Our Publications, Reports, and Short Articles
Open, citable research that turns evidence into policy action.
At Studio 1848., our publications are designed to help decision-makers act with clarity and stay informed. Each report, insight note, and flagship brief distills complex evidence into practical intelligence by connecting data to the dilemmas governments, institutions, and citizens across Latin America and the world face today. We focus on what’s changing, why it matters, and what options are realistically on the table.
More than research for its own sake, our work aims to shift how problems are framed and how policies are built. Whether testing a fiscal reform against long-term debt risk or mapping the unintended costs of foreign influence, our goal is the same: to equip our readers with the tools to choose wisely, before circumstances choose for them.
Research Program
Author
The Breakdown: The Economic Effects of Gerrymandering
Gerrymandering isn’t just a problem for democracy: it’s a drag on the economy. By turning many seats “safe,” partisan maps weaken the link between performance and reelection. When that accountability slope flattens, officials exert less effort on broad public goals and channel more favors to allies. Those favors distort where private firms invest (through taxes, permits, and credit) and where public money goes (roads, ports, broadband). The result is capital piling up in politically favored places rather than where it earns the highest return, which lowers productivity and growth, and compounds the losses as the bias becomes more entrenched. The fix doubles as productivity policy: restore contestability with independent redistricting and transparent rules, and insulate infrastructure choices with rigorous cost-benefit criteria and sunset clauses for place-based subsidies.
The Breakdown: When Justice Falters, the Economy Pays
When judicial independence erodes, the rule of law weakens, and so does the economy. Without reliable courts, contracts become political gambles, driving up borrowing costs, discouraging investment, and stalling economic growth. Businesses shift from innovation to influence-seeking, while small and medium-sized enterprises face higher costs and fewer opportunities. Weaker creditor rights shrink access to finance, brain drain accelerates, and inequality deepens. This is a full-scale economic shock that misallocates resources, depresses productivity, and undermines competitiveness. Rebuilding judicial credibility through institutional safeguards, transparent commercial dispute resolution, and strong creditor and investor protections is essential. The earlier these reforms take root, the lower the long-term growth penalty, and the faster trust can return to markets.
The Breakdown: Why a Ten‑Day Ukraine Deadline Threatens to Rewrite Markets and Test Allied Resolve
President Trump’s abrupt shift from a 50‑day to a ten‑day Ukraine cease‑fire deadline turns diplomacy into a ticking economic bomb. Whether it sparks a fragile truce or sweeping secondary sanctions, the move could upend oil and grain flows, test Europe’s resilience, and push emerging markets to rethink dollar‑centric trade. “The Breakdown” dissects the stakes and leverage behind the countdown.
Moving Knowledge Forward: Studio 1848.’s Content Migration Update
Over the next few weeks Studio1848 is moving every report and article to our newly redesigned site. As links redirect and archives refresh, you’ll see brand-new analyses appear alongside updated classics. All of this is part of our commitment to deliver clearer, faster, and more valuable insight.