IBBS
Iberoamerican Brown Bag Seminar (IBBS)
PhD candidates, master students, and visiting scholars found it a fearless place for a deep and open debate, which help them to improve their research. Furthermore, IBBS has been a fruitful place for the exchange between development and agricultural economist, who have few other spaces to share their research on similar topics on Ibero-America. Finally, IBBS is an inspiring place for Master's students aspiring to pursue a career in academia.
07.05.2026. Migrant labor market trajectories: New evidence from Argentina
Another great discussion at the Ibero-American Brown Bag Seminar featured Dr. Camila Cisneros-Acevedo (University of Tübingen), who explored whether the labor market is the sole metric of a successful migration. Using the Argentinian case as a lens, her research highlights how a migrant's origin and time spent in the host country reshape their overall experience, proving that success is deeply personal and varies by perception. The findings reveal highly diverse motivations across communities: Colombians often migrate for education, Venezuelans escape violence, and Bolivians, Peruvians, and Paraguayans primarily seek job opportunities. The research underscore that significant differences in perceived success persist even when labor market outcomes are identical. Ultimately, the presentation emphasized that "success" is not a one-size-fits-all metric, but rather a complex intersection of a migrant's initial goals, arrival conditions, and regional realities.
A big thank you to Dr. Camila Cisneros-Acevedo, the Göttingen School of Development Economics and and the Latin America Institute, Freie Universität Berlin.
29.05.2026. The transition away from fossil fuels in Andean Amazon countries
The recent Brown Bag Seminar featured Professor Dr. Carlos Larrea (Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar), who presented a compelling analysis of the major environmental and political challenges facing Amazon Rainforest conservation in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. His research highlights eastern Ecuador and northern Peru as the most biodiverse regions in the entire basin, boasting the highest density of tree, amphibian, mammal, and bird species, while identifying deforestation, ongoing savannization, and oil extraction as the primary threats to the ecosystem. The presentation emphasized that stronger, unified action is urgently needed, suggesting that common state policies focused on renewable energy could slow down and revert this degradation process. The discussion highlighted that collective regional agreements are key to protecting the Amazon, combating climate change, and lowering the economic dependency on fossil fuels across these nations.
A big thank you to Dr. Carlos Larrea, the Göttingen School of Development Economics and and the Latin America Institute, Freie Universität Berlin.
18.06.2026. Electoral quotas: who benefits in local political representation in Peru
This month's Brown Bag Seminar, Dr. Laura Barros (University of Göttingen) presented her insightful research on how the introduction of an Indigenous quota on top of gender and age quotas affects political representation and conflict resolution in Peru. Focusing on provincial elections and utilizing parties' closed lists, her study identifies Indigenous candidates through self-identification as well as Quechua and Aymara surnames. The findings reveal that while the Indigenous quota successfully increases the share of both young Indigenous women (+1.3%) and older Indigenous men (+2.5%) on the ballot, only the latter group ultimately gets elected (+3.9%), largely because parties' strategic interests influence the list ordering of candidates across different regions. The research emphasized that despite these structural electoral barriers, increasing Indigenous representation remains a vital mechanism for fostering greater dialogue and resolution in socio-environmental conflicts.
A big thank you to Dr. Laura Barros, the Göttingen School of Development Economics and and the Latin America Institute, Freie Universität Berlin.
16.04.2026 The Extended School Hour Program in Peru and its Long-Term Impact
At the Brown Bag Seminar, Marta Favara (University of Oxford) presented compelling evidence from Peru addressing this question. In 2015, Peru introduced the Jornada Escolar Completa (Full School Day) reform, which increased weekly instructional time from 35 to 45 hours. The findings indicate meaningful improvements in students’ mathematics and reading performance in the short term, alongside increased access to tertiary education—particularly to higher-quality institutions—over the longer term. In addition, the reform is associated with more favorable labor market outcomes, including improved employment opportunities. Overall, the evidence highlights the capacity of education policy to generate lasting gains in human capital and to shape individuals’ long-term life trajectories.
A big thank you to Dr. Marta Favara, the Göttingen School of Development Economics and and the Latin America Institute, Freie Universität Berlin.
12.03.2026 The Political Economy of Bread and Circuses
This months Brown Bag Seminar featured Melissa Rubio-Ramos (University of Cologne), spanning seven centuries of analysis, the presentation explored how the Maya civilization navigated environmental constraints—specifically, how decisions between recreational and productive infrastructure evolved during periods of drought and abundance. This multidisciplinary research sparked a rich and engaging discussion among participants.
A big thank you to Dr. Melissa Rubio-Ramos, the Göttingen School of Development Economics and and the Latin America Institute, Freie Universität Berlin.
