The third edition of this respected text has been thoroughly updated to reflect post-Cold War developments that have had a dramatic impact on virtually every aspect of Latin America's international relations. East-West conflict, which was played out especially in Central America and the Caribbean, is no longer relevant. At the same time, Latin American states have undergone political and economic transformations. Consequently, other issues--such as trade and investment, democracy and human rights, immigrants and refugees, drug trafficking, and the physical environment--have risen in importance.The original purpose of this text is unchanged: It continues to provide a topical, current, and analytically integrated survey of Latin America's role in international politics. Still organized around the idea of Latin America as a separate subsystem within the global international system, the discussions give special emphasis to further regional subsystems (especially Mexico, the Circum-Caribbean, and South America beyond the Caribbean). Within this framework, Atkins examines the complex political, military, economic, and social structures and processes of both state power and interdependence. Analyzing the foreign policies of the Latin American states themselves as well as those of the United States and other countries toward Latin America, Atkins looks closely at the nature and role of non-nation-state actors in the region, including multinational corporations, international labor, transnational political parties, the Holy See, and guerrilla organizations.

He gives particular attention to Latin American participation in international institutions at all levels.