Prospectus

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Latin American Foreign Policy

Course
2013-2014

Admission requirements

This course is open to Master students (particularly those following the International Studies programme) with interest in Latin America.

Description

This course analyses the foreign policy of various Latin American countries and the emergence of sub-regional forms of cooperation in economic and political arenas. Is also explores how Latin American countries are positioning themselves vis-à-vis foreign actors, such as the United States, Europe and Asia (in particular China). Attention will also be given to new patterns of South-South relations with other developing nations.

Course Objectives

This course engages students with current scholarly debates on the ways Latin American nations – both on individual and collective basis – have attempted to reformulate their insertion into the world community. It shows the search of Latin American countries for international alliances at the regional and global level and how political and economic agendas are synchronized for that purpose. Students will also learn about new forms of cooperation and proactive actions deployed by Latin American nations in order to attain a more independent positioning on the global scene. Finally, attention will also be given to the several actors and institutions involved in the formulation and application of foreign policy, stressing the several institutional and political tensions arising in this process of policy-making.
Students are required to study both academic texts and other relevant primary and secondary sources with respect to foreign policy in general, and Latin American in particular.
The course consists of 13 weekly two-hour lecture and seminar classes. Students will be required to write and present brief assignments on relevant issues, and to complete (during the second part of the course) a research paper proposal on a topic within the thematic boundaries of the course. The final paper is due after the end of the course.

Timetable

The course takes place on Wednesdays, 15-17 hrs. at Eyckhof 2, room 005 in Leiden. The course starts on 5 February 2014; the final session is on 7 May 2014. The course will be divided in three main topics: bilateral relation, regional integration and interregional cooperation. For each topic, there will be lectures, required readings, short written assignments to be handed in before the classes on the next topic starts:

19-3-2014 1st paper on foreign policy (20%)
23-4-2014 2nd paper on regional integration (20%)
14-5-2014 3rd paper on interregional cooperation (20%)
16-4-2014 deadline outline research paper so that the student can discuss his/her outline.
21-5-2014 deadline final paper (40% )

Mode of instruction

Lecture
Research

Assessment Method

For each topic, bilateral, regional integration and interregional relations, a paper of 1000 words has to be written on the topic just studied, which has to be handed in before the next one starts. On 16 April the outline for the final paper has to be handed in: theme, outline and preliminary bibliography. On 21 May 2014 the final paper has to be handed in (3000 words).

1st paper on foreign policy: 1000 words: 20%
2nd paper on regional integration: 1000 words: 20%
3rd paper on interregional cooperation: 1000 words: 20%
Presentation research paper outline and Research paper: 3000 words: 40%

Blackboard

Yes

Literature

Gian Luca Gardini, Latin America in the 21st Century: Nations, Regionalism, Globalization, London, New York, Zed, 2013.
Some articles, a reading list of articles will be put on Blackboard.

Registration

Via uSis.

Contact information

With the coordinator, by e-mail: Dr. M. Wiesebron