12.02.2026 Firms, Regularization, and Immigrant Integration, the case of Colombia
The recent Brown Bag Seminar featured Lukas Delgado-Prieto (University of Oslo), who presented his research on the regularization of Venezuelan migrants in Colombia and their integration into the formal labor market. Results show that only 10% of regularized migrants obtained formal employment within three years, earning about half the wages of comparable natives. Although outcomes improve with experience in the formal sector, a significant wage gap persists. The discussion provided valuable feedback to further strengthen this timely and policy-relevant research.
A big thank you to Dr. Lukas Delgado-Prieto, the Göttingen School of Development Economics and and the Latin America Institute, Freie Universität Berlin.
11.12.2025 Resilience Amidst Uncertainty: How GFSN Crisis Finance Supports Developing Economies’ Recovery from Financial Crises
Our first hybrid Brown Bag Seminar featured Prof. Thomas Goda from EAFIT University in Colombia, who presented a highly relevant topic for the Ibero-American context: financial crises and the most effective ways of dealing with them. This was followed by a great and enriching discussion.
A big thank you to Dr. Thomas Goda, the Göttingen School of Development Economics and and the Latin America Institute, Freie Universität Berlin.
11.12.2024 Spatial Analysis of Ecuadorian Cocoa Producers
Another great discussion at the Iberoamerican Brown Bag Seminar (IBBS). Gabriel Rosero presented a framework to improve Ecuadorian policymakers' knowledge of how to increase the productivity of cocoa farmers, who represent 4% of Ecuador's GDP.
His methodology was challenged, generating a deep debate. It is what makes the IBBS a perfect learning environment.
21.11.2024. Transit Migration's Impact on Crime
Latin America is such an interesting region and our Iberoamercian Brown Bag Seminar is a place to show the research about its socioeconomic problems. In this case, we had an external guest, Ramon Rey from The University of Freiburg, presenting his research on transit migration's impact on crime.
The findings are interesting because he contributes to disentangling the impact of migrants residing in Colombian municipalities and the transit migrants walking to the Ecuadorian border. He found an effect on crime for the second but not for the first. It is a relevant contribution to the migration on crime literature, but it also brings insights from the transit Migration of Venezuelans through Colombia. Thank you Ramón for presenting at Göttingen School of Development Economics The University of Göttingen Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät
Last but not least, we are grateful to all attendees for a deep discussion. Thanks Dr. Ianna Dantas, J. Mariano Calderón, Maria Luísa Fernandes de Araujo and all others.
Program Summer Semester 2024
The Iberoamerican Brown Bag Seminar (IBBS) will be active for the SoSe 2024. Keep the following dates if you don’t want to miss the upstanding research conducted in Göttingen on Iberioamerican socioeconomic issues.
29.05.2024 - Social capital and palm oil production in Costa Rica - Gabriela Carbajo A, PhD student (VG 2.104)
05.06.2024 - Women's autonomy in Peruvian cocoa farms - Adriana Bernal Escobar, Post-Doc researcher (VG 2.104)
26.06.2024 - Jakob V. Latzko, PhD student (VG 2.104)
10.07.2024 - Maria Luísa Fernandes de Araujo, PhD student (VG 1.108)
Above all, we are really thankful to our presenters for sharing their research. Furthermore, we look forward to seeing you enrich the discussion with your comments in each session. Therefore, We are confident that IBBS will continue to be a constructive academic debate during this SoSe. Finally, the specific topics are soon to be announced. Please, to keep informed on the IBBS, join our mailing list and WhatsApp group.
05.06.2024. Women's autonomy in a cocoa farming setting in Perú
IBBS is about gathering economists from several countries (Germany, Italy, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Spain, Bolivia, Venezuela, and more), different topics of interest (Agroecon, gender, trade, politics, Development, migration, conflict, small businesses, etc) and different level of studies ( Master and PhD students, Post-doc, senior researchers and Professors).
The common interest is knowledge generation. It was achieved with Adriana Bernal's presentation on gender autonomy in Peruvian cocoa farmers.
IBBS will continue in a few weeks presenting more research on Iberoamerica conducted at The University of Göttingen Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen Fakultät für Agrarwissenschaften, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen Göttingen School of Development Economics
Thanks to Marcela Ibañez, Lennart Kaplan, Dr. Ianna Dantas, Charlotte Middelhoff, Maria Gabriel Uzquiano, and all participants for their contribution to the discussion.
29.05.2024. Social capital in the oil palm production of small farmers in Costa Rica
IBBS accomplished the goal of generating a productive discussion. We are thankful to Gabriela Carbajo for presenting her early-stage research. Thanks to all participants (Professors, Post-docs, PhD students, and master students) for their constructive comments and recommendations. It helps to get closer to identifying the causal impact of cooperative membership on land productivity and farmers' income for smallholder oil palm producers in Costa Rica.
