"A classic on post-Cold War Cuba. . . . Azicri evidences Cuba's expanding external relations with the papacy, the Economic Union, and Latin America and argues that Cuba has begun internal changes that could later create an all-national rather than a solely communist party. . . . This work is essential reading for D.C., Havana, and Miami--and is likely to anger all three."--"Choice"

"A masterful and provocative summary, analysis, and evaluation of political, economic, and cultural developments in Cuba, as well as the international relations of Cuba, in the tumultuous decade following the collapse of the Soviet Union. In the process, Azicri gives a unique insight into how and why Cuban socialism, though greatly modified in the 1990s, continues to survive."--Sinan Koont, Dickinson College

Unlikely to gratify those with strong views on either side of the political divide, Azicri's study provides an intelligent, scholarly response to the current questions posed by the Cuban Revolution.

Covering the turbulent period of the 1990s, the book examines such issues as the impact on Cuba of the Soviet Union's collapse, the country's social malaise under economic scarcity, the reorganization of its economy, changes in its political system, problems in its relations with the United States, and the renaissance of Cuban religious life in the aftermath of the pope's visit.

Azicri offers an objectively researched study that addresses many of the assumptions made by partisan participants. Demonstrating how Cuba's ongoing reform process has allowed it to avoid the fate of other Soviet bloc regimes, he maintains that Havana has continually reinvented the nature of Cuban socialism. Drawing on original sources and scholarly studies from Cuba, the United States, and elsewhere, he argues that a more restrained and limited socialism is suitable to today's Cuba and explains why such a system probably will prevail beyond Castro.

Max Azicri, professor of political science at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, is the author of "Cuba: Politics, Economics and Society" and of numerous articles on Cuban politics, society, culture, and international relations.

This book is a collection of meticulously gathered interviews with government officials, ambassadors, and executives involved in foreign investment and economic development in Cuba. The interviews, many for the first time with a foreign journalist, are valuable from a historical perspective and as a story of development. It offers an “open window� on Cuba into a crucial segment of the country’s economy, erroneously perceived by some as “shuttered� to the outside world. This work is structured by the contextual history of Obama’s opening with Cuba, the bleak days of Trump, the Havana Syndrome, the onset of the pandemic, the election of Biden, and his “unmet promises�, through to economic recovery of the island under the post-pandemic normal. It highlights the work of the ones who lead and invest, create opportunities for themselves and others, initiate change, trigger sustainable development, build infrastructure, improve lives, strengthen the economy, lessen suffering, and create hope. They stimulate forward progress. These are the visionaries with plans seeking to realize the full potential of Cuba, driving a new era of sustainable development and growth. By filling those gaps, this work is an important supplement for any future analysis seeking to examine the country’s potential. The book is divided into parts: government, economy, foreign investment, industrial zones, banking, law, and business, followed by interviews with top executives from Cuba’s primary sectors. This “open window� on Cuba is a compelling fresh take that shows that Cuba is open for serious business.  

This completely revised and updated edition of Contemporary Cuba focuses on Cuba since Raúl Castro stepped down as president in 2018. The book offers a comprehensive description and analysis of contemporary Cuban politics, economy, international relations, and society. All but two of the twenty-seven articles were written expressly for this volume, in a style accessible for a broad audience. Ideally suited for students and general readers seeking to understand this small yet still influential country, the book includes a substantive introduction setting the historical context, as well as introductions to each topical section and a chronology of events since 2014. Contributions by: Fulton T. Armstrong, Mervyn J. Bain, Michael J. Bustamante, Susan Eckstein, H. Michael Erisman, Julio Antonio Fernández Estrada, Julio César Guanche, Katrin Hansing, Vilma Hidalgo López-Chávez, Bert Hoffmann, Arturo Lopez-Levy, Armando Nova González, Leonardo Padura Fuentes, Louis A. Pérez, Jr., Kirenia Pérez Criado, C. Maelia Esther Pérez Silveira, Jorge R. Piñón, Magela Romero Almodovar, Antonio F. Romero Gómez, Ricardo Torres Pérez, Ailynn Torres Santana, C. Juan Triana Cordoví, Dachelys Valdés Moreno, Helen Yaffe, María del Carmen Zabala Arguelles

