Since the beginning of the modern age, societies have been trading over long distances in an effort to acquire foreign goods and secure markets for their own commodities. During the late 18th century, however, two key factors emerged that helped to not only expand trade, but also accelerate the international movement of capital. Firstly, in an attempt to curb smuggling operations governments started to abandon the high tariffs placed upon imports and exports and abolish a number of prohibitions on the importation of certain commodities. Such repeals of earlier mercantilist legislation moved nations ever closer toward a free trading bloc, thereby increasing the flow of international commerce. Secondly, the advent of industrialization led to greater technical efficiency and productivity among exporting nations as well as decreases in the costs of production and transportation as a result of the application of new technologies such as railways and the steam engine. Consequently, modern industry generated tremendous increases of wealth and income that could, therefore, be used for foreign investment.

This panel will explore the development of North American and European corporate enterprise in Latin America and its impact upon local communities. We are looking for papers that discuss the general nature of foreign investment as well as ones examining the political, social and economic conditions that fostered the entry of foreign enterprise into the region. It is our hope that through the exposition of various facets of foreign investment we can have a better understanding of how it affects the populations of host countries.

Please send abstracts of 500 words or less and a brief CV to wilsonj@stjohns.edu by no later than July 24, 2011.