Skip to main content
Support
Event

Book Launch - "Rethinking Argentina: Before December 2001 and Beyond April 2003"

The Latin American Program organized a book launch at the Centro Cultural Recoleta in Buenos Aires. The event consisted of a discussion by prominent journalists and political analysts.

Date & Time

Tuesday
Oct. 21, 2003
7:00pm – 9:00pm ET

Overview

Participants:

Joseph S. Tulchin, WWICS.
Nelson Castro, TN.
Martin Granovsky, Página 12.
Joaquín Morales Sola, La Nación.
Ariel Armony, Colby College (co-editor of the book).
Hector Schamis, American University (co-editor of the book).

Joseph S. Tulchin opened the book launch and introduced the panelists. He said the inspiration for the book derives from “the preoccupation about Argentina and the lack of reflection about it.”
Nelson Castro noted the book’s content was very rich. Before December 2001, “we all knew what was going to happen, but no one wanted to give the rest the bad news.” He argued that one of the main issues in the book is corruption, and that Argentina must achieve real “institutional quality.”
Ariel Armony explained that the book “reproduces an informal dialogue between people who do not usually get together to discuss these issues.” The meeting between specialists that served as the basis for this book was intended to “leave the recent economic and political crisis aside, to be able to reflect upon it.”
Martín Granovsky acknowledged that the book itself is a discussion, which leads to a greater discussion. He believes that the book “shows which issues have been debated in Argentina, and which haven’t. It shows clearly the tension between institutions and the society. It is impossible to move forward without discussing once again the need for institutions.”
Joaquín Morales Sola said the book was “very absorbing” given that it shows objectivity and knowledge that was new to some people that live in Argentina. He highlighted that “the Argentine political crisis did not lead to another military regime, and the economic crisis did not derive in another era of hyper-inflation.” This, in itself, meant that the Argentine society had moved forward.
Hector Schamis described the important issues mentioned in the book, and the severe Argentine crisis. He said that, to some extent, “the lack of economic policy making, the distance between the economy and the society, and the lack of communication between them” were responsible for the crisis.

If you are interested in the "Rethinking Argentina: Before December 2001 and Beyond April 2003" book, please visit our publications link.

Tagged

Thank you for your interest in this event. Please send any feedback or questions to our Events staff.