Foreign Policy of Latin American Countries 2104-GPIR-D3FPLA

1. Latin America as a region in International Relations. Substantive and technical introduction to the course.
Explanations of the basic terms: America, Latin America, Hispano-America, Lusoamerica etc. Course description and its main requirements.
2-3. International Relations in Latin America from the historical perspective.
From colonial times to the independent movements in Latin America. Evolution of the Monroe Doctrine. Latin America and international powers in XIX and XX century. Latin America and the World Wars. Pan-Americanism and Inter-American System. The Rio Treaty. Political culture in Latin America. Political changes from the Cold War to the Pink Tide and beyond.
4. Mexican Foreign Policy
From independence to the Mexican Revolution. Mexico-US relations. Mexican Foreign Policy after 1945. Evolution of the international agenda in XXI century.
5. Foreign Policy in Central America: Guatemala/Panama (to be chosen)
Geopolitics and regional integration. Revolution in Guatemala. The role of the Panama Canal. Central American wars. Migration crisis.
6. Cuba and its foreign policy.
Main determinants of the Cuban foreign policy. Relations between Cuba and US and USRR/Russia. The influence od the Cuban revolution on the inter-American relations.
7. The Dominican Republic/Haiti (to be chosen)
Priorities and directions of the Caribbean foreign policy. Geopolitical challenges and limits of the global insertion. Regional integration in the Caribbean.
8. Venezuela
Democratic transition in Venezuela. Foreign policy of the puntofijismo system. Hugo Chavez and the revolutionary changes in Venezuela. Political and economic crisis. Venezuelan activism on the regional and global stage.
9. Colombia
Civil war in Colombia – origins, course and international and regional consequences. Peace proces. Colombia- US relations and their regional implications.
10. Brazil
Priorities of Brazilian foreign policy – current and historical perspective. An alliance with the United States. Brazil as a regional and global power?
11. Argentina and Chile
Foreign Policy in the Southern Cone. Peronismo and getulismo. Military dictatorships. S. Allende's Chilean socialism and Pinochet's coup. Economic crises. Mercosur. War of the Falkland Islands.
12. Andean countries: Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador
Origins, determinants and main characteristic of the foreign policy priorities in the Andean region. Revolution in Bolivia. Regional integrations. Main problems and challenges in the regional cooperation.
13. Paraguay and Uruguay
Domestic determinants of the foreign policy in Paraguay and Uruguay. Complicated relations with Argentina and Brazil. Mercosur and regional integration.
14. Contemporary challenges and problems of Latin America (analysis of the case studies): Narcobiseness in Latin America. Cultural relations. From "Pink" to the "Brown Wave". Territorial disputes in Latin America. Latin American relations with Europe, Africa and Asia, etc.
15. Final test

Type of course

obligatory courses

Mode

Blended learning
Remote learning
Classroom

Prerequisites (description)

The course explores main problems and challenge existing between Latin American countries – in historical and actual perspective. The agenda includes the political history of colonialism in Latin America, inter-American relations in XIX and XX centuries, as well as contemporary Latin American political culture. It analyses the political and economic changes in Latin American states in XXI century, its actual “intermestic” determinants, with special attention paid to the main directions and priorities in their foreign policy and international position.

Course coordinators

Anita Oberda-Monkiewicz

Learning outcomes

Knowledge
knows the main trends and specificities of latin American countries' foreign policy; identifies the roles of non-regional actors and the importance of Latin American countries' global activity correctly; has a thorough knowledge of the process of formulating foreign policies and their social and economic circumstances;

Skills:
can analyse the internal and external determinants of the foreign policies of the Latin American states; has the ability to interpret the international activities of Latin American countries in a broader regional and global context

Competence: has the ability to think critically, which she or he can use in his own professional activity; is able to set priorities for the various academic tasks in an appropriate manner; is able to critically analyse and independently expand knowledge of the subject; can synthesize knowledge from different sources and formulate correct arguments

K_W01,K_W02, KW_03, KW_05, K_U01, K_U02, K_K01, K_K02,

Assessment criteria

1. Class attendance.
2. Students’ activity 30%
3. Written exam – 70%.

Practical placement

Not applicable

Bibliography

Amorim Celso, Brazilian foreign policy under President Lula (2003-2010): an overview, „Revista Brasileira de Politica Internacional”, December 2010, vol. 53
Amorim Neto Octavio, Malamud Andrés, What Determines Foreign Policy in Latin America? Systemic versus Domestic Factors in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico, 1946–2008, „Latin American Politics and Society”, 2008,
Dominguez J., Mares, David et al. “Boundary Disputes in Latin America”, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/255657745_Boundary_Disputes_in_Latin_America
Haggerty Richard A. (ed.), Dominican Republic: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1989, http://countrystudies.us/dominican-republic/77.htm
Haiti’s Political and Economic Conditions, https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R45034.pdf
Hey, Jeanne A. K., Three building blocks of a theory of Latin American foreign policy, „Third World Quarterly”, 1997, Vol 18, No 4,
Loveman Brian, US Foreign Policy toward Latin America in the 19th Century, https://oxfordre.com/latinamericanhistory/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199366439.001.0001/acrefore-9780199366439-e-41?print
Malamud Andres, A Leader Without Followers? The Growing Divergence Between the Regional and Global Performance of Brazilian Foreign Policy, „Latin American Politics and Society”, 2011, vol. 53, issue 3
Malamud Andres, Latin America Is Off the Global Stage, and That’s OK, https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/09/10/latin-america-global-stage-imperialism-geopolitics/
Marthoz Jean-Paul, Venezuela’s foreign policy: a mirage based on a Curse, https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/186054/5ac5220191adf69475fb57f9e303479c.pdf
Merke Federico, Reynoso Diego, Schenoni Luis L., Foreign Policy Change in Latin America: Exploring a Middle Range Concept, Electronic Journal, January 2018
Mora Frank O., Hey Jeanne A. K. (eds.), Latin American and Caribbean Foreign Policy, Oxford 2003
Nési Jacques, Reflections on the Past and Possible Future of Haiti’s Foreign Policy, https://haitiliberte.com/reflections-on-the-past-and-possible-future-of-haitis-foreign-policy/
Pellicer Olga, New Powers for Global Change? Mexico – a Reluctant Middle Power?, http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/iez/global/50417.pdf
Romero,Carlos A. Mijares Víctor M., From Chávez to Maduro: Continuity and Change in Venezuelan Foreign Policy, CONTEXTO INTERNACIONAL Rio de Janeiro, vol. 38, no 1, January/April 2016
Skidmore T. E., Smith P. H., Green J. N. (eds.), Modern Latin America, Oxford University Press, New York 2014

Additional information

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 2104-GPIR-D3FPLA in USOSweb