Event Description
The relationship between the United States and Cuba is long, complex, and largely conflictive. The formation and evolution of both countries, along with their geographical proximity, determine the intensity and pervasiveness of their interaction. The national projects that serve as the axis of their histories condition the fundamental nature of this relationship. The Cuban revolution of 1959 was a major turning point in their history, leading to decades of open conflict, driven primarily by U.S. policy towards the island nation.
Since 1959, the Cuba policy of the U.S. has aimed to bring about a regime change in Cuba and restore the relationship to what it was before that date. A key component of this policy has been the use of information flows directed at both the island’s population and international audiences. This has been accompanied by various forms of cultural influence across different platforms and through different means. The main goal is to shape perceptions and behaviors within Cuba and abroad that would weaken support for its institutions and socio-economic and political system, often framed as thereby promoting democracy.
Dr. Domínguez López’s talk addressed the development of this policy towards Cuba, particularly in the 21st century, through the lenses of social engineering, history, and geopolitics.
Speaker
Ernesto Domínguez López (he, him, él) is Professor of History and Political Sciences at the Center for Hemispheric and United States Studies of the University of Havana in Cuba. Currently, he is completing a research doctorate in political sciences at the University of Rostock (Germany) and is a Tinker Foundation Visiting Professor at Stanford University.
Domínguez López has applied the complex approach and general systems theory to historical and political processes to develop a complex evolutionary theory of history. He is an Honorary Visiting Professor at the University of Buckingham (UK) and has held visiting positions and fellowships at the University of Rostock and the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, among many other honors.
Co-sponsorship
Presented in collaboration with the Department of Music.