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Publications

Peer-reviewed articles

Authored books, edited books and book chapters

  • CA-AM-china-latin-america

    China and Latin America: Development, Agency and Geopolitics

    by C Alden, and A Mendez
    Bloomsbury, 2023

    In this detailed and up-to-the-minute investigation, Chris Alden, author of the critically acclaimed China in Africa, and Alvaro Mendez, leading expert in the international relations of Latin America, look at the interests, strategies and practices of China's incoming power. What can be learned by comparing Latin America with other developing regions in which China has had significant economic ties and a growing diplomatic stake? Does Beijing's approach to Latin America really differ, as is often claimed by Chinese leaders, from its approach to Africa? And more broadly, how should we read the curious and uneven decline of both the US and Europe as actors in the region?

  • CA-south-africa-china-relations

    South Africa–China Relations: A Partnership of Paradoxes

    by C Alden, and YS Wu
    Springer, 2021

    Involves predominantly South African authors with knowledge and expertise on the topic of relations with China, allowing them to better interact with a local and African audience

    Links societal and economic levels, seeking to merge the policymaking space with concerns of everyday citizens

    Considers contemporary debates, trends and questions, such as the 2018 launch of the suspension bridge between South Africa and Mozambique that was built and funded by Chinese investment.

  • new-diplomatic-relations-between-panama-and-china-GSU

    New diplomatic relations between Panama and China: geopolitical and socioeconomic implications

    By L C Herrera, M Montenegro, C Alden, A Mendez, V Torres–Lista

    Since Panama established diplomatic relations with China in June 2017, the two countries have developed a fairly strong diplomatic relationship. This edited book by scholars in Panama and in the UK explores the geopolitical and socioeconomic implications of the bilateral agenda. It analyses China’s efforts to recruit the global South, including Panama, into its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It also uniquely provides a comparative chapter of Costa Rica, Argentina, Malaysia and Djibouti and their complex relationship with Beijing.

  • political-economy-China-Latin-America-relations-bookcover

    The Political Economy of China-Latin America Relations

    by Alvaro Mendez and Mariano Turzi
    Palgrave Macmillan, 2020

    The book explores the ways in which Latin American states are capitalizing or failing to capitalize on the initiatives of China in world affairs. The authors hypothesize that a dearth of regional agency and social construction, and a consequent institutional deficit in foreign relations, characterizes Latin America and its inadequate reaction to Chinese agency.

  • new-directions-in-africa-china-studies-bookcover

    New directions in Africa-China Studies

    by Chris Alden & Daniel Large (Eds.)
    Abingdon, UK: Routledge, 2019

    Interest in China and Africa is growing exponentially. Taking a step back from the ‘events-driven’ reactions characterizing much coverage, this timely book reflects more deeply on questions concerning how this subject has been, is being and can be studied.

    It offers a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary and authoritative contribution to Africa–China studies. Its diverse chapters explore key current research themes and debates, such as agency, media, race, ivory, development or security, using a variety of case studies from Benin, Kenya and Tanzania, to Angola, Mozambique and Mauritius. Looking back, it explores the evolution of studies about Africa and China. Looking forward, it explores alternative, future possibilities for a complex and constantly evolving subject.

  • new-development-assistance-bookcover

    New Development Assistance: Emerging Economies and the New Landscape of Development Assistance

    by Yijia Jing, Alvaro Mendez & Yu Zheng (Eds.)
    Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, 2020

    This book explores the changing face of development assistance. China's One Belt, One Road development program is the largest international investment scheme in history, surpassing the Marshall Plan by an order of magnitude. In 2017, a group of top scholars from Fudan, the London School of Economics, and other institutions like the Institute of Development Studies, Australian National University, and World Bank gathered to share findings and ideas about the nature of New Development Assistance. A compilation of their findings, this book will be of interest to NGOs, policymakers, and academics.

  • la-conexion-china-bookcover

    La Conexión China en la Política Exterior del Perú en el Siglo XXI

    by Javier Alcalde, Chris Alden, Angelica Guerra & Alvaro Mendez (Eds.)
    Lima, Perú: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, 2019

    This book brings together the contributions of speakers invited by the London School of Economics Global South Unit, the Institute of International Studies, the School of Government of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, and the academic, diplomatic and business sectors of Peru, to the international seminar that bears the same name, held in May 2016, in Lima (Peru).

  • Books icon website

    China and Africa - Building Peace and Security Cooperation on the Continent

    Editors: Alden, C, Alao, A, Chun, Z, Barber, L

    This book investigates the expanding involvement of China in security cooperation in Africa. Drawing on leading and emerging scholars in the field, the volume uses a combination of analytical insights and case studies to unpack the complexity of security challenges confronting China and the continent. It interrogates how security considerations impact upon the growing economic and social links China has developed with African states.

