M. (Marta) Avesani, MA

My research is part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie project Presilient, which features an Industrial Doctoral Network dedicated to promoting resilient communities in the Global South in the aftermath of the pandemic.

It examines how the goals of sustainability certifications can be undermined by corrupt practices, potentially diminishing the developmental benefits they aim to promote. This topic is crucial, as certifications are increasingly becoming key decision-making tools for consumers and mechanisms for improving working conditions in the Global South. Latin America, a region profoundly affected by issues of development, corruption, and illicit economies, serves as the focal point for my analysis. My research methods will include a period as a visiting researcher at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO) in Quito and six months of planned fieldwork. During this time, I aim to visit multiple plantations in both the areas surrounding the capital and the Amazon, providing valuable on-the-ground experience and enabling me to gather empirical data to support the arguments and findings presented in my research. The results aim at providing tools for concrete policy recommendations aimed at reducing informality and moving towards a more digital and greener economy in Ecuador.

I am affiliated with the GLITSS research group, which specializes in illicit trade and globalization, and offers a collaborative environment for examining the intersections of illicit economies and development.