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U.S.-Latin American Relations
Advanced Seminar
Amherst College
Political Science 22
Fall 2002
Tue and Thu 2-3:20 pm
[email protected]
http://www.amherst.edu/~jcorrale
Prof. Javier Corrales
Clark House 202
x2164
Office Hours: Tu 3:30-4:30p
Wed 2:00-3:30p
Description of the seminar
Can small and nonpowerful nations ever profit from a relationship with a powerful hegemon? Who
gains and who loses in this type of asymmetrical relationship? This seminar addresses these questions by
looking at the relations between the U.S. and Latin America.
The seminar is divided into three parts. The first part presents different ways in which intellectuals from
the U.S. and Latin America have tried to conceptualize and analyze intra-hemispheric relations. We also
look at how theories of International Relations might apply to U.S.-Latin America relations. The goal of
this part of the course is to understand various schools of thought and apply them to several dimensions
of U.S.-Latin America relations throughout the rest of the seminar.
The second part of the course looks at political, military, security, and economic issues in the Western
Hemisphere before the end of the Cold War. We begin by looking at intra-hemispheric relations prior
to World War II (the sources of U.S. interventionism and the response of Latin America), followed by a
look at how postwar optimism soon gave way to a “Cold War divide.” Did the Cold War change the
traditional ways of interaction between the U.S. and Latin America? Did the U.S. respond similarly to
different security threats throughout the region? Why did the U.S. strive to accommodate some leftwing governments, but not others? How did Latin American economic actors try to enter U.S. markets?
How did the U.S. cope with economic nationalism in Latin America?
The third part of the course covers contemporary issues in the U.S.-Latin America agenda: the rise of
hemispherism, the renewed willingness of the U.S. (and some Latin American nations) to intervene in
the hemisphere to defend democracy, efforts to control the illegal flow of drugs and immigrants, the
trade-off between having good relations and promoting good governance.
Readings
This seminar relies heavily on reading assignments and films. The readings will average 220 pages per
week during the first three months, and approximately 130 pages per week during the last several weeks.
It is essential that you complete the assigned readings and watch the films prior to class. There are no
formal lectures nor in-class tests.
The readings can be classified into two categories. The first consists of theoretical and/or interpretative
readings that present different views on several aspects of U.S.-Latin America relations. For example, is
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U.S. policy imperialistic or self-restrained? Do Latin American nations gain or lose when the U.S. pays
too much attention to the region? Is U.S. foreign policy dictated mostly by international circumstances,
by the ideas and preferences of the President, by large multinationals, or is it a compromise among
different domestic actors? Does knowing the party affiliation of the U.S. president allow us to predict
U.S. policy toward Latin America? Is there a role for sanctions to promote good governance? Answers
to these questions vary widely. Students will be expected to think critically about these issues.
The second category of readings consists of case studies such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Falklands
War, the Alliance for Progress, the Nicaraguan revolution, Mexico's debt crisis, military intervention in
Haiti, fighting drug lords in Colombia, promoting democracy in Cuba. The purpose of these case
studies is to allow you to “test” theoretical arguments.
Do not be put off by the diversity of perspectives and amount of empirical information in the readings.
Simply read the materials to understand their content, appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of the
arguments, and identify crucial events. Do not be put off either if you have questions about the
readings. Feel free to raise them in class. I will also be happy to discuss any additional questions that
you might have during office hours or by appointment.
The following books are required and available for purchase at Atticus Bookstore, 8 Main Street,
Amherst (413-256-1547):
LaRosa, Michael and Frank O. Mora. 1999. Neighborly Adversaries. Lanham, MD: Rowman and
Littlefield.
Pastor, Robert A. 2002. Exiting the Whirlpool: U.S. Foreign Policy Toward Latin America and the
Caribbean. Westview Press.
Smith, Peter. 2000. Talons of the Eagle. Dynamics of U.S.-Latin American Relations. 2nd Edition.
New York: Oxford University Press.
The rest of the reading materials will be available in the course multiliths, available for purchase from
Vicki Farrington, Political Science Department, Clark House 101 (x2318). The multilith is divided into
two volumes. In order to obtain Volume 2, you must submit an order form to the Political Science
Department (c/o Vicki Farrington) by the end of the add/drop period. Being registered for the course
does not entitle you to Volume 2; you must order your copy. Order forms are available in Vol. 1 or by
contacting the Political Science Department.
