International Relations in North and South America

History of international relations in North and South America. Inter-American relations after 1945, including anti-communism cooperation, war on drugs and war on terror. Regional integration. Main issues in the contemporary inter-American cooperation analised from the bilateral and multilateral perspective.

1. Introduction to the course

Part One – History of International Relations in North and South America

2. Towards the independency: Northern and Latin American revolutions

a) The specific of the American independence processes.

b) New direction in US regional policy: from isolationism to engagement

c) Western Hemisphere in the International balance of powers

• Monroe Doctrine – evolution and significance for the inter-American relations

• Filibusters (William Walker)

3. On the turn of the century

a) From Pan-American Movement to Inter-American system: new dimension of cooperation

b) North and South America in the international relations – a reassessment

c) Western Hemisphere and the World Wars

• The Treaty of Rio – regional security system

Part Two – International Relations in the Western Hemisphere after 1945

4.-5. Cold war in the Western Hemisphere

a) The Cuban crises

b) U.S. interventions in Latin America: Guatemala, Chile, Bolivia, Granada, Central America

c) The Falklands War and its influence on the regional security system

Part Three – Main Problems in the International Relations in North and South America

6. New Agenda: From the Lost decade to the Era of Uncertainty. “War on narcotics” in the Inter-American Relations

a) Anti-narcotics policy: an overwiew

b) Main actors and Chosen Initiatives (Plan Colombia, Merida Initiative etc.)

7. “War on terror” in the Western Hemisphere

a) “War on terrorism” in US foreign policy

b) Terrorism in Latin America

• Narcoterrorism – a real threat?

8. Regional integration in North and South America:

a) From Washington Consensus to Buenos Aires Consensus

b) Economic integration in North America (NAFTA, FTAA)

c) Regionalism in Central America and the Caribbean

d) Regional integration in South America (Mercosur, UNASUR, CELAC, ALBA, Pacific Alliance, Andean Community)

• Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investments Partnership/Trans-Pacific Partnership

Part Four – Regional Strategies: different models of regional policies

9. Latin American Populism vs. North American decision making process. USA-Mexico-Brazil – different proposals for the regional leadership

• Pink tide in Latin America

• US-Cuba: a breakthrough?

• Future of bilateral relations after Obama

10. Final essay/test

Badella Alessandro, American Hybris: US Democracy Promotion in Cuba After the Cold War, “International Journal of Cuban Studies”, Winter 2014, no 6 (2)

Barshefvsky Charlene, Hill James T., U.S.-Latin America Relations: A New Directions for a New Reality. Council of Foreign Relations, Independent Task Force Report No 60, Source: http://www.cfr.org/mexico/us-latin-america-relations/p16279

Blaufarb Rafe, The Western Question: the Geopolitics of Latin American Independence, “American Historical Review”, June 2007

Dominguez Jorge I., U.S.-Cuban Relations: from the Cold War to the Colder War, “Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs”, Autumn 1997, vol. 39, No 3

French John D., Inderstanding the Politics of Latin America’s Plural Lefts (Chavez/Lula): social democracy, populism and convergence on the path to a post-neoliberal world, “Third World Quarterly”, 2009, vol. 30, No 2

Gobat Michael, The Invention of Latin America: A Transnational History of Anty-Imperialism, Democracy, and Race, “American Historical Review”, December 2013

Malanson, Jeffrey J., The Congressional Debate over U.S. Participation in the Congress of Panama, 1825–1826: Washington’s Farewell Address, Monroe’s Doctrine, and the Fundamental Principles of U.S. Foreign Policy, “Diplomatic History”, November 2006, vol. 30, no. 5.

Marcella Gabriel, The Transformation of Security in Latin America: A Cause for Common Action, “Journal of International Affairs”, Spring/Summer 2013, vol. 66, no. 2

Mariano Marco, Isolationism, Internationalism and the Monroe Doctrine, “Journal of Trans-Atlantic Studies”, March 2011, vol 9, no 1

Peceny Mark, Two Paths to the Promotion of Democracy during U.S. Military Interventions, “International Studies Quarterly”, September 1995, vol. 39, No 3

Sanahuja J., Post-liberal Regionalism in South America: the case of UNASUR, EUI Working Paper RSCAS 2012/05

Santa Cruz Arturo, Canada-Mexico Relations: Interdependence, Shared Values… and the Limits of Cooperation, “American Review of Canadian Studies”, September 2012, vol. 42

Slater David, Rethinking the Imperial Difference: towards an understanding of US-Latin American encounters, “Third World Quarterly”, 2010, vol. 31, No 2

Smith Peter H., Talons of the Eagle Dynamics of U.S.-Latin America Relations, New York 1996

Thérien, Jean-Philippe; Mace, Gordon; Gagné, Stefan. The Changing Dynamics of Inter-American Security Latin American Policy , Dec2012, Vol. 3 Issue 2, p147-163, 17p. Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell.

Weiffen Brigitte, Persistence and Change in Regional Security Institutions: Does the OAS Still Have a Project?, “Contemporary Security Policy”, 2012 (33)

After completing the course the student should:

- understand the basic issues of the international relations in the western hemisphere, both from historical and contemporary perspective;

- have basic knowledge of integration structures in the Americas and main problems of cooperation,

- achieve flexibility in analyzing the various issues of the American studies;

- develop critical thinking and drawing independent conclusions.

The assessment of this course will be based on the following three student contributions:

1) Students’ activity and participation in the debate which contributes 30 percent of the overall mark for the course. Students are expected to complete the assigned readings prior to class. Excellent contributions to class discussion show students’ knowledge of the readings and build on the readings. If you encounter difficulties participating in class, please discuss these with the professor. Students’ activity could be marked also by a seminar presentation no longer than 10 minutes and accompanied by a one-page handout.

2) Final test which will contribute 70 percent of the overall mark for the course.

3) Class attendance - No more than two unexcused absences will be allowed in this course (one if the session is doubled). Every absence over the limit should be made up. Please note, that if you come fifteen minutes after the classes start, your attendance will not be considered.