Macroeconomics and development : Roberto Frenkel and the economics of Latin America / edited by Mario Damill, Martín Rapetti and Guillermo Rozenwurcell.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Latin American neo-structuralism is a cutting-edge, regionally focused economic theory with broad implications for macroeconomics and development economics. Roberto Frenkel has spent five decades developing the theory's core arguments and expanding their application throughout the discipline, revolutionizing our understanding of high inflation and hyperinflation, disinflation programs, and the behavior of foreign exchange markets as well as financial and currency crises in emerging economies.

The essays in this collection assess Latin American neo-structuralism's theoretical contributions and viability as the world's economies evolve. The authors discuss Frenkel's work in relation to pricing decisions, inflation and stabilization policy, development and income distribution in Latin America, and macroeconomic policy for economic growth. An entire section focuses on finance and crisis, and the volume concludes with a neo-structuralist analysis of general aspects of economic development. For those seeking a comprehensive introduction to contemporary Latin American economic thought, this collection not only explicates the intricate work of one of its greatest practitioners but also demonstrates its impact on the growth of economics.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

The 30 authors of the book's 18 chapters constitute a Who's Who of Latin American neostructuralist macreconomists. Their contributions are roughly organized around the writings of Roberto Frenkel, an Argentine economist who was an active participant in neostructuralism from the 1970s on. He is described as "able to teach macroeconomics at the university in the morning, advise the Minister on how to apply macroeconomics in the afternoon, and write scholarly papers on macroeconomics at night." These original essays address macro and development issues (five of them make no reference to Frenkel). Some are theoretical; others provide a historical treatment of South American countries, e.g., Argentina, Brazil, or Chile. One assesses the possibility of reducing income inequality in the US. The issues they address are quite important, made more so by the current macroeconomic problems of Latin America. The main omission is a specific treatment of the commodity cycle, which accounted for much of Latin America's success after 2005, and which is at the root of the current difficulties. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. --Kenneth P. Jameson, University of Utah