Regionalism and Development in Latin America: Challenges for the time after the crisis
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This paper examines the prospects for Latin American regionalism and the challenges it faces as a short-term development strategy. Using a governance approach, it reviews the historical trajectory of projects since the 1960s and the factors that influence the demand for and supply of integration at the systemic, regional, and national levels. The analysis finds limited progress in regionalization, economic integration, interstate cooperation, and shared identity traits. However, its effects on the development of the region's states are clearly insufficient. Regionalism remains a collective aspiration, but in order to become an effective development mechanism, it faces structural challenges that are difficult to overcome in the short term. Current changes and threats require a rethinking of both its strategic value and integration strategies, i.e., expectations and models.This paper examines the prospects for Latin American regionalism and the challenges it faces as a short-term development strategy. Using a governance approach, it reviews the historical trajectory of projects since the 1960s and the factors that influence the demand for and supply of integration at the systemic, regional, and national levels. The analysis finds limited progress in regionalization, economic integration, interstate cooperation, and shared identity traits. However, its effects on the development of the region's states are clearly insufficient. Regionalism remains a collective aspiration, to become an effective development mechanism, it faces structural challenges that are difficult to overcome in the short term. Current changes and threats require a rethinking of both its strategic value and integration strategies, i.e., expectations and models.
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