This completely revised and updated edition of Contemporary Cuba focuses on Cuba since Raúl Castro stepped down as president in 2018. The book offers a comprehensive description and analysis of contemporary Cuban politics, economy, international relations, and society. All but two of the twenty-seven articles were written expressly for this volume, in a style accessible for a broad audience. Ideally suited for students and general readers seeking to understand this small yet still influential country, the book includes a substantive introduction setting the historical context, as well as introductions to each topical section and a chronology of events since 2014. Contributions by: Fulton T. Armstrong, Mervyn J. Bain, Michael J. Bustamante, Susan Eckstein, H. Michael Erisman, Julio Antonio Fernández Estrada, Julio César Guanche, Katrin Hansing, Vilma Hidalgo López-Chávez, Bert Hoffmann, Arturo Lopez-Levy, Armando Nova González, Leonardo Padura Fuentes, Louis A. Pérez, Jr., Kirenia Pérez Criado, C. Maelia Esther Pérez Silveira, Jorge R. Piñón, Magela Romero Almodovar, Antonio F. Romero Gómez, Ricardo Torres Pérez, Ailynn Torres Santana, C. Juan Triana Cordoví, Dachelys Valdés Moreno, Helen Yaffe, María del Carmen Zabala Arguelles

Cuba has more medical personnel serving abroad - over 50,000 in 66 countries - than all of the G-7 countries combined and more than the World Health Organization. For the last five decades, they have been a leading force in the developing world, providing humanitarian aid (or "cooperation," as Cuba's communist government prefers) and initiating programs for preventative care and medical training. In Healthcare without Borders, John Kirk examines the role of Cuban medical teams in disaster relief, biotechnology joint ventures, and in the Latin American School - the largest medical faculty in the world. He looks at their responses to various crises worldwide, including the 1960 earthquake in Chile, the Chernobyl disaster in the Ukraine, the earthquake that wracked Haiti in 2010 and the subsequent cholera outbreak, and the 2014 Ebola epidemic in West Africa. Kirk issues an informative and enlightening corrective for what he describes as the tendency of the industrialized world's media to ignore or underreport this phenomenon as one of the positive aspects of the ongoing Cuban revolution. In the process, he explores the philosophical underpinnings of human rights and access to medical care at the core of Cuba's medical internationalism programs and partnerships.

Cuban International Relations at 60 brings together the perspectives of leading experts and the personal accounts of two ambassadors to examine Cuba's global engagement and foreign policy since January 1959 by focusing on the island's key international relationships and issues. Thisbook's first section focuseson Havana's complex relationship with Washington and its second section concentrates on Cuba's other key relationships with consideration also being given to Cuba's external trade and investment sectors and the possibility of the island becoming a future petro-power. Throughout this study due attention is given to the role of history and Cuban nationalism in the formation of the island's unique foreign policy. This book's examination and reflection on Cuba as an actor on the international arena for the 60 years of the revolutionary period highlights the multifaceted and complex reasons for the island's global engagement. It concludes that Cuba's global presence since January 1959 has been remarkable for a Caribbean island, is unparalleled, and is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. Scholars of international relations, Latin American studies, and political science n will find this book particularly interesting.

This volume illustrates the sweeping changes in Cuban foreign policy under Raul Castro. Leading scholars from around the world show how the significant shift in foreign policy direction that started in 1990 after the implosion of the Soviet Union has continued, in many ways taking totally unexpected paths-as is shown by the move toward the normalization of relations with Washington. Providing a systematic overview of Cuba's relations with the United States, Latin America, Russia, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, this book will be invaluable for courses on contemporary Cuban politics.

This volume illustrates the sweeping changes in Cuban foreign policy under Raul Castro. Leading scholars from around the world show how the significant shift in foreign policy direction that started in 1990 after the implosion of the Soviet Union has continued, in many ways taking totally unexpected paths-as is shown by the move toward the normalization of relations with Washington. Providing a systematic overview of Cuba's relations with the United States, Latin America, Russia, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, this book will be invaluable for courses on contemporary Cuban politics.