  • Books icon website

    Foreign Policy Analysis - New approaches, 2nd Edition

    By Chris Alden, Amnon Aran

    Building on the success of the first edition, this revised volume re-invigorates the conversation between foreign policy analysis and international relations. It opens up the discussion, situating existing debates in foreign policy in relation to contemporary concerns in international relations, and provides a concise and accessible account of key areas in foreign policy analysis that are often ignored. Focusing on how foreign policy decision making affects the conduct of states in the international system, and analysing the relationship between policy, agency and actors, the volume examines:

    foreign policy and bureaucracies

    domestic sources of foreign policy

    foreign policy and the state

    foreign policy and globalization

    foreign policy and change.

    This second edition builds on and expands the theoretical canvas of foreign policy analysis, shaping its ongoing dialogue with international relations and offering an important introduction to the field. It is essential reading for all students of foreign policy and international relations.

  • Books icon website

    The China-Latin America Axis: Emerging Markets and their Role in an Increasingly Globalised World

    This second edition authored by Dr Álvaro Méndez and Dr Gastón Fornes explores and accounts for the many changes in the emerging markets of China and the Latin American countries since 2011. Taking account of the major developments such as the rapid expansion of the Chinese state and the ongoing effects of the world recession, the authors will present up-to-date case studies and data on both Chinese and Latin American companies, including updates on those included in the first edition and presenting new innovative start-ups. Including an international relations perspective alongside business strategy and global markets, The China-Latin America Axis 2nd edition presents the drastic changes in the globalized economy in the past 5 years.

  • Books icon website

    Colombian Agency and the making of US Foreign Policy: Intervention by Invitation

    This book authored by Dr Álvaro Méndez studies a significant event in US relations with Latin America, shedding light on the role of dependent states and their foreign policy agency in the process by which local concerns become intertwined with the dominant state’s foreign policy. Plan Colombia was a large-scale foreign aid programme through which the US intervened in the internal affairs of Colombia, by invitation. It proved to be one of the major successes of US foreign policy, and has been credited with stemming a potentially catastrophic security failure of the Colombian state.

  • Books icon website

    China and Mozambique: From Comrades to Capitalists

    New Edited volume by Dr Chris Alden and Dr Sergio Chichava, "China and Mozambique drills down into the heart of a relationship whose growing depth and complexity exposes key themes that will affect Africa’s future development."

  • Books icon website

    Mercenaries, Hybrid Armies and National Security

    This book, authored by Dr Caroline Varin, assesses the use of ‘mercenaries’ by states, and their integration into the national armed forces as part of a new hybridisation trend of contemporary armies in the 'Global South' as well as in Western societies.

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Working Papers

The LSE Global South Unit Working Paper Series showcases research conducted by GSU staff and other academics working on the topic of the emergence of the 'Global South'.

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The Global South Unit invites submissions to its Working Paper Series. We welcome research manuscripts of a quality suitable for academic journals or edited book chapters.

Scope

Manuscripts should make a substantive contribution to knowledge on:

  1. South–South cooperation
  2. Latin America in a global context
  3. The emergence of China in the Global South
  4. Foreign policies of the Global South
  5. Regionalism and the Global South

Lead-Author Requirement

Because the series highlights well-developed, policy-relevant research, each submission must identify a lead author with established research or policy experience.

  • Contributors at any career stage are welcome as co-authors.
  • Early-career researchers, including doctoral candidates, may be co-authors but should not be listed as the sole or lead author unless specifically agreed by the editors.

Authorship

Authorship is open to academics, practitioners, and independent researchers, provided the lead-author requirement is met.

Format

  • Citation style: APA 6th edition with full reference list
  • File format: Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx), not PDF
  • Title page: title, author name(s) and affiliation(s), corresponding author’s address, abstract with keywords, and the month and year of submission
  • Layout: 1.5 line spacing, 1-inch margins, justified text
  • Length: up to 4,000 words. In exceptional circumstances, the editors may permit a longer manuscript where the subject matter warrants additional depth.

Submission

Please email manuscripts to gsu@lse.ac.uk. All eligible submissions undergo the standard peer-review and editorial process. Acceptance is not guaranteed.

Rights

Editorial decisions to publish on the Global South Unit website are final. Authors retain all rights to their work.

Government Reports

Commentary and Blogposts

Policy Brief

The LSE Global South Unit Policy Briefs Series showcases expert analysis conducted by GSU staff, and other academics and political experts working on the topic of the emergence of the 'Global South'.

COVID-19 and the Global South

Responses of regional organisations to the transnational challenge

If you wish to submit a paper to be considered for publication, please contact us by email: gsu@lse.ac.uk