Latin America Studies

About the Program

Latin America has one of the world’s largest youth populations, yet young people face steep challenges. Violence linked to organized crime leaves many unsafe, corruption weakens trust in institutions, and protests across Mexico, Ecuador, and Bolivia reflect rising frustration. Migration defines much of the youth experience, with millions displaced by Venezuela’s economic and political crisis, Central American gang violence, and climate shocks. Hurricanes, droughts, and deforestation add pressure, uprooting families and fueling further migration.

At the same time, youth are leading movements for accountability, climate justice, and social change—from protests in Chile and Colombia to climate and Indigenous rights campaigns in Brazil. The Latin America Studies program at Babel Institute examines these realities directly. We analyze how violence, corruption, migration, and climate change shape youth lives, and highlight how young people themselves are reshaping politics, economies, and societies. Our work provides governments, international partners, and civil society with clear, evidence-based options for building a future where youth are safe, represented, and able to thrive.

Key Research Areas

Corruption scandals, manipulated electoral systems, and barriers to participation have left young Latin Americans deeply skeptical of democracy. We study how these failures play out in countries like Mexico, Ecuador, and Bolivia, and test reforms such as independent anti-corruption bodies, youth-targeted civic education, and digital participation platforms that can restore confidence and strengthen democratic participation.
Millions of young people are leaving Venezuela, Cuba, and Peru amid state collapse, repression, and economic breakdown. Our work maps how violence, poverty, and climate shocks drive migration, and how U.S. policies on asylum, Temporary Protected Status, and work authorization decide whether these youth can access education, jobs, and stability—or remain trapped in limbo.
Hurricanes devastate the Caribbean, droughts grip Central America, and deforestation accelerates in the Amazon. These shocks are displacing families, erasing livelihoods, and forcing thousands to migrate north in search of safety and opportunity. We investigate how climate policies—global adaptation finance, reforestation programs, and local resilience initiatives—can be redirected to better protect the region’s youngest and most vulnerable populations.
From Mexico City to São Paulo, organized crime and militarized policing define youth experience. We analyze how gangs recruit, how prisons perpetuate violence, and why current security policies often worsen the cycle. Our research evaluates alternatives: restorative justice courts, community policing, and prevention programs that have shown success in keeping young people safe.
More than one in five young Latin Americans are underemployed, with millions surviving through informal or gig work that offers no protections. Currency crises, inflation, and stalled industries make stable jobs scarce, and many youth see migration as the only path forward. At Latin America Studies, we track how these pressures shape daily survival and test concrete options such as youth credit access, apprenticeship pipelines, and startup funds that can create real wages and long-term stability.

Our Contribution

The Latin America Studies program develops solutions to the most pressing challenges facing youth in the region. We analyze how democracy, migration, urban violence, climate change, and economic insecurity affect young people, and we highlight where existing policies fall short. Drawing on youth voices, regional experts, and local organizations, we propose approaches that are practical, measurable, and rooted in lived experience. Our findings are published in a range of outputs — from policy briefs and reports to op-eds — ensuring that decision-makers across Latin America have clear recommendations shaped by the region’s rising generation.