This edited volume discusses the development theory advanced by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in the 1940s, and its transformations through the second half of the twentieth century. In this time frame, the authors identify two approaches: structuralism (1950-1980) and neo-structuralism (1980-onwards). The contributors describe the transition in terms of economic theory and policy; the conceptualization of the State; and the consideration of space on regional and global scales. They argue that structuralism is still relevant for understanding the current problems of development if a careful and appropriate recovery and update of its main ideas and concepts is made in relation to the current context of globalization and internationalization of production and finance.

Víctor Ramiro Fernández is Professor at the National University of Litoral (UNL), Researcher of the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), and Director of the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences (UNL and CONICET), Argentina.

Gabriel Brondino is Lecturer at the National University of Litoral (UNL) and Doctoral Fellow of the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Argentina.