Key research themes
1. How have land use transformations and urbanization in Central America and Mexico influenced socioenvironmental inequality and conflict?
This research area investigates the historical and ongoing processes of land appropriation, rural-to-urban migration, and urban expansion in Central America and Mexico, assessing how these transformations have generated socioenvironmental inequalities, displacement, and class struggles. Understanding these dynamics is critical for addressing environmental violence, sustainable urban development, and social justice in the region amid persistent structural inequalities and global capital integration.
2. What are the dynamics and impacts of organized crime and violence on governance and society in Central America and Mexico?
This theme examines the evolution, organization, and socio-political consequences of transnational organized crime networks in the Northern Triangle and Mexico, focusing on their effects on governance, citizen security, and human rights. It studies how crime groups exploit weak institutions and porous borders, exacerbating violence—and investigates gender roles within these criminal structures. Insights inform policy and civil society responses to endemic violence destabilizing the region.
3. How do climate variability and extreme weather events, including tropical cyclones and drought, affect Central America and Mexico, and what is the role of anthropogenic climate change?
This research area addresses the detection, attribution, and impacts of meteorological extremes such as tropical cyclones, droughts, heat waves, and precipitation variability in Central America and Mexico. It evaluates the adequacy of climate models and indices used for monitoring drought and cyclone activity, assesses economic and social consequences, and interrogates the influence of climate change on observed weather extremes, providing evidence necessary for adaptation and risk management strategies.