The American Philosophical Society, the oldest learned society in the United States, was founded in 1743 by Benjamin Franklin for the purpose of “promoting useful knowledge.” In the 21st century we sustain this mission in three principal ways. We honor
Etiqueta: american
Ending The Cuban Exception
The resignation of Fidel Castro from two of his three jobs in Cuba, together with the appointment of his brother as his successor, marks the end of an era—sort of. Raúl Castro replaced the elder Castro as president of the Councils of Ministers and of Stat
A ‘Cinnamon-Skinned’ President
The news about Hillary Clinton’s collapse in the U.S. Democratic Party primaries was premature, to put it mildly. And Barack Obama’s apparent coronation will also have to wait a while, a few weeks or even a few years. But the Illinois senator’s impressive
.:: Leftovers ::.
“Jorge Castañeda is the world’s foremost analyst of the Latin American left; this book provides thought-provoking new perspectives on the momentous issues raised in his classic, Utopia Unarmed. Castañeda and Morales team with outstanding Latin American s
A Blessedly Boring Year
In the last year or so, 11 Latin American countries held presidential elections. Citizens in Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Haiti, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru and Venezuela all went to the polls. The confluence of so many elections was
What Else Ends With Castro
Aug. 21-28, 2006 issue – As always in countries like Cuba, speculation is by definition idle. No one knows whether Fidel Castro is alive and well, dead or dying, recovering or permanently incapacitated. The biological outcome of the current drama in Havan
Why Chile Really Matters
In the reams of commentary about newly inaugurated Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, two statements are systematically repeated. The first contrasts the supposedly conservative nature of Chilean society against the fact that Bachelet is the first woman
Mending Fences South of the Border
At the inauguration tomorrow of Evo Morales as Bolivia’s new president, the United States — which has a significant military and aid presence in that country — will be represented by a deputy assistant secretary of state. This is just further evidence –
How to tap Mexico’s potential
At their North American summit on March 23 in Crawford, Texas, the leaders of the US, Mexico and Canada should take decisive steps towards the creation of a North American Economic Community, thereby enhancing energy security and economic prosperity for t
CHEEKING THE COLOSSUS OF THE NORTH
LATIN AMERICAN diplomats, statesmen and intellectuals have often believed that there is more than meets the eye to the unending estrangement between Cuba and the United States. Beyond the specific explanations for each chapter in that divorce’s turbulent