North-South or South-South? Rethinking International Economic Boundaries

The last fifteen years have witnessed a resurgence in political and economic cooperation among the developing nations of the South. This course examines the origins and trajectory of South-South relations. Does South-South cooperation hold the promise of an alternative economic model to neo-liberal globalization or is it best thought of as unity against Northern hegemony? How has colonialism previously and economic liberalization more recently changed the structure and pattern of trade among developing countries? What will be the impact of rising alliances within the South such as those between China and many Middle Eastern and South American countries or between Cuba and Venezuela? Does the Non-Aligned Movement that emerged during the Cold War still have a role to play in today?s world? In the course we will trace the historical patterns of trade among developing nations since the colonial era and then look closely at South-South cooperation in the post-WWII period.