Episode 756: Latin American Policy, with Dr. Colin Dueck

Summary

This episode features Dr. Colin Dueck, with Mark and Sal, discussing the historical and strategic importance of U.S. policy towards Latin America, the evolution of the Monroe Doctrine, and current challenges and opportunities in the hemisphere. Discussion is centered on how U.S. foreign policy can shape the future of the region amid great power competition.

Show Links

• Why the Monroe Doctrine Still Matters, Colin Dueck
• Dr. Colin Dueck’s AEI page
• China’s Growing Influence in Latin America, Council on Foreign Relations
• Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America
• The band The Minutemen circa 1985

Chapters

00:00: Introduction to U.S. Policy in Latin America
03:08: Historical Context of U.S. Influence
06:10: The Monroe Doctrine and Its Evolution
08:49: Cold War Dynamics in Latin America
11:30: Post-Cold War Attitudes and Challenges
14:37: Recent Political Shifts in Latin America
17:22: The Rise of Conservative Governments
19:53: Crime and Governance in Latin America
23:02: Future Implications for U.S.-Latin America Relations
28:33: Revitalizing Latin America: Opportunities and Challenges
29:26: Political Dynamics in Latin America: A Regional Overview
36:00: Energy Resources: The Key to Economic Development
37:51: China’s Influence in Latin America: A Double-Edged Sword
47:03: Strategic U.S. Engagement: Priorities for the Future

Dr. Colin Dueck is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he is focusing on the interconnection between US national security strategies and party politics, conservative ideas, and presidential leadership. He is also a professor in the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, where he is the faculty adviser for the Alexander Hamilton Society. A senior nonresident fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, he has also served as a foreign policy adviser on several Republican presidential campaigns.

Dr. Dueck is the author of three books on American foreign and national security policies: The Obama Doctrine: American Grand Strategy Today (Oxford University Press, 2015), Hard Line: The Republican Party and US Foreign Policy Since World War II (Princeton University Press, 2010), and Reluctant Crusaders: Power, Culture, and Change in American Grand Strategy (Princeton University Press, 2006). He has testified before Congress and has been published in academic journals and the popular press. These include International Security, Orbis, Political Science Quarterly, the Review of International Studies, Security Studies, World Policy Journal, The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, RealClearPolitics, and National Review.

A Rhodes scholar, Dr. Dueck has a PhD in politics from Princeton University and an MPhil in international relations from Oxford University. He was also awarded a John M. Olin Postdoctoral Fellowship in national security studies by Harvard University. His earlier degrees in history were obtained from the University of Saskatchewan.