Anaïs VIDAL-JAUMARY

Over the past fifty years, the history of international relations has constantly evolved. Historians strive to go beyond traditional diplomatic history, challenge central concepts, pay growing attention to non-state actors, and consider transnational flows more seriously. New paradigms invite us to break with traditional national or regional approaches, allowing a better integration of Latin America and the Caribbean in the study of contemporary worlds. Nonetheless, the region is often viewed either as a secondary field of observation or as an object devoid of real agency, through the lens of the center/periphery dichotomy. Contrary to these ideas, this conference proposes to consider Latin Americas – in plural and in their diversity – as a privileged space for analyzing the global dynamics of international relations in the 20th and 21st centuries. This event will offer an opportunity to explore the making of international relations from and within Latin America, drawing from recent reflections on cultural diplomacy, the global Cold War, student and activist movements, as well as the emergence of new international actors and the development of international arenas. Starting from the hypothesis that Latin America occupies an important place in the main dynamics contributing to the construction of the world order from the late 19th century to the present day, these discussions will open up a space for dialogue around three key themes: spaces, practices and objects, and actors and actresses.