Political Economy of the Southern Cone Countries of South America

This seminar examines the economic and political development of the five countries that make up South America's Southern Cone (i.e., Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay) as well as Bolivia (which was historically part of the sub-region and with which today it has close commercial ties). In particular, the course focuses on the era of Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI), explores the reasons why that model of economic development eventually collapsed and how this contributed to the rise of military dictatorships, looks at the return to democratic rule and the adoption of market-oriented economic policies, and concludes with a discussion of the contemporary situation. Students taking this course for the M.A. in Latin American Studies should enroll in the INTNLREL 247 section.