Reserve Readings: A final set of readings are on reserve in the library (copyrights were too expensive to
include in the multilith). These articles can be retrieved from the circulation desk by call number. The
call numbers are the same ones used in the stacks, unless it is a personal item or photocopied article.
They are listed by title with thecall number personal copy or xeroxed. You can find the call number. by
looking under 'course reserve' on the library home page. You can check out reserve items for no more
than 3 hours at a time.
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Requirements and grading:
Requirement
Weight
Participation (including 2-page papers) 20 percent
Paper 1 (3 pp.)
10 percent
Paper 2 (5-6 pp.)
15 percent
Paper 3 (5-6 pp.)
20 percent
Research Design/Proposal
5 percent
Research Paper
30 percent
Participation:
Participation is a fundamental axis of this course. It counts for 20 percent of your grade. Class meetings
provide a chance for you to discuss the readings, work through the arguments, evaluate cases, and
engage in lively exchanges. Class attendance is mandatory. Attendance, however, is not the same as
participation. The latter is the extent to which you make a qualitative contribution to the discussion in
progress. It entails addressing the issues raised by me and your classmates, as well as raising your own
issues in class when pertinent.
Two-page papers: Throughout the semester, you are required to submit three 2-page papers the
day before our class meeting. At least one paper is due before the October break. These papers
should be based on the readings assigned for the week that you submit your paper. You decide
which week to submit a paper. The topic is free, but you should try to write about aspects from
the readings that you found insightful, puzzling, contradictory, debatable, remarkable, etc.
Comparing arguments or applying arguments to cases is always an excellent idea.
The papers are due the day before our class meeting. I will read the papers before class and use
them to prepare discussions. The papers will not be graded in the conventional way (you will
either get a check-minus, check, or check-plus), but they will count toward your participation
grade.
Papers
You will write several analytical papers and one research paper. The analytical papers will address one of
several topics, to be assigned at least one week prior to the due date. Answers should rely exclusively on
the material from the syllabus; outside reading is neither required nor expected. Your grade will be
based on the clarity of your prose, your understanding of the cited readings, your capacity to provide
evidence for your argument and identify weaknesses in the arguments that you deem less persuasive.
Additional guidelines will also be distributed in class.
Guidelines on the research paper will be distributed in class.
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List of Assignments
(P) = For Purchase; (R) = On Reserve
Class
meeting
Reading Assignment
Other
assignments
Part I: Images
Tue Sep 3
Introduction: Images
Neruda, Pablo. 1961. "La United Fruit Co," in Ben Belitt, ed. and tr., Selected
Poems of Pablo Neruda. Grove Press, pp. 148-149 (distributed in class).
Political Cartoons (distributed in class).
Thu Sep 5:
More images
Cabrera Infante, Guillermo. 1971. Three Trapped Tigers. Donald Garner, and
Suzanne Jill Levine, tr. New York: Harper and Row, pp. 177-208.
(P) Rodó, José Enrique. 1988 [1900]. Excerpts from Ariel. Chapter 3 in
LaRosa and Mora, pp. 31-40.
Garvin, Glenn. 1999. “Adiós Panama.” The Miami Herald, 12 December
1999, pp. L1-L5.
Bush, George W. 2002. “Remarks by the President George W. Bush to the
World Affairs Council National Conference, delivered at the
Organization of American States.” January 16.
Tue Sep 10:
More images
(P) “The Platt Amendment of 1901.” In LaRosa and Mora, pp. 91-92.
Paz, Octavio. 1994 [1979]. AReflections: The U.S. and Mexico. In Robert S.
Leiken, ed., A New Moment in the Americas. New Brunswick:
Transaction Publishers, pp. 71-80.
(P) “Declaration of Santiago.” In LaRosa and Mora, pp. 308-314.
Cardoso, Fernando Henrique. 2002. On President Bush, as printed in The
Washington Times, June 29, 1992.
“Editorial Comments: Challenges in the South,” Financial Times, July 26, 2002.
(P) Pastor, Robert A. 2002, pp. 1-36.
Discussion of Four Days in September
Mon Sep 9:
Film: Four Days
in September
Part II: Systemic Theories and US-LA Relations prior until WWII
Thu Sep 12
Theories: Realism and Imperialism
Russet, Bruce and Harvey Starr. 1996. World Politics. The Menu for Choice. New
York: W.H. Freeman and Company, pp. 27-37.
