DYNAMICS OF U.S.-LATIN AMERICAN RELATIONS

SUMMATION

KEY QUESTIONS

• What is the current state of U.S. relations with Latin America?

• What (if anything) is unique or “new” about the present situation? How much have we seen before?

• Where is the relationship headed? What might the future hold?

BASIC ASSUMPTIONS

• International system based on tacit codes of conduct or “regimes”

• Regimes change according to distributions of power

• U.S. relations with Latin America thus take place within changing contexts (“regimes”)

• Latin America is more important to U.S. than is generally recognized

CHANGING RULES OF THE GAME

SHAPES OF U.S. POLICY

POLICY PROFILES

IMPLICATIONS

• Focus on Latin America as well as U.S.– Coherence of strategic options– Criterion: plausibility, not “success”– Irrelevance of psychological, national-character

explanations

• Thus: Logical dynamic of relationship

AND THE FUTURE?

Readings and discussions about policy options…..