China Russia Polit in Americas

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

This pioneering seminar examines the comprehensive political, economic and security relations of extra-regional powers with Latin America and the Caribbean since 1945, particularly the first two decades of the 21st century. Most Latin American countries have willingly sought to diversify their foreign relations, and therefore, have sought to strengthen relations with several extra-regional powers. Since the Monroe Doctrine, the Western Hemisphere has been a sensitive area for the United States, and Washington has always been concerned with the presence of extra-regional powers in the region. The 2017 U.S. National Security Strategy employs sharp language against China and Russia and calls for regional relations that “will limit opportunities for adversaries to operate from areas of close proximity to us,” and that “limits the malign influences of non-hemispheric forces.” In this course, we will examine thoroughly the immense effects of China’s engagement with the region; we will study the USSR and the Cold War in Latin America, as well as Russia’s recent return to the region under Putin. Additionally, we will analyze some historical and new links, such as the ones with EU countries, the Vatican, Japan, India, Israel and Iran, all the while using the comparative method.