OCAM 2005 - The Making of Foreign Policy in Latin America

This course focuses on the complex variables at play in the decision-making processes of the foreign policy of Latin American states. The course begins by examining the structure/agency debate in foreign policy. Students will be encouraged to reflect upon the impact of structural variables on the establishment of long-term policies in Latin America. These include constraints such as relative state strength and sovereignty, security concerns, and the economic-productive structure of states. The course then explores the extent to which Latin American foreign policy has been subordinate to the pursuit of stable, historically constructed “national interests”.

Conversely, it poses the question whether radical political change in the national sphere, accompanied by political and ideological shifts, have dramatically altered foreign policy and brought into questions Latin America's “políticas de Estado”; particularly considering the advent of revisionist governments at different moments in recent history. The leftward political turn in Latin America at the beginning of the 21st century offers an ideal setting to test these hypotheses.

Students are invited to think about the impact of “leader-preference”, and the weight of presidential diplomacy; intra and inter-institutional rivalry and bureaucratic politics, including the nature and importance of the foreign service; the power of business lobbies, non-state actors and activist networks; the broader context of electoral politics and single party states; ideology, nationalism and nation-building. With this decision-making framework in mind, the course will then examine current divisions and conflicts between Latin American states on economic and trade policies; relations with the global powers; regionalism and multilateralism; territory and sovereignty; democracy and human rights. The last part explores contemporary case studies in foreign policy decision-making.

Students will have to reflect upon the preferences, constraints, and practical considerations faced by Latin American governments, when considering different options on the table.

None

One-hour lecture / One-hour student presentations and discussion.

Students will be assessed on the bases of a class presentation and their engagement with the weekly readings (25%); and a term paper on a topic of their choice (75%).