Moramay LOPEZ-ALONSO | Rice University (original) (raw)

Uploads

Papers by Moramay LOPEZ-ALONSO

Manguinhos, 2024

This paper examines how variations in the height and health of Mexicans during the second half of... more This paper examines how variations in the height and health of Mexicans during the second half of the twentieth century reflect the evolution of economic inequality, as its effects have repercussions on the health and nutritional conditions of the population. The average height of Mexican adults had a modest increase with respect to the possibilities of human plasticity. These anthropometric variations were the result of the incorporation of advances in science and technology leading to improved standards of living among the population. Body changes were impacted by dietary habits, urbanization, and government policies supporting food production and distribution.

Manguinhos, 2024

El cuerpo como espejo de la desigualdad en México durante la segunda mitad del siglo XX The body ... more El cuerpo como espejo de la desigualdad en México durante la segunda mitad del siglo XX The body as a mirror of inequality in Mexico during the second half of the twentieth century

Revista Historia Económica de América Latina- Año I- No. 1 / enero de 2024, 2024

This article examines scholarship in the anthropometric history of Latin America, published after... more This article examines scholarship in the anthropometric history of Latin America, published after the last survey in 2016. The field has grown in diverse senses: there are studies for countries that had not been studied before, such as Bolivia, Peru, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad, and the scholarship covers broader periods and in more detail for those countries that were first studied such as Argentina, Colombia, Mexico and especially Chile. New methodologies are used to examine height data and its determinants beyond the traditional realm of anthropometric history, such as gender dimorphism, nutrition, and Technophysio evolution. The approach has also led to assessing the effects of immigration and violence on living standards. This growing scholarship contributes to deepening our understanding of the region's socioeconomic aspects of stature, inequality, and welfare. More historical analysis would help to further our knowledge of the context in which these processes evolved in different periods for different countries. The field can expand and be part of debates on these topics beyond Latin America in many ways.

This paper is a revised version of Chapter 4 of Escamilla-Guerrero's doctoral dissertation. A pre... more This paper is a revised version of Chapter 4 of Escamilla-Guerrero's doctoral dissertation. A previous version of this paper was circulated under the title "Migrant Self-Selection in the Presence of Random Shocks. Evidence from the Panic of 1907." Escamilla-Guerrero is especially grateful to his Ph.D. supervisors Eric Schneider and Joan Rosés for their guidance and comments. We thank Eric Hilt (the editor) and three anonymous referees for their detailed comments that greatly improved this article. We also thank Fernando

We evaluate the responsiveness of migrant self-selection to short-run changes in the economic env... more We evaluate the responsiveness of migrant self-selection to short-run changes in the economic environment. Using novel historical micro data, we estimate the initial selectivity of Mexican migration (1906-08) and focus on labor institutions as short-run adjustment channels of self-selection. We find that the first Mexican migrants were positively self-selected on the basis of height—a proxy for physical productivity of labor. Additionally, the US financial crisis of 1907 significantly modified self-selection. Shifts in migrant self-selection during and after the crisis were influenced by the enganche, an institution that reduced migration costs, but only for the “best” Mexicans during “good” economic times.

A History of Living Standards in Mexico, 1850-1950, 2012

Has Latin American Inequality Changed Direction?, 2017

Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, 2015

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that there is yet another case in the group of countri... more The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that there is yet another case in the group of countries fro the periphery for which, in some periods of time, there was industrialization, dynamic development in income and still showed limited improvements in heights, health and nutrition. Such was the case of Mexico. During the period 1870-1950, Mexico industrialized and enjoyed

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that there is yet another case in the group of countri... more The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that there is yet another case in the group of countries fro the periphery for which, in some periods of time, there was industrialization, dynamic development in income and still showed limited improvements in heights, health and nutrition. Such was the case of Mexico. During the period 1870-1950, Mexico industrialized and enjoyed

Revista de Historia Económica, Vol. 37 no. 2: 271-296, April 2019 , 2019

Using data from two national surveys (ENSA, 2000; ENSANUT, 2006) we assess the evolution of biolo... more Using data from two national surveys (ENSA, 2000; ENSANUT, 2006) we assess the evolution of biological standards of living of the Mexican population born during the second half of the 20 th century. Our results show that there was an improvement in living standards reflected in an increase in stature, but this amelioration was limited. We observe differences across socioeconomic strata, across educational levels, and between men and women. Persistent structural inequality has been byproduct of a system of security and social protection that was limited, segmented and hampered the potentially positive effects of social-welfare policies. We corroborate the relatively modest improvement in heights by comparing outcomes in Mexico with other Latin American countries.

