Detlef Nolte

Overlapping regional security institutions in South America: The case of OAS and UNASUR

The Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) has positioned itself as a regional security organization aimed at reducing the influence of the Organization of American States (OAS) in South America. At the same time, the OAS paradoxically serves as a model for UNASUR because of its operational capacity and its legitimacy as a regional organization. This article analyzes the seemingly contradictory tendencies of replication and dissociation that UNASUR exhibits towards the OAS in terms of security conceptions and practices. In the first part of the paper, we will draw on recent debates on international regime complexity to develop a framework to study institutional overlap. The second part analyzes to what extent and in which respects UNASUR, and particularly its Defense Council, overlaps with the OAS in terms of security conceptions and practices, while the third part examines the causes of the emergence of a “competitor” for the OAS in South America.

Representing Different Constituencies: Electoral Rules in Bicameral Systems in Latin America and Their Impact on Political Representation

This article analyzes the quantitative (mechanical) effects and qualitative (perceptions) effects on political representation of the election of two separate chambers in Latin America’s bicameral systems. After discussing the spread and strength of bicameralism in Latin America, we compare the different electoral systems for lower chambers and Senates. Our study shows that in a region characterized by relatively high levels of malapportionment in the first chamber, the second chamber reinforces the malapportionment in parliament. Representation tends to be much more disproportional in the upper chamber than in the lower house. Moreover, the differences in the electoral systems and district magnitudes for both chambers make it more difficult for women to win a seat in the Senate.

Paraguai: Golpe ou voto de desconfiança?

O texto analisa a natureza dos eventos politicos que ocorreram no Paraguai em junho de 2012, bem como suas implicacoes para o futuro do Paraguai. Avalia tambem a posicao dos paises vizinhos, do Mercosul, UNASUL e OEA frente a crise politica paraguaia.

Die intraamerikanischen Beziehungen

Interamerikanische oder intraamerikanische Beziehungen? Die Begriffswahl hangt von der Sichtweise auf den betrachteten Gegenstand ab. Wahrend der Begriff der intraamerikanischen Beziehungen auf das Verbindende und die Verknupfung zwischen den Staaten in Nord- und Sudamerika abhebt, grenzt der Begriff interamerikanische Beziehungen die USA von den sudlichen Nachbarn ab und ruckt das Augenmerk auf die haufig konfliktreichen Beziehungen zwischen den USA und den lateinamerikanischen Staaten. Es gibt Argumente fur beide Sichtweisen.

Role Theory and Geopolitical Thinking in South America

Geopolitical thinking has a long tradition in Latin America. This chapter analyzes the development of current geopolitical thinking in South America in particular, and how this influences the development of security conceptions and practices at the state and at the regional levels. It develops an analytical approach based on role theory with the objective to understand the type of geopolitical roles policy-makers seek to advance on behalf of the state and regional groups of states in order to confront pressing security challenges. Empirically, the chapter analyzes the traditional geopolitical narratives, their evolution and how they merge with new geopolitical issues/narratives such as the geopolitics of regional integration and natural resources protection and extraction.

Regional Powers in International Relations: Analytical Concepts and Research Approaches

Much of recent international relations literature argues conflicts to achieve or to frustrate regional dominance will become more virulent in the future. In this context we examine different approaches in international relations theory regarding the role and importance which they attribute to regional powers. We discuss diverse theoretical approaches that address the topics of power relations and power hierarchies in international politics. Marking differences as well as common grounds with the more traditional concept of “middle powers”, we sketch an analytical concept of regional powers adequate for contemporary international relations research. The paper concludes with reflections on the relationship between regional powers and regional integration and a short discussion of the analytical value of the concept of cooperative hegemony for the study of regional powers.