Historically, Latin America has been a region of constant, but unrealized, promise. As one country made political and economic progress, another slid backwards. In recent months, Latin America seems to have become even more volatile. The Trump administration has started to renegotiate NAFTA, the economy in Venezuela is collapsing, Brazil’s government is losing legitimacy as its corruption scandals broaden amid an historic recession, and several Central American countries have serious drug, gang and corruption issues threatening their democracies. Across Central and South America economic growth has been slow and political tensions have grown.
At the same time, China seems to be playing an expanding role, investing large sums in Central and South America for infrastructure and raw materials projects while lending even more to cash strapped countries in the area. Some say that Chinese foreign policy is to start by developing economic dependence fin a country, followed at times by investment in Chinese military assets. With Mexico threatened by termination of NAFTA, they have sent trade missions to China in order to develop possible alternatives to the US. With Venezuela’s large debt to China and depressed oil prices, could that lead to a Chinese presence in Latin America? If so, how might the US react?
Our speaker in November at our joint meeting with the Central Virginia Fulbright Association will be Professor Carol Wise of the University of Southern California, the 2015 recipient of the FulbrightMasaryck University Distinguished Chair grant in the Czech Republic. She previously was a Senior Fulbright Specialist Lecturer at Universidado del Pacifico in Lima, Peru.
Prof. Wise joined the School of International Relations at USC in 2002 after spending eight years at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. She specializes in international political economy and development, with an emphasis on Latin America.
Prof. Wise has written extensively on issues in Latin America, including trade integration, exchange rate crises, institutional reform, and the political economy of market restructuring in the Latin America region. She is currently completing a b o o k o n “ T h e P o l i t i c s o f E c o n o m i c Transformation in Mexico.” Her most recent book is titled “Dragonomics: The Rise of China in Latin America.” In this book, Professor Wise argues that China’s investment in Latin America has highlighted the need for economic reforms to improve efficiency and competitiveness and at the same time provided policy makers with some financial leeway to move ahead with reforms.
Professor Wise earned a Ph.D. at Columbia University in Political Science, which followed dual Masters from Columbia in both Public Administration and Political Science. Her
undergraduate degree is in Sociology from University of California, Santa Barbara.
Glenmore Country Club 6:00 Cocktails 6:45 Dinner 7:45 Address and Discussion