It is a pleasure to learn how to conduct research in Göttingen School of Development Economics with the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen Fakultät für Agrarwissenschaften , and The University of Göttingen Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät.
29.02.2024 - The Extrajudicial Executions on State Legitimacy in Colombia, the Case of the “False Positive” Scandal
The next Iberoamerican Brown Bag Seminar is around the corner. This time, we are testing a new after-office format. It will take place at KGH (Kurze Straße 13), accompanied by an Abendbrot. Keep the date, it is on Thursday, 29.02, at 17:00.
Mónica Mahecha is a Pre-Doc working for Prof Sebastian Vollmer at The University of Göttingen. She is presenting her Master thesis: The Extrajudicial Executions on State Legitimacy in Colombia, the Case of the “False Positive” Scandal.
We look forward to seeing you there and enjoying a good discussion on an interesting topic of Development Economics.
24.01.2024 - Financial Issues concerning long-term investments among Costarican Farmers
It was another fascinating and deep discussion in the Iberoamerican Brown Bag seminar at the Göttingen School of Development Economics. We found out that it is a challenge for smallholder farmers to face oil palm replanting.
Main Findings:
1. They consider replanting when they are financially literate and have an active sucessor. It is especially true for large and older plantations.
2. Smallholder farmers get away from credit when it is from the public sector and with a longer credit duration. We were surprised by both findings. They also are less willing to take a loan for large amounts and when the no-payment period is shorter. Interestingly, they assume debt when accompanied by financial training sessions.
3. They become less risk-averse when financially literate and when they have experiences with credit.
The lack of financial options and financial literacy are two main challenges for the oil palm agricultural sector in southern Costa Rica to face the massive replanting required in the following years.
We appreciate the active participation of Professors, as well as PhD and Master students. We are happy to be a place for agricultural economist and development economist to meet and share ideas at the Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät – Georg-August-Universität Göttingen Fakultät für Agrarwissenschaften - Georg-August-Universität Göttingen The University of Göttingen
22.11.2023 - Economic Shocks and Political Participation: The case of Brazil
Our Iberoamerican Brown Bag Seminar started this semester with a great speaker, Laura Barros, PhD candidate under Prof Krisztina Kis-Katos supervision. We discussed on the impact of economic shocks on political participation in Brazil.
The evidence is robust, individuals after a massive laid off increase their likelihood to enroll in political parties or being candidate to local elections, the effect last and even grow in subsequent electoral cicle. The effect is larger in larger municipalities and for those with unemployment insurance or better education.
We are looking forward to our next session for great research conducted in Göttingen School of Development Economics at The University of Göttingen on iberoamerican issues. Thanks to all participants and Prof Marcela Ibañez for making this space for discussion possible.
07.05.2026. Migrant labor market trajectories: New evidence from Argentina
29.05.2026. The transition away from fossil fuels in Andean Amazon countries
18.06.2026. Electoral quotas: who benefits in local political representation in Peru
16.04.2026 The Extended School Hour Program in Peru and its Long-Term Impact
12.03.2026 The Political Economy of Bread and Circuses
12.02.2026 Firms, Regularization, and Immigrant Integration, the case of Colombia
11.12.2025 Resilience Amidst Uncertainty: How GFSN Crisis Finance Supports Developing Economies’ Recovery from Financial Crises
11.12.2024 Spatial Analysis of Ecuadorian Cocoa Producers
21.11.2024. Transit Migration's Impact on Crime
10.07.2024. Unvailing Trade Off: "Organic Production and Green House Emissions on Brazil"
05.06.2024. Women's autonomy in a cocoa farming setting in Perú
29.05.2024. Social capital in the oil palm production of small farmers in Costa Rica
29.02.2024 - The Extrajudicial Executions on State Legitimacy in Colombia, the Case of the “False Positive” Scandal
24.01.2024 - Financial Issues concerning long-term investments among Costarican Farmers
22.11.2023 - Economic Shocks and Political Participation: The case of Brazil
03.07.2023 - Escalating Violence with Peace in Sight
19.06.2023 - Exposure to Conflict in Early Life
05.06.2023 - Gender Bias in Parental Care
08.05.2023 - Did it Work to Fund Mexican Police?
05.12.2022 - Climate Start Cocoa: Women's Empowerment in Peru
07.11.2022 - Global Deforestation: The role of Weak Institutions
22.07.2022 - How Wide is the Strait? Unveiling the Interregional trade Between Spain and Morroco
