This book explores the diverse consequences of Presidents Obama and Castro brokering a rapprochement between the United States and Cuba after more than half a century of estrangement. Economic, political, social, and cultural dynamics are analyzed in accessible fashion by leading experts from Cuba, the United States, Europe, and Latin America.

1. Introduction: U.S.- Cuba Diplomatic Rapprochement and Washington’s Relations with Latin America.- 2. Establishing, Not Restoring, Normal Relations between the United States and Cuba.- 3. Cuba-U.S.: The December 17 Arrangement in the Rationale of Asymmetric Relations.- 4. A Südpolitik from Washington: How Much of Europe’s Ostpolitik Is There in the Current U.S.-Cuban Détente.- 5. The End of the Bogeyman: The Political Repercussions of the U.S.- Cuban Rapprochement.- 6. Beyond Revolutionary Chic: How U.S.- Cuba Rapprochement May Affect Cuban Arts.- 7. Post-D17 and Processes of Cuban National Reconciliation.- 8. Cuban Exceptionalism.- 9. How Will U.S.- Cuban Normalization Affect Economic Policy in Cuba?.- 10. Cuban Economic Reforms and Rapprochement with the United States: A Comparative Perspective.- 11. Foreign Direct Investment in Cuba: A Necessity and a Challenge.- 12. Entrepreneurial Reform, Market Expansion, and Political Engagement: Risks and Opportunities for Cuba Today.- 13. Onstage or Backstage? Latin America and U.S.- Cuban Relations.- 14. Conclusion.

This book explores the diverse consequences of Presidents Obama and Castro brokering a rapprochement between the United States and Cuba after more than half a century of estrangement. Economic, political, social, and cultural dynamics are analyzed in accessible fashion by leading experts from Cuba, the United States, Europe, and Latin America. What opportunities arise through the opening of diplomatic relations, and what issues may be obstacles to normalization? What are the implications for the Cuban economy, for its political system, and for ties with members of the Cuban diaspora? What are the implications for US relations elsewhere in Latin America? This up-to-date account addresses these and other questions about this new direction in US-Cuban relations.

Provides the first thorough exploration of the implications of the diplomatic rapprochement between the United States and Cuba, both inside Cuba and internationally Digs beneath the headlines of a rapidly unfolding story to assess the deeper social, economic, and political forces and their implications for Cuba, the United States, and Latin America Brings together contributions from leading economists, political scientists, sociologists, and cultural studies scholars who are noted for their expertise on Cuba and Cuba-US relations