2. Colonised by Spain / Portugal and after
independence (19th century) politically and
economically subjugated to US
Close touch with: Europe (especially Spain and
France) and North America
Linguistic, religious and cultural similarity to
help create LA identity on top of respective
national ones
3. Colonised by Western superpowers and Japan
(except Thailand) and after the World War II
incorporated into Asian-Pacific Rim
Close touch with: Anglo-Saxon countries while
losing its historic ties with France (Indochina)
and Spain (Philippines) > difficult for LA-born
SE to get into Asia
Linguistic, religious and cultural diversity:
hurdle to create Asian common identity
Languages: Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese,
Khmer, Korean, Lao, Mongolian, Thai,
Vietnamese
Religion: Bhuddism (Maharaya / Theravada),
Christianity (Catholic / Protestant),
Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam…
4. Started as a grass-root alternative to
neoliberal globalisation imposed by the North
and huge corporations = Capital
Mainly consists of people’s coops and different
support organisations and excluding social
enterprises: the middle class helps the poor
set up their own coops
Ex: Zapatista Liberation Front Army (EZFL,
Chiapas, Mexico), Landless Peasants’
Movement (MST, Brazil), University Incubators
for People’s Coop (Brazil)
Growth together with World Social Forum,
Supports from left-wing gov’ts (Argentina,
Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela etc.)
5. Evolved from charity organisations when they
faced with financial hardship
Mainly consists of social enterprises: the
middle class becomes consciencious
entrepreneurs to create decent jobs for the
poor
Usually doesn’t defy capitalism but tries to
coexist with it: HSBC supports Social
Enterprise Summit in Hong Kong
More info: Quiñones
6. LA: Spanish/Portuguese spoken by most
people: little barrier in int’l (but intra-LA)
communication, English rather as neoliberal
élite’s language
US and Europe: Increasing number of Spanish
speakers/learners, close relationship with LA
Asia: Asian languages are the mother tongue
for most people: English as int’l communication
tool but not in daily life (except Hong Kong,
Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore), very
few (if any) Spanish/Portuguese speakers and
little interest in learning them
7. The best way to promote mutual
understanding: Both case studies and
theoretical researches help Asian and LA grasp
what their counterpart thinks
Asian Univ. with LA studies and/or vice versa
Acceptance of visiting professors: to share their
experiences to their counterpart
Student exchange programmes: Asian and LA
post-graduate students go to another continent
to study and share (bidirectional)
8. Japan with LA (Brazil / Peru / Argentina etc.):
Japanese immigrants and their descendants live,
some of them working in Japan
Brazil: Agência Brasileira de Cooperação (ABC)
provides South-South cooperations to Asia,
especially (but not limited) to Timor Leste
The Philippines with Mexico: both belonged to
the Viceroyalty of New Spain (capital: Mexico
City) during the colonial rule and some
agreements still exist between both countries
Taiwan with Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras,
Nicaragua, Dominican Republic and Paraguay:
Taiwan still keeps its diplomatic relationship with
some LA countries and is eager to keep in touch:
What can be done?