U.S.-LATIN AMERICAN
RELATIONS
Political Science 146A
Peter H. Smith
TAs: Kathryn Dove, Jeff Kaplow
CONTACT INFO
• phsmith@dss.ucsd.edu
• Office hours: Thursday 11-1, SSB 364
• Website:
– Polisci.ucsd.edu/faculty/smith/html
– Dss/ucsd.edu/~phsmith/teaching/htm
• kdove@gmail.com
• jkaplow@ucsd.edu
Why This Course?
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Convenience or program requirements
Economic opportunities, emerging markets
Presence in southern California (plus!)
Insights on American society
Perspectives on U.S. foreign policy:
How do strong countries treat weaker
ones?
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 American policy is key part of
dialectic
• Latin America is more important to U.S.
than is generally recognized
Design of the Course
• Course Structure and Conceptual
Approaches
• Historical Stages
1. Imperialism in the Americas
2. Cold War in the Americas
3. After the Cold War: From Geopolitics to
Geoeconomics
• The Contemporary Scene: 9/11present
1. The War on Terror and Global
Realities
2. Neglect and Opportunity for Latin
America
3. The Political Economy of Drug
Trafficking
4.Migration and Latino Communities
5. Barack Obama and the Politics of
Hope (?)
6. Conclusion and Review
POINTS OF ENTRY
• Readings:
– Smith, Talons of the Eagle
– Domínguez and Fernández de Castro,
Contemporary U.S.-Latin American Relations
– POLI 146A Course Reader
• Videos (as shown)
TO PURCHASE
COURSE READER
University Readers
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http://www.universityreaders.com
“STUDENTS BUY HERE” in “Student Store”
Create an account or login
Follow instructions
Call 800.200.3908
ASSIGNMENTS AND DATES
• March 2: 10-12 page analytical papers
(50% of course grade)
• TBA: Closed-book final exam (50% of
course grade)
• February 9: “mock” midterm; if completed
by February 23, can account for 20% of
grade—with paper and final 40% each
A CAST OF CHARACTERS
PARTING THOUGHTS
• Have fun in this course!
• Q: If ignorance is bliss, knowledge must
be…. ?