International Relations of Latin America

3 units

This course examines Latin American foreign relations in the world from the 1820s to the present with a primary emphasis on the period since 1945. Focusing on inter-state and transnational relations, it seeks to historically contextualize and analyze long term patterns and trends between Latin American states and between Latin America and the United States, Europe, and the global South. Given Latin America's shared experience with imperialism and more recently with neo-imperialism, special attention will be paid to the ways Latin America has sought to manage and/or resist foreign domination, especially U.S. hegemonic pretensions. To this end it will analyze patterns of inter-American conflict and cooperation. When, why, and under what conditions Latin America articulated an independent foreign policy, forged anti-imperialist blocs, embraced U.S. sponsored diplomatic efforts and military alliances, and pursued Latin American unity and solidarity will be closely examined. To better understand the continuities, discontinuities, contradictions, and complexities of Latin American foreign policy, this course will also assess the influence of changing regional and national political cultures from both a theoretical and a historical perspective. In doing so, it explores how elite culture, the balance of domestic social forces, ideological and economic development, and shared cultural identities and meanings informed national political cultures and how these in turn shaped Latin American foreign policies.