The publication in the past ten years of linguistic atlases of England and Scotland has not only advanced our knowledge of the lexical and morphological variety inherent in the English language, but has made it possible to establish a number of methodological principles for the study of language both in its contemporary distribution and in its historical evolution. The essays in this volume, by contributors to the linguistic atlases and other dialectologists, describe some of the problems that bedevil the study of dialect and the methodological solutions employed to minimise them. They also survey the contributions that linguistic cartography can make to the study of English and of language in general. The considerations it embodies are of major importance for the student of language and, in addition, the book is an invaluable companion to the Atlases.

The publication in the past ten years of linguistic atlases of England and Scotland has not only advanced our knowledge of the lexical and morphological variety inherent in the English language, but has made it possible to establish a number of methodological principles for the study of language both in its contemporary distribution and in its historical evolution. The essays in this volume, by contributors to the linguistic atlases and other dialectologists, describe some of the problems that bedevil the study of dialect and the methodological solutions employed to minimise them. They also survey the contributions that linguistic cartography can make to the study of English and of language in general. The considerations it embodies are of major importance for the student of language and, in addition, the book is an invaluable companion to the Atlases.

Cuba has undergone dramatic changes since the collapse of European communism. The loss of economic aid and preferential trade with the Soviet Union and other Eastern bloc countries forced the Cuban government to search out new ways of organizing the domestic economy and new commercial relations in an international system dominated by market economies. The resulting economic reforms have reverberated through Cuban society and politics, recreating social inequalities unknown since the 1950s and confronting the political system with unprecedented new challenges. The resulting ferment is increasingly evident in Cuban cultural expression, and the responses to adversity and scarcity have reshaped Cuban social relations. Cuba today faces new challenges with the transition to a new president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, and renewed hostility from the Trump administration. This timely book provides a balanced and deeply knowledgeable introduction to Cuba today. This concise overview focuses on Cuba since Raul Castro stepped down as president, bringing together leading scholars to analyze politics, economics, foreign policy, and society in present-day Cuba. Ideally suited for students and seeking to understand this still contentious and controversial island, the book includes a substantive introduction setting the historical context, as well as a chronology and primary source documents.

This book examines the evolution of Cuba's foreign relations since the demise of the USSR. It is divided into three sections: the first examines the nature of economic and political change that has taken place in Cuba in the last three years; the second analyzes the evolution of Cuban international relations, which have flourished in recent years; the final section examines the nature of the impasse in bilateral relations with the USA and offers some suggestions to resolve the difficulties.

Cuba has undergone dramatic changes since the collapse of European communism. The loss of economic aid and preferential trade with the Soviet Union and other Eastern bloc countries forced the Cuban government to search out new ways of organizing the domestic economy and new commercial relations in an international system dominated by market economies. The resulting economic reforms have reverberated through Cuban society and politics, recreating social inequalities unknown since the 1950s and confronting the political system with unprecedented new challenges. The resulting ferment is increasingly evident in Cuban cultural expression, and the responses to adversity and scarcity have reshaped Cuban social relations. Cuba today faces new challenges with the transition to a new president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, and renewed hostility from the Trump administration. This timely book provides a balanced and deeply knowledgeable introduction to Cuba today. This concise overview focuses on Cuba since Raul Castro stepped down as president, bringing together leading scholars to analyze politics, economics, foreign policy, and society in present-day Cuba. Ideally suited for students and seeking to understand this still contentious and controversial island, the book includes a substantive introduction setting the historical context, as well as a chronology and primary source documents.