Waltz, Kenneth. 1959. Man, the State and War. New York: Columbia
University Press, pp. 159-171, 224-238.
(R) Walt, Stephen M. 1987. The Origins of Alliances. Ithaca, NY: Cornell
University Press, pp. 1-49.
Lenin, V.I. 1975 [1917]. Selections from “Imperialism: The Highest Stage of
Capitalism.” In Jeffrey A. Frieden and David A. Lake, eds.
International Political Economy. Third Edition. New York: St. Martin=s
Press, pp. 110-119.
Schumpeter, Joseph. AThe Problem” and “Imperialism and Capitalism.” In
Imperialism and Social Classes. Meridian, pp. 3-8, 83-118.
Thu Sep 12:
Paper No. 1
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meeting
Reading Assignment
Tue Sep 17:
Evaluating Realism and Theories of Imperialism: the 19th Century
(P) Smith, Peter. 2000. Talons of the Eagle. Dynamics of U.S.-Latin American
Relations. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 1-44, 50-54, 63113.
Zakaria, Fareed. 1998. From Wealth to Power. Princeton University Press, pp.
44-55, 81-89, 174-80.
Thu Sep 19
Theories: Neoliberal Institutionalism
Gilpin, Robert. 1987. The Political Economy of International Relations. Princeton
Univ. Press, pp. 72-80.
(R) Keohane, Robert O. 1990. “International Liberalism Reconsidered.” In
John Dunn, ed., The Economic Limits to Modern Politics. Cambridge
University Press, pp. 165-194.
Grieco, Joseph M. 1988. “Anarchy and the Limits of Cooperation: A Realist
Critique of the Newest Liberal Institutionalism.” International
Organization 42 (August):485-507.
(R) Paarlberg, Robert. 1982. “The Costs and Benefits of Paying More
Attention to Latin America.” In Jorge I. Domínguez, ed., Economic
Issues and Political Conflict: U.S.-Latin America Relations. Boston:
Butterworth, pp. 208-219 (HANDOUT)
(R) Finan, John J. 1977. “Latin America and World War II.” In Harold
Eugene Davis, John Finan, and F. Taylor Peck, eds., Latin American
Diplomatic History. Louisiana State University, pp. 222-242.
Theories: Assessing Neoliberal Institutionalism
(P) Root, Elihu. 1914 [1999]. “The Real Monroe Doctrine.” In LaRosa and
Mora, pp. 63-71.
(P) Pastor, Robert, pp. 87-134.
(R) Corrales, Javier and Richard E. Feinberg. 1999. “Regimes of Cooperation
in the Americas: Power, Interest and Intellectual Traditions,”
International Studies Quarterly.
Tue Sep 24
Other
assignments
Part III: The Cold War: Politics, Security and Economics
Thu Sep 26
Tue Oct 1
The Soviets are Here: The U.S. and Communist Cuba
(R) Welch Jr., Richard E. 1985. Response to Revolution. The United States and the
Cuban Revolution, 1959-1961. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina
Press, pp. 3-26.
(P) Luxenberg, Alan H. 1989. “Did Eisenhower Push Castro into the Arms of
the Soviets?” Chapter 15 in LaRosa and Mora, pp. 155-170.
(P) Smith, pp. 117-142.
Blasier, Cole. 1985. The Hovering Giant: U.S. Responses to Revolutionary Change in
Latin America. Revised Edition. University of Pittsburgh Press, pp.
186-210 (pp. 177-185 recommended).
The Bay of Pigs and the Missile Crisis
(NB: Later in the semester (date TBA), there will be a guest lecture by
Prof. Bill Taubman on the Cuban Missile Crisis).
Robinson, Linda. 1996. "The Price of Military Folly. JFK, the CIA and Cuban
Exiles: A Disaster Called the Bay of Pigs" U.S. News and World Report,
22 April, pp. 53-56.
Krasner, Stephen. 1972. “Are Bureaucracies Important?” Foreign Policy 7
(Summer):159-179.
Fri Sep 27:
Paper No. 2
Mon Sep 30:
Film: Thirteen
Days.
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meeting
Reading Assignment
Other
assignments
"Correspondence between Fidel and Khrushchev."
