Missing voices: Latin American perspectives in International Relations

Abstract

Academics working in International Relations (IR) often portray the discipline as predominantly American. The traditional orthodox narrative of the discipline, told through the ‘Great Debates’, reinforces this, as it depicts the main scholars in the history of the discipline as primarily originating from either the United States or the United Kingdom. In fact, the most popular books covering key thinkers in the discipline feature virtually no Latin American theorists. The marginalization of voices from the global South, including women, and of non-traditional perspectives has created a knowledge gap within the discipline. To address this, this special section of International Affairs, ‘Missing voices: Latin American perspectives in International Relations’, delves into the rich tapestry of international thought on world affairs, encompassing the works of several intellectuals from Latin America. We are convinced that highlighting these perspectives is vital to dispelling myths and positioning IR in the path of a truly global discipline.