Cuba has undergone dramatic changes since the collapse of European communism. The loss of economic aid and preferential trade with the Soviet Union and other Eastern bloc countries forced the Cuban government to search out new ways of organizing the domestic economy and new commercial relations in an international system dominated by market economies. The resulting economic reforms have reverberated through Cuban society and politics, recreating social inequalities unknown since the 1950s and confronting the political system with unprecedented new challenges. The resulting ferment is increasingly evident in Cuban cultural expression, and the responses to adversity and scarcity have reshaped Cuban social relations. This completely revised and updated edition focuses on Cuba since Raul Castro took over the country's leadership in 2006. A Contemporary Cuba Reader brings together the best recent scholarship and writing on Cuban politics, economics, foreign relations, society, and culture in present-day Cuba. Ideally suited for students and general readers seeking to understand this still-contentious and controversial island, the book includes a substantive introduction setting the historical context, as well as part introductions and a chronology. Supplementary resources for students and professors are available here. Contributions by: Carlos Alzugaray Treto, Denise Blum, Philip Brenner, Michael J. Bustamante, Mariela Castro, Soraya M. Castro Marino, Maria Auxiliadora Cesar, Armando Chaguaceda, Margaret E. Crahan, Simon C. Darnell, Antonio Aja Diaz, Jorge I. Dominguez, Maria Isabel Dominguez, Tracey Eaton, H. Michael Erisman, Richard E. Feinberg, Reina Fleitas Ruiz, Edmundo Garcia, Graciela Gonzalez Olmedo, Conner Gorry, Katrin Hansing, Adrian H. Hearn, Ted A. Henken, Rafael Hernandez, Monica Hirst, Robert Huish, Marguerite Rose Jimenez, Antoni Kapcia, C. William Keck, Emily J. Kirk, John M. Kirk, Hal Klepak, Sinan Koont, Par Kumaraswami, Saul Landau, William M. LeoGrande, Sandra Levinson, Esteban Morales, Nancy Morejon, Blanca Munster Infante, Armando Nova Gonzalez, Manuel Orozco, Leonardo Padura Fuentes, Omar Everleny Perez Villanueva, Philip Peters, Camila Pineiro Harnecker, Clotilde Proveyer Cervantes, Archibald Ritter, Ana M. Ruiz Aguirre, Daniel Salas Gonzalez, Jorge Mario Sanchez Egozcue, Ann Marie Stock, Julia E. Sweig, Carlos Varela, Sjamme van de Voort, and Maria del Carmen Zabala Arguelles.

Cuba has undergone dramatic changes since the collapse of European communism. The loss of economic aid and preferential trade with the Soviet Union and other Eastern bloc countries forced the Cuban government to search out new ways of organizing the domestic economy and new commercial relations in an international system dominated by market economies. The resulting economic reforms have reverberated through Cuban society and politics, recreating social inequalities unknown since the 1950s and confronting the political system with unprecedented new challenges. The resulting ferment is increasingly evident in Cuban cultural expression, and the responses to adversity and scarcity have reshaped Cuban social relations. This completely revised and updated edition focuses on Cuba since Raul Castro took over the country's leadership in 2006. A Contemporary Cuba Reader brings together the best recent scholarship and writing on Cuban politics, economics, foreign relations, society, and culture in present-day Cuba. Ideally suited for students and general readers seeking to understand this still-contentious and controversial island, the book includes a substantive introduction setting the historical context, as well as part introductions and a chronology. Supplementary resources for students and professors are available here. Contributions by: Carlos Alzugaray Treto, Denise Blum, Philip Brenner, Michael J. Bustamante, Mariela Castro, Soraya M. Castro Marino, Maria Auxiliadora Cesar, Armando Chaguaceda, Margaret E. Crahan, Simon C. Darnell, Antonio Aja Diaz, Jorge I. Dominguez, Maria Isabel Dominguez, Tracey Eaton, H. Michael Erisman, Richard E. Feinberg, Reina Fleitas Ruiz, Edmundo Garcia, Graciela Gonzalez Olmedo, Conner Gorry, Katrin Hansing, Adrian H. Hearn, Ted A. Henken, Rafael Hernandez, Monica Hirst, Robert Huish, Marguerite Rose Jimenez, Antoni Kapcia, C. William Keck, Emily J. Kirk, John M. Kirk, Hal Klepak, Sinan Koont, Par Kumaraswami, Saul Landau, William M. LeoGrande, Sandra Levinson, Esteban Morales, Nancy Morejon, Blanca Munster Infante, Armando Nova Gonzalez, Manuel Orozco, Leonardo Padura Fuentes, Omar Everleny Perez Villanueva, Philip Peters, Camila Pineiro Harnecker, Clotilde Proveyer Cervantes, Archibald Ritter, Ana M. Ruiz Aguirre, Daniel Salas Gonzalez, Jorge Mario Sanchez Egozcue, Ann Marie Stock, Julia E. Sweig, Carlos Varela, Sjamme van de Voort, and Maria del Carmen Zabala Arguelles.

John Kirk's thorough look at the Cathlolic church, from colonial times to the present, shores up his argument that many influences in Fidel Castro's Cuba have pre-revolutionary roots. Kirk explores Castro's views on religion and their effects on the Cuban Revolution.