In Latin America, the term "fragmentation" has been the subject of several signifi cant academic debates. Used in all fi elds of urban research on Latin-American cities (political, economic, and spatial analysis), its diff usion resulted in its adoption as the foundational principle of a new urban model, the fragmented city. Based on empirical research on Ciudad Evita, we argue that fragmentation is a phenomenon that can also be observed in the interstices of an unequal society in the form of actors´ micro-strategies of social distinction and negotiation in the context of social polarization and contradictory and intermittent urban policies.

In spite of important recent work on the history of technology and the dynamics of technological change in Latin America, the literature in this field remains relatively undeveloped. In part, this is due to a relative scarcity of available sources for conducting research. This research note argues that national patent records are an important and untapped source for a wide range of studies on technology and technological change. The research note announces the creation of major new comprehensive databases of patent records in several Latin American countries, part of a larger, ongoing project to compile and make publically accessible patent records across the region. We also provide an introduction to the history of patents in Latin America, followed by a discussion of both the use (and misuse) of patents as historical evidence and recent advances in collecting and using patent evidence in Latin America.A pesar de valiosos trabajos sobre la historia de la tecnología y las dinámicas del cambio tecnológico en América Latina, no se puede afirmar que exista una extensa historiografía sobre el asunto. En parte, esto se debe a la escasez relativa de fuentes de investigación. Este artículo sostiene, precisamente, que los registros nacionales de patentes han sido muy poco explotados y pueden constituir una importante fuente para una amplia gama de estudios sobre la tecnología y el cambio tecnológico. En concreto, se anuncia la creación de nuevas y exhaustivas bases de datos históricas de patentes en varios países de América Latina, como parte de un proyecto en curso, de mayor envergadura, que pretende compilar y hacer accesible al público los registros de toda la región. Se aporta, en suma, una introducción sobre la historia de las patentes en América Latina, seguida de un análisis de las ventajas e inconvenientes de su uso como evidencia histórica, así como de los últimos avances en su recopilación.

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Between 1890 and 1930, Argentina's manufacturers invested in imported machinery. Although they aligned with political allies to advance and protect their companies, their dependence on imported machinery, raw materials, fuel, and expensive skilled labor were obstacles to their success. Two factors slowed the progress of these entrepreneurs: their lack of technological capabilities and the absence of government policies to address the problems entailed in importing foreign machinery. Several political factions supported industry's efforts to reduce dependence on imported products and to diversify the economy. While these supporters hoped to promote industry through the passage of legislation to raise the tariff rate, their strategy represented a compromise that stifled the drive to innovate that is so necessary for long-run economic growth and industrial development.

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