Reconceptualizing Security in the Americas in the Twenty-First Century: (Security in the Americas in the Twenty-First Century)

Reconceptualizing Security in the Americas in the Twenty-First Century illustrates the various security concerns in the Americas in the twenty-first century. It presents the work of a number of prolific scholars and analysts in the region. The book offers new theoretical and analytical perspectives. Within the Americas, we find a number of important issues security issues. Most important are the threats that supersede borders: drug trafficking, migration, health, and environmental. These threats change our understanding of security and the state and regional process of neutralizing or correcting these threats. This volume evaluates these threats within contemporary security discourse.

Table of Contents:
Section 1: Reconceptualizing Security Chapter 1: The Hemisphere and Declining U.S. Hegemony—Hanna Kassab Chapter 2: Reconceptualizing Security Priorities of the Hemisphere—Hanna Kassab Chapter 3: Desecuritization: Reestablishing Priorities of the Hemisphere—Alberto Lozano-Vázquez Section 2: Terrorism, Insurgency and Challenges to the State Chapter 4: In the Name of Vindice: Latin America’s ‘Endemic Pattern’ of Violence: A Conceptual Analysis—Bradford R. McGuinn Chapter 5: Colombia: Prospects for Peace in the 21st Century: Past Failures, Present Challenges and Future Opportunities—Lilian Yaffe Chapter 6: Mexico: Violence in Mexico: In Search of an Explanation—Jorge Chabat Section 3: Organized Crime and Drug Trafficking Chapter 7: Organized Crime and Drug Trafficking: Trends and Supply Chains—Juan Carlos Garzón Vergara Chapter 8: Venezuela: Trends in Organized Crime—Joseph M. Humire Chapter 9: Drug Trafficking and Organized Crime in Colombia: Major Challenges for the Santos Administration—Adam Isacson Chapter 10: A ‘Full-Cycle-Country’: How Argentina’s New role Within the Political Economy of Illicit Drugs is Transforming the Structure of Organized Crime—Sebastían Antonio Cutrona Chapter 11: The Evolution of Peru’s Shining Path and the New Security Priorities in the Hemisphere—Barnett S. Koven and Cynthia McClintock Section 4: The New Security Agenda Chapter 12: The Rise of China in the Americas—R. Evan Ellis Chapter 13: Development and Inequality in the Americas—Ali R. Bustamante Chapter 14: Resource Security: Energy and Environment—Rémi Piet Chapter 15 Health Security Challenges in the Americas: Newly Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases—Sherri L. Porcelain Chapter 16: Environmental Security of Coastal Resources in Latin America—Daniel Suman Chapter 17: Migration in the Americas—Roberto Zepeda Martínez

About the Author :
Bruce M. Bagley is professor in the Department of International Studies at the University of Miami. Hanna Kassab is lecturer at the University of Miami. Jonathan D. Rosen is research professor at the Institute of International Studies at the Universidad del Mar, Mexico.

Review :
States is not the least interested in turning to violence to liquidate Venezuela's 'revolution.' Nobody is going to invade Venezuela. What is generally ignored is why Obama has taken this contradictory step that only serves to give Maduro a pretext for nationalism, increase repression and stir the Latin American hornet's nest. And yet, there are good reasons behind the move. Venezuela is indeed a risk to the security of the United States, not because it violated the democrats' human rights – that was the excuse – but because of three activities that are codified in the doctrinary definition that indicates where the danger to U.S. society begins or intensifies. Whoever wants to know the vision that prevails in Washington on this issue should read the book Reconceptualizing Security in the Americas in the 21st Century, with special attention to the chapter titles Venezuela: Trends in Organized Crime. While Latin America currently does not present a threat to global security, a number of important security issues within the Americas result in pervasive threats to people’s lives…. This informative volume, which brings together contributions from all over the Americas, picks up on these diagnoses. It is a valuable addition to an increasing literature on nontraditional security issues in the Americas, which so far has concentrated mainly on citizen security, violence, and illicit activities like drug trafficking. Reconceptualizing Security, a project with University of Miami roots, brings together seventeen chapters on organized crime, drug trafficking, environmental challenges, and shared health issues, as well as several country case studies. The volume contains several excellent chapters. One is hard-pressed to find comprehensive studies on what is likely the number one challenge facing the region and U.S. policy: security. The editors of this book have filled an important academic and policy gap, providing in-depth analysis of the region's security agenda, with special focus on citizen security, violence and non-traditional issues such as energy, health, and migration. The depth and breadth of this issue and country-focused book is sure to be of great interest to scholars and policy-makers alike.