1. Understanding Inter-American Relations
A.W. Pereira 15/5/17

2. Questions
1 What concepts and theoretical perspectives best help us to understand inter-American politics?
2 What are the most important institutions of regional governance in the Americas?

3. Map of Brazil in the Western Hemisphere.

4. Questions about the reading - Dominguez
For Dominguez, why is the end of the Cold War in the Americas similar to the end of the Napoleonic wars and the end of WW II?
How did the rise of China in world markets affect Latin America?
What are some of the institutions created in the Western Hemisphere that show the decline of US influence and a rise in the autonomy of Latin American states?

5. Dominguez (2)
Was there a decline in the “liberal-democratic, pro-market” consensus in the region? If so, what were the causes of this decline?
How do Latin American states balance against US power differently?
What are some examples of the reduced effectiveness of international institutions for policy coordination?

6. Mares How does Mares define cooperation?
How has Brazil positioned itself vis-à-vis the United States since the end of the Paraguay War?
For Mares, does Latin America provide evidence of the “democratic peace” hypothesis?

7. Mares (2)
What does Mares mean when he says that the Western hemisphere is pursuing a “positive peace and security” regime?
What does Mares think of Mercosur?
What is the difference, for Mares, between Europe and Latin America when it comes to cooperation?

8. Whitehead
For Whitehead, how did the 2008 financial crisis contribute to the decline of neoliberalism in Latin America?
What happened to US “hegemonic presumption”, in Whitehead’s opinion?
What did Obama’s policies towards Latin America lack, in Whitehead’s opinion?

9. Obrigado
See you next week!