Interpreting Nafta - The Science and Art of Political Analysis

Drawing on a wide range of documents and interviews with officials in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, as well the author's experience as an aide to Senator Bill Bradley during negotiations, Interpreting NAFTA is a history of the agreement's development, from opening talks to final passage. Frederick W. Mayer combines recent work in international relations, comparative politics, interest groups, and public opinion to develop a broad theoretical framework that crosses between international relations and domestic politics. Mayer demonstrates that to understand NAFTA, one must view it as simultaneously a matter of political interests, institutions, and ideas.

List of contents

1. Introduction
2. A Framework for Political Analysis
3. Why a North American Free Trade Agreement?Interpreting the Decision to Negotiate:The Uses and Limits of International Theory
4. Domestic Politics Matters: The Fast Track FightInterpreting the Domestic Politics of Decision:The Role of Institutions and Interests
5. Two-Level Bargaining: The NAFTA NegotiationInterpreting International Negotiations:Domestic Politics and International Bargaining
6. Making Side Issues Central: The Labor and Environment NegotiationsInterpreting the Side Negotiations: Issue Linkage, Deep Nesting, and the Political Context
7. Symbolic Politics: Growing Grassroots OppositionInterpreting Grassroots Opposition:The Markets for Meaning
8. Diagnosis and Strategy: The Campaign for NAFTAInterpreting the Victory:