Records of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, 1975-2002 M1354

Finding aid prepared by Katya Fleishman; machine-readable finding aid created by Glynn Edwards

Department of Special Collections and University Archives

Stanford University Libraries

557 Escondido Mall

Stanford, California, 94305-6064

URL http://library.stanford.edu//spc/

Repository Email: specialcollections@stanford.edu

Descriptive Summary

Title: Council on Hemispheric Affairs records

Collection number: M1354

Repository: Department of Special Collections and University Archives

Language of Material: English

Collection size: 221.5 Linear feet 443 manuscript boxes

Dates: circa 1975-2002

Physical Location: Special Collections materials are stored offsite and must be paged 36 hours in advance. For more information on paging collections, see the department's website: http://library.stanford.edu/depts/spc/spc.html.

Language of Materials note: A lot of materials are in Spanish.

Abstract: The papers feature the materials related to the political, economical, and social development of Latin American region in the last quarter of the 20th century, its relationships with the U.S. and the nearby countries. The collection includes clippings, leaflets, various publications, newsletters, reports, correspondence, press releases, etc.)

Creator: Council on Hemispheric Affairs.

Acquisition Information

This collection was given by the Council on Hemispheric Affairs to Stanford University, Special Collections in October 2002.

Access

Unprocessed; but open for research.

Publication Rights

All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, California 94304-6064. Consent is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner, heir(s) or assigns. See: http://library.stanford.edu/depts/spc/pubserv/permissions.html.

Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.

Preferred Citation note

[identification of item], Council on Hemispheric Affairs, M1354. Dept. of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

History

Founded in 1975, the Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA), a nonprofit, tax-exempt independent research and information organization, was established to promote the common interests of the hemisphere, raise the visibility of regional affairs and increase the importance of the inter-American relationship, as well as encourage the formulation of rational and constructive U.S. policies towards Latin America. In 1982, COHA’s board of trustees voted to expand its mandate to include monitoring Canadian/Latin American relations. Since its inception, COHA has been one of the most active and broadest-based U.S. private bodies dealing with the entire spectrum of political, economic and diplomatic issues, as well as responding to the economic and political challenges confronting the nations of this hemisphere. From its beginnings, COHA’s board consisted of the leadership of trade unions, professional organizations and religious groups, as well as civic and academic figures, who joined together to advance their common belief in support of representative government and pluralistic institutions throughout the hemisphere.

In recent years, COHA has directed a good deal of its research energies to such issues as unproductive U.S. pressure on President Aristide which eventually led to his ouster and Washington’s replacement with a hapless interim regime. COHA also has condemned Washington’s unexamined and reflexive policy towards Cuba and Venezuela, and the negative impact of neo-liberal reforms on the average Latin American. COHA was opposed to the adherence of the U.S. to NAFTA under the thesis that it shouldn’t have been initiated until basic Mexican institutions were truly democratic, its trade unions free enough to negotiate as equals, and the government purged of endemic corruption. COHA also is a critic of the indiscriminate application of structural adjustment formulas that end up negatively affecting the poorest stratum of Latin America’s population.

COHA is staffed by a small professional core, who contributes their services to the organization, supplemented by a large number of volunteer graduate and undergraduate students who often receive academic credit from their home institutions for the experience gained through their work with it. Over the years, retired government employees also have cooperated with COHA in preparing monographs on such topics as regional development, trade policies, and the controversial development strategies of the international lending agencies. The staff is assisted by a number of COHA senior research fellows from the United States, Latin America and elsewhere, who are generally considered to be leaders in their respective fields of expertise. It has been described on the Senate floor as “one of our nation’s most respected bodies of scholars and policymakers.”

from the Council on Hemispheric Affairs website.

Scope & Content

Collection was listed at the container level.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Latin America--Foreign relations--United States.

United States--Foreign relations--Latin America

United States--Foreign relations.

Box 1

Releases, publications, reports, typescripts, photocopies; 1990s mostly.

Box 2

Releases, publications, reports, typescripts, photocopies; 1990s mostly.

Box 3