Admission requirements
The course is part of the BA Latin American Studies program. It is open to students from other programs. Knowledge of the history of the region is recommended.
Description
After a brief introduction to basic IR theories, the course examines a series of historical, strategic and geopolitical factors that are key to understand the development of Latin American international relations. It looks at how the Latin American countries have developed their interactions at the regional level, as well as at how these countries and the region are positioning themselves vis-à-vis important foreign actors, such as the United States, the European Union and China. The course pays particular attention to recent developments, such as the recent shifts in the political spectrum, the slowdown of the economy after a period of prosperity, the growing role of China, etc. These will be central to the seminar discussions. In addition, attention is given to key diplomatic initiatives deployed in the past decade in the field of economic and political cooperation and regional integration among Latin American countries, assessing their achievements as well as their current problems.
Course objectives
At the end of the course:
The student has knowledge and can apply basic IR theories in the analysis of Latin American International Relations.
The student has knowledge of and can identify main actors and factors that are determinant for the development of the international relations of Latin American countries and the region.
The student possesses theoretical and historical knowledge to assess and form an opinion about various Latin American attempts to achieve (economic and/or political) regional integration.
The student can interpret a recent development in Latin American international relations from its specific historical and geopolitical context.
The student can formulate an opinion on a particular topic of Latin American international relations based on knowledge of and insight in relevant theoretical and historical debates.
The student has demonstrated to be able to collaborate in a smale scale collective research, and to present its results in both written and oral manner.
Timetable
Mode of instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Research
Assessment method
Assessment
Group research project (30%)
Take-home exam (70%)
Weighing
The final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average.
Resit
If the final grade (weighted average) is a 5 of lower, students are entitled to a resit. The resit for the gropu research poject entails a written report. The student may take a resit on the components for which she/he failed (the percentages remain the same).
Inspection and feedback
After publication of the results, the student may make an appointment with the lecturer to review and discuss the result of the examination.
Reading list
A selection of articles, book chapters and other materials, to be found at the University Library.
The final literature list will be made available before the start of the course.
Antonopoulos, P. and Cottle, D. (2018) ‘Venezuela’s 2017 Crisis: A Failed Bolivarian Experiment or a Legitimate Claim of US Imperialism?’. Critique, 46:1, 49-64.
Bernal-Meza, R. and Xing, L. (2020) China-Latin America Relations in the 21st Century : The Dual Complexities of Opportunities and Challenges. Springer International Publishing AG.
Caichiolo, R. (2020) ‘Mercosur: Limits of Regional Integration’. Erasmus Law Review, 12(3): 246-268.
Carpenter, K., & Tsykarev, A. (2021).’ Indigenous Peoples and Diplomacy on the World Stage’. AJIL Unbound, 115, 118–122.
Deciancio, M (2016) ‘International Relations from the South: A Regional Research Agenda for Global IR’. International Studies Review, 18: 106-119.
Domínguez, J. et al. (2015) Routledge handbook of Latin America in the World. New York: Routledge.
Haynes, J. et al. (2017) World Politics. International Relations and Globalisation in the 21st Century. 2nd Edition. London: Sage Publications.
Livingstone, G. (2009) America's Backyard. The United States and Latin America from the Monroe Doctrine to the War on Terror. London: Zed Books.
Lunde Seefeldt, J. (2020) ‘Lessons from the Lithium Triangle: Considering Policy Explanations for the Variation in Lithium Industry Development in the “Lithium Triangle” Countries of Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia’. Politics & policy, 48 (4): 727-765.
Mantilla, Y. (2020). ‘Indigenous Peoples' Diplomacy, Mediation, and Conciliation as Response to the I.C.J. Decision in the Obligation to Negotiate Access to the Pacific Ocean Case’. California Western International Law Journal, 51(1), 29-76.
Marshall Beier, J. (2016) ‘Indigenous Diplomacy‘ in The SAGE Handbook of Diplomacy. SAGE Publications Ltd, pp. 642-653.
Mori, A. (2018) EU and Latin America. A Stronger Partnership? Ledizioni – LediPublishing.
Scauso, M.S. (2021) Intersectional Decoloniality Reimagining International Relations and the Problem of Difference. London: Routledge (Introduction, Chapter 4 and the Conclusion)
Sharma, A (2021) ‘Decolonizing International Relations: Confronting Erasures through Indigenous Knowledge Systems’. International Studies 58(1) 25–40.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Registration À la carte education, Contract teaching and Exchange
Information for those interested in taking this course in context of À la carte education (without taking examinations), eg. about costs, registration and conditions.
Information for those interested in taking this course in context of Contract teaching (with taking examinations), eg. about costs, registration and conditions.
For the registration of exchange students contact Humanities International Office.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Reuvensplaats
Remarks
Attendance is mandatory for this course. A student may miss a maximum of three sessions. If that limit is exceeded, the lecturer may impose complementary assignments in order to guarantee the student meets the achieving levels of the course.