing the hope and spirit that
have fueled the progress of social in-
clusion than to highlight some of the
people who have embodied it. Our
special section on Heroes of Social In-
clusion, starting on page 46, focuses
on 20 individuals who have been
agents of change in their societies. It’s
inevitably a limited list—our readers
helped us select three, and there are
certainly others—but each of our he-
roes is an inspiring example of what
can be achieved with determination
and courage. The legacy of U. S. civil
rights leader and Supreme Court Jus-
tice Thurgood Marshall (p. 48) is as-
sessed in a moving account by former
President Bill Clinton. Other cham-
pions we spotlight include Benedita
da Silva, who led the political strug-
gle for Afro-Brazilians; and Peruvian
economist Hernando de Soto, who pi-
oneered the idea of property rights
as a vehicle for advancement of the
poor. All of our heroes have had a
dramatic effect on the lives of their
compatriots—and on
the hemisphere.
of political representation of race and ethnic
groups (p. 95); and Juan
Pablo Jiménez (p. 137) describes the ineffectiveness of tax policies in
addressing inequality.
Statisticians at the Bertelsmann Foundation
(p. 30) examine the cor-
THE SOCIAL
INCLUSION
INDEX
How Countries
Stack Up PAGE 114
AMERICASQUARTERLY.ORG
Americas Quarterly SPRING 2012
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