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Walker, Margery Swett

Art Department

1971

M.A.

Observers agree that Latin America is in the process of rapid social and economic change. They differ in their assessment of the future development of the continent. This essay presents a threefold investigation'of the possibility that an empirical approach to problem solving, manifested in the new emphasis on data collection, has influenced views of the future. First, a brief history is presented of the role of data collection ih Latin America from the Conquest to the present. In its initial phases it served to inform society--king and church, merchant and scholar--but in the 20th century, data collection has moved to a central role in the effort to transform society.
Secondly, a preliminary quantitative study of writers' attitudes toward change supports the view that a rational approach, emphasizing data analysis is significant in fostering a sense of optimism about the future. Finally, this study investigates the problem of housing for new urban dwellers to illustrate the dynamic interaction between data and observer, planner and reality, in a test case of problem-solving in a complex issue of development.