Urban inequality in Latin-America: a review

Inequality has recently regained attention in the literature and policy debate, especially after the great recession that started in 2008, attracting more research on the causes and consequences of inequality. From the urban economics literature, this has translated into increasing research on inequality in urban areas. However, our understanding of urban inequality remains limited, especially for developing countries. Latin-American countries are particularly highly urbanised and unequal, making our knowledge gaps even more pressing for the region. In this (short) paper, I synthetize what we know about economic inequality in urban areas of developing countries, and in particular in Latin-American cities. To do this, I critically review the literature, look at some relevant figures, and highlight what we still do not know, hoping to motivate further research on urban issues in the region.