Manguinhos, 2024

This paper examines how variations in the height and health of Mexicans during the second half of... more This paper examines how variations in the height and health of Mexicans during the second half of the twentieth century reflect the evolution of economic inequality, as its effects have repercussions on the health and nutritional conditions of the population. The average height of Mexican adults had a modest increase with respect to the possibilities of human plasticity. These anthropometric variations were the result of the incorporation of advances in science and technology leading to improved standards of living among the population. Body changes were impacted by dietary habits, urbanization, and government policies supporting food production and distribution.

Manguinhos, 2024

El cuerpo como espejo de la desigualdad en México durante la segunda mitad del siglo XX The body ... more El cuerpo como espejo de la desigualdad en México durante la segunda mitad del siglo XX The body as a mirror of inequality in Mexico during the second half of the twentieth century

Revista Historia Económica de América Latina- Año I- No. 1 / enero de 2024, 2024

This article examines scholarship in the anthropometric history of Latin America, published after... more This article examines scholarship in the anthropometric history of Latin America, published after the last survey in 2016. The field has grown in diverse senses: there are studies for countries that had not been studied before, such as Bolivia, Peru, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad, and the scholarship covers broader periods and in more detail for those countries that were first studied such as Argentina, Colombia, Mexico and especially Chile. New methodologies are used to examine height data and its determinants beyond the traditional realm of anthropometric history, such as gender dimorphism, nutrition, and Technophysio evolution. The approach has also led to assessing the effects of immigration and violence on living standards. This growing scholarship contributes to deepening our understanding of the region's socioeconomic aspects of stature, inequality, and welfare. More historical analysis would help to further our knowledge of the context in which these processes evolved in different periods for different countries. The field can expand and be part of debates on these topics beyond Latin America in many ways.

This paper is a revised version of Chapter 4 of Escamilla-Guerrero's doctoral dissertation. A pre... more This paper is a revised version of Chapter 4 of Escamilla-Guerrero's doctoral dissertation. A previous version of this paper was circulated under the title "Migrant Self-Selection in the Presence of Random Shocks. Evidence from the Panic of 1907." Escamilla-Guerrero is especially grateful to his Ph.D. supervisors Eric Schneider and Joan Rosés for their guidance and comments. We thank Eric Hilt (the editor) and three anonymous referees for their detailed comments that greatly improved this article. We also thank Fernando

We evaluate the responsiveness of migrant self-selection to short-run changes in the economic env... more We evaluate the responsiveness of migrant self-selection to short-run changes in the economic environment. Using novel historical micro data, we estimate the initial selectivity of Mexican migration (1906-08) and focus on labor institutions as short-run adjustment channels of self-selection. We find that the first Mexican migrants were positively self-selected on the basis of height—a proxy for physical productivity of labor. Additionally, the US financial crisis of 1907 significantly modified self-selection. Shifts in migrant self-selection during and after the crisis were influenced by the enganche, an institution that reduced migration costs, but only for the “best” Mexicans during “good” economic times.

A History of Living Standards in Mexico, 1850-1950, 2012

Has Latin American Inequality Changed Direction?, 2017

Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, 2015

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that there is yet another case in the group of countri... more The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that there is yet another case in the group of countries fro the periphery for which, in some periods of time, there was industrialization, dynamic development in income and still showed limited improvements in heights, health and nutrition. Such was the case of Mexico. During the period 1870-1950, Mexico industrialized and enjoyed

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that there is yet another case in the group of countri... more The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that there is yet another case in the group of countries fro the periphery for which, in some periods of time, there was industrialization, dynamic development in income and still showed limited improvements in heights, health and nutrition. Such was the case of Mexico. During the period 1870-1950, Mexico industrialized and enjoyed

Revista de Historia Económica, Vol. 37 no. 2: 271-296, April 2019 , 2019

Using data from two national surveys (ENSA, 2000; ENSANUT, 2006) we assess the evolution of biolo... more Using data from two national surveys (ENSA, 2000; ENSANUT, 2006) we assess the evolution of biological standards of living of the Mexican population born during the second half of the 20 th century. Our results show that there was an improvement in living standards reflected in an increase in stature, but this amelioration was limited. We observe differences across socioeconomic strata, across educational levels, and between men and women. Persistent structural inequality has been byproduct of a system of security and social protection that was limited, segmented and hampered the potentially positive effects of social-welfare policies. We corroborate the relatively modest improvement in heights by comparing outcomes in Mexico with other Latin American countries.