The added value of the Pacific Alliance and ‘modular regionalism’ in Latin America

In 2012 Chile, Peru, Colombia and Mexico launched the Pacific Alliance, the latest of countless organisations meant to foster Latin American unity and integration. The distinctive features of the Pacific Alliance are that member states all have a Pacific shore and all look with interest to the Asia-Pacific basin for their future development. While the grouping has assets that make it a promising initiative, one may wonder what its real added value to both member states and the Latin American region as a whole is. Ultimately, the Pacific Alliance seems to be a reflection of a broader trend in Latin America towards ‘modular regionalism’

South American regional integration projects: Towards a theory of regional convergence

Está surgiendo una nueva unidad regional, Sudamérica. En contraposición con Latinoamérica, es un concepto geoestratégico más definible e independiente. Pero, ¿esto hace que la integración regional sea más sencilla? Este artículo adopta una posición escéptica. No es solamente que Sudamérica se caracterice por sus numerosos esquemas de integración regional que compiten entre sí, sino que además los tres más destacados – Mercosur, ALBA y Unasur - presentan respuestas divergentes ante las preguntas fundamentales que han caracterizado históricamente los intentos de regionalismo en América Latina. Éstas son: la relación con la potencia líder en el plano internacional, Estados Unidos; el papel que juega el líder regional o paymaster, Brasil; y el modelo económico y de desarrollo que debe ser adoptado. A modo de conclusión, el autor conclusión propone una incipiente teoría de convergencia regional para alcanzar la cohesión regional como estímulo para futuras investigaciones y comprobacionesA new regional unit - South America - is emerging. This is a more definable and self-contained geostrategic concept as opposed to Latin America. But does this make regional integration any easier? This article adopts a sceptical view. Not only South America is characterised by numerous and competing schemes of regional integration but the three most prominent of them, MERCOSUR, ALBA, and UNASUR offer divergent responses to the fundamental questions that have historically characterised attempts at regionalism in Latin America: The relation towards the international leading power, the United States; the role of the regional leader or paymaster, Brazil; and the economic and development model to be adopted. The conclusion proposes an infant theory of regional convergence to achieve regional cohesion as a suggestion for further research and testing

In Defence of Oral History: Evidence from the Mercosur Case

This article makes a case in defense of oral history in the study of political science and international relations. The existing literature has scrutinized the technical aspects and appropriate use of oral material. This article focuses on the circumstances under which oral history may be an indispensable method of scholarly investigation: first, when written primary sources are not readily available; second, when an investigation targets complex and secret high-level negotiations; and third, when the main research concern is the human agent’s perspective and ideational factors. The article first addresses the issue of reliability and rigor of oral history as compared to written sources and then concentrates on the creation of Mercosur as an example of the validity of oral history under the three circumstances identified. The conclusion proposes a revival of a more historical approach to political studies

Debunking Interregionalism: Concepts, Types and Critique - With a Transatlantic Focus

Interregionalism means region-to-region relations. Its relevance lies on two assumptions: that regionalism is a significant mechanism of governance and that regions are outward looking. The fact that both assumptions are contested confers the concept of interregionalism a structural fuzziness. In this paper we seek to grasp the phenomenon by following a sequential path: we first deal with definitions, types and theory, only then to look into the empirical evidence in search of correspondence between names and facts. By looking into transatlantic interregionalism, we find it as a large umbrella that brings together very diverse groupings of countries under a same, moderately inconsequential, working mechanism: summitry

Debunking Interregionalism: Concepts, Types and Critique – With a Pan-Atlantic Focus

Interregionalism means region-to-region relations. Its relevance lies on two assumptions: that regionalism is a significant mechanism of governance and that regions are outward looking. The fact that both assumptions are contested confers the concept of interregionalism a structural fuzziness. In this chapter we seek to grasp the phenomenon by following a sequential path: we first deal with definitions, types and theory, only then to look into the empirical evidence in search of correspondence between names and facts. By looking into transatlantic interregionalism, we find it as a large umbrella that brings together very diverse groupings of countries under a same, moderately inconsequential, working mechanism: summitry.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

EU-Latin America and Caribbean Interregional relations: complexity and change

This paper analyses regionalism in Latin America and the Caribbean and interregionalism between this region and the European Union. The complexities and overlapping of Latin American regionalisms are reflected in the several interregional mechanisms that the European Union has with Latin American and Caribbean countries and regional organisations. The paper argues that different political and economic interests in Latin America and the Caribbean have given rise to overlapping regionalist projects, where the overlapping of competences is more problematic than that of membership. Also, Latin American and Caribbean regionalisms have constantly evolved in terms of strategies and organisations. This has generated a number of interregional institutionalized mechanisms between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean, but the current structure seems in need for reform

Has Regionalism Peaked? The Latin American Quagmire and its Lessons

The chapters in this book were originally published in the The International Spectator, volume 47, issue 1 (February 2012).Since 1960, Latin American attempts at regionalism have undergone distinct phases. More notably, they have tended to diverge across space, gradually giving birth to separate blocs that seem to be tearing South, Central and North America apart. Additionally, within and across these regions several overlapping projects coexist. This article focuses on the dynamics of segmented and overlapping regionalism in order to describe what they look like, analyse how they articulate with one another, and explain why member states have pushed for such a messy outcome. This situation, linked to the evolution of the global context, might be indicating that regionalism in Latin America has reached its peak, beyond which it may be difficult to achieve further progress. Two conclusions are elicited: first, economic integration is becoming a geographically diffused phenomenon rather than a regional one; second, regionalism is still a compelling foreign policy but its causes, goals and outcomes are no longer what they used to be

Has Regionalism Peaked? The Latin American Quagmire and its Lessons

Since 1960, Latin American attempts at regionalism have undergone distinct phases. More notably, they have tended to diverge across space, gradually giving birth to separate blocs that seem to be tearing South, Central and North America apart. Additionally, within and across these regions several overlapping projects coexist. This article focuses on the dynamics of segmented and overlapping regionalism in order to describe what they look like, analyse how they articulate with one another, and explain why member states have pushed for such a messy outcome. This situation, linked to the evolution of the global context, might be indicating that regionalism in Latin America has reached its peak, beyond which it may be difficult to achieve further progress. Two conclusions are elicited: first, economic integration is becoming a geographically diffused phenomenon rather than a regional one; second, regionalism is still a compelling foreign policy but its causes, goals and outcomes are no longer what they used to be