The United States and Latin America After the Cold War

By Russell Crandall

Book Overview

The United States and Latin America after the Cold War looks at the almost quarter-century of relations between the United States and Latin America since the Berlin Wall fell in 1989. An academic and recent high-level U.S. policymaker, Crandall argues that any lasting analysis must be viewed through a fresh framework that allows for the often unexpected episodes and outcomes in U.S.-Latin American relations. Crandall's book examines the policies of three post-Cold War presidential administrations (Bush Sr., Clinton, and Bush Jr.) through the prism of three critical areas: democracy, economics, and security. Crandall then introduces several case studies of U.S. policy in Latin America, such as Cuba, Brazil, interventions in Haiti, Colombia, Hugo Chavez's Venezuela, Mexico, and Argentina's financial meltdown.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0521717957
• ISBN13: 9780521717953
• Release Date: September 2008
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Length: 278 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Insightful and Engaging Perspective on the Development of US Policy toward Latin America through the

Crandall's new book is impressive both in its comprehensiveness and its concision. He objectively outlines the changes in US's Latin America policy priorities over the past three administrations and-- through case studies and anecdotal interviews--demonstrates where those policy objectives (democracy-building, global economic stability, the war on drugs and war on terror) have succeeded and where they have failed. Moreover, Crandall's review sets the stage for the "follow-up question"--which policy lessons of the the Bush 41, Clinton and George W Bush Administrations can be applied to confronting emerging internal challenges in Latin America, particularly when those internal challenges are accompanied by the increased involvement of China and other new actors and are placed in the context of the myriad new global challenges facing the US. An insightful and engaging read, both for students and for policymakers.