About the book

Edited by: H. Xavier Jara, Andrés Mideros Mora & María Gabriela Palacio
Published by: EdiPUCE, 2024

ISBN: 978-9978-77-707-7

Over four decades, Ecuador's social policy has undergone profound transformations—shaping the country's social fabric, inequalities, and visions of welfare. This volume offers a comprehensive and critical look at the evolution of social policy, poverty, and inequality in Ecuador from 1980 to 2021. Drawing on a wealth of empirical data grounded in interdisciplinary approaches, the book explores the role of education, health, pensions, taxation, and child protection systems, while exposing the structural tensions and political dynamics behind policy reforms. Beyond technical analysis, it questions the normative underpinnings of policymaking, emphasising the lived experiences of marginalised populations and the political economy of exclusion.

Table of Contents (Highlights)

• Social Policy and the State: Historical shifts and the role of political regimes

• Taxation and Redistribution: Reforms, regressivity, and fiscal capacity

• Education and Inequality: Access, quality, and structural gaps

• Social Protection: From conditional cash transfers to universalism?

• Health Systems: Fragmentation, reforms, and resilience

• Child and Adolescent Welfare: Evolving norms and persistent challenges

• Poverty and Multidimensional Well-being: Measuring and contesting policy impacts

Where to Get the Book

For institutional purchase or bulk inquiries, please contact: publicaciones@puce.edu.ec

Citation

Jara, H. X., Mideros-Mora, A. & Palacio, M. G. (Eds.). (2024). Política social, pobreza y desigualdad en el Ecuador: 1980–2021. Centro de Publicaciones PUCE.