Heading south but looking north: Globalization and law reform in Latin America

Abstract

While this article does not pretend to be the product of empirical and field country studies, it will try to bring to light some of the values and premises underlying both global and domestic reform policies, and examine other sometimes unstated but nevertheless relevant factors that affect both the articulation and implementation of reform goals, including the links between global and domestic actors and forces on these processes of legal reform. ... Because of perceived links between the rule of law, democracy, and development, legal reform has become a focal point in the world of international assistance. The dynamic relationship between these two modes substantially affects the shape and content of current legal reform programs.