CIA. “The Military Buildup in Cuba,” National Intelligence Estimate 85-3-62,
September 19, 1962. In Mary S. McAuliffe. 1992. Cuban Missile Crisis
1962. Washington, DC: Central Intelligence Agency, pp. 92-93
Kennedy, John F. 1961. Excerpts from a speech on Cuba, April 20, 1961 (pp.
505-506.
Thu Oct 3:
The Alliance for Progress
Lowenthal, Abraham F. 1974. “‘Liberal,’ ‘Radical,’ and ‘Bureaucratic’
Perspectives on U.S. Latin American Policy: The Alliance for
Progress in Retrospect.” In Julio Cótler, and Richard R. Fagen, eds.
Latin America and the United States, pp. 212-235.
(R) Schelsinger Jr., Arthur. 1975. The Alliance for Progress: A Retrospective.
In Ronald G. Hellman, and H.Jon Rosenbaum, eds. Latin America:
The Search for a New International Role. Wiley, pp. 57-88. CLASS
HANDOUT
Cobbs, Elizabeth A. 1992. "U.S. Business: Self-Interest and Neutrality." In
Abraham F. Lowenthal, ed., Exporting Democracy, pp. 191-213.
Smith, Tony. "The Alliance for Progress: The 1960s." in Lowenthal, ed.,
Exporting Democracy, pp. 71-89.
Tue Oct 8:
Variation in U.S. Response to “Threats” (Part 1)
Blasier, Cole. 1989. The Giant's Rival: the USSR and Latin America. Revised
Edition. University of Pittsburgh Press, pp. 16-44, 154-161, 167-175
Blasier, Cole. 1985. The Hovering Giant, pp. 6-11, 128-150, 211-238.
Thu Oct 10:
Variation in U.S. Responses to “Threats” (Part 2)
Blasier, Cole. 1985. The Hovering Giant, pp. 258-270.
Cottam, Martha L. 1994. Images and Intervention. U.S. Policies in Latin America.
University of Pittsburgh Press, pp. 14-35, 54-70.
One more reading TBA.
Tue Oct 15
No Class: Begin work on research paper
Thu Oct 17
Film (in class): : Frontline: War in Nicaragua
Tue Oct 22:
U.S. and Central America in the 1980s
Putnam, Robert D. 1988. “Diplomacy and Domestic Politics: The Logic of
Two-Level Games.” International Organization 42:427-460.
(P) Pastor, pp. 37-64.
Pastor, Robert A. 2002. Excerpts from Condemned To Repetition: The United
States and Nicaragua. Chapter 20 in LaRosa and Mora, pp. 237-248.
Carter, Jimmy. Excerpts from statements on Nixon-Kissinger’s foreign policy,
expressed during the televised presidentional debate, October 7, 1976.
Thu Oct 24:
Nicaragua and Chile in the 1980s
Kirkpatrick, Jeanne J. 1984. "U.S. Security and Latin America." In Howard
Wiarda, ed., Rift and Revolution: The Central American Imbroglio.
Washington , D.C.: American Enterprise Institute, pp. 329-358.
(P) Pastor, pp. 65-98, 135-152.
Ronfeldt, David. 1983. Geopolitics, Security, and U.S. Strategy in the Caribbean
Mon Oct 7:
Evening Lecture:
Charles Krause
Week of Oct 21:
Research
proposal due
Mon Oct 28:
Film: Mexico from
Boom to Bust
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meeting
Reading Assignment
Other
assignments
Basin, R-2997-AF/RC. Rand Corporation, pp. iii-xii, 1-15, 25-47, 5456.
Muñoz, Heraldo. 1991. “Chile: The Limits of Success” and Thomas
Carothers, “The Reagan Years: the 1980s.” In Abraham Lowenthal,
ed., Exporting Democracy, pp. 161-174, and pp. 90-121.
Discussion of War on Nicaragua.
Tue Oct 29:
The U.S. and Economic Nationalism (1940s-1980s)
Gilpin, Robert. 1987. The Political Economy of International Relations. Princeton
University Press, pp. 263-290.
(R) Domínguez, Jorge I., ed. 1982. Economic Issues and Political Conflict: U.S.Latin America Relations. Boston: Butterworth, pp. 16-26, 58-62.
HANDOUT
Business International Research Report. 1970. Nationalism in Latin America.
The Challenge and the Corporate Response, New York, pp. 9-17
Kuczynski, Pedro-Pablo. 1988. Latin American Debt. Johns Hopkins
University Press, pp. 71-82.
Part IV: The 1990s and Beyond
Thu Oct 31:
Tue Nov 5:
Thu Nov 7:
Tue Nov 12
Thu Nov 14:
Tue Nov 19:
Colombia and Venezuela
(P) Bagley, Bruce M. and Juan G. Tokatlian. 1992. ADope and Dogma.
Explaining the failure of U.S.-Latin American Drug Policies. Chapter
19 in LaRosa and Mora, pp. 219-236.
More readings TBA
Colombia and Venezuela
Posible Guest Lecturer: Prof. Heinz Sonntag
Readings TBA
Colombia and Venezuela:
Possible Guest Lecturer, Prof. Mark Williams
Readings TBA
From the Debt Crisis to NAFTA
(R) Gilpin, pp. 171-190.
(P) Pastor, pp. 252-269.
(P) Smith, pp. 217-234, 239-249
Rohter, Larry. 1988. “North American Trade Bloc? Mexico Rejects Such an
Idea.” New York Times, November 24.
Grayson, George W. 1995. “U.S.-Mexican Relations: The Challenge of
NAFTA. In Martz, John D., ed. United States Policy in Latin America.
A Decade of Crisis and Challenge. University of Nebraska Press, pp.
113-143.
Meyer, Frederick. 1996. “Domestic Politics of NAFTA in the United States.”
In Van R. Whiting, Jr., ed., Regionalization in the World Economy:
NAFTA, the Americas and Asia Pacific Macmillan India, pp. 88-100
“The Nafta Effect” The Economist (July 5, 1997):21-23.
From Nafta to FTA
Readings TBA.
Cuba: The Embargo: Merged with PS22
Suchliki, Jaime. 2000. “Castro’s Cuba: Continuity Instead of Change.” In
Fri Nov 1
Paper 3
Mon Nov 4
Film: Get Up,
Stand Up
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meeting
Thu Nov 21:
Tue Nov
26-28
Tue Dec 3:
Thu Dec 5:
Tue Dec 10:
Reading Assignment
Other
assignments
Susan Kaufman Purcell and David Rothkopf, eds., Cuba: The Contours
of Change. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienners, pp. 57-80.
Purcell and Rothkopf, chapters by Zimbalist (pp. 13-30), and Purcell (pp. 81103).
Schwartzman, Kathleen. 2001. “Can International Boycotts Transform
Poltical Systems? The Cases of Cuba and South Africa.” Latin
American Politics and Society 43, 2 (Summer):115-146.
Carter, Jimmy. 2002. “Opening to Cuba: We Must Find a Common Ground.”
The Washington Post, May 24.
Bush, George W. 2002. Remarks by the President on Cuba Policy Review,
The White House, Office of the Press Secretary, May 20.
Financial Crises: Argentina and Brazil
Readings TBA
Thanksgiving
Financial Crises: Argentina and Brazil
Readings TBA
Unwanted Flows: Illegal Immigrants
Extended Hours: 2-4:20pm
Kennedy, David. 1996. ACan We Still Afford to Be a Nation of Immigrants?
The Atlantic Monthly 278, 5 (November):52-68.
Borjas, George. 1996. AThe New Economics of Immigration. The Atlantic
Monthly 278, 5 (November):72-80.
Castañeda, Jorge G. 1993. AMexico and California. The Paradox of Tolerance
and Dedemocratization. In Abraham Lowenthal and Katrina
Burgess, eds., The California-Mexico Connection. Stanford, CA: Stanford
University Press, pp. 34-47.
Castañeda, Jorge G. 1996. “Mexico=s Circle of Misery.” Foreign Affairs (JulyAugust):92-105.
Andreas, Peter. 1996. “U.S.-Mexico: Open Markets, Closed Border.” Foreign
Policy 103 (Summer):51-69.
(R) Weaver, Jay. 1999. “U.S. Migration Policy Doesn=t Deter Treacherous
Journeys.” The Miami Herald, 12 December 1999.
The US and Latin America=s Social Agenda
Birdsall, Nancy, Nora Lustig, and Lesley O=Connell. 1999. “The United States
and the Social Challenge in Latin America,” in Albert Fishlow and
James Jones, eds., The United States and the Americas, W.W. Norton, pp.
79-109.
(R) “Helping the Third World.” The Economist, 26 June 1999, pp. 23-25.
(P) Smith, Peter, pp. 321-336.
Wed Dec 4:
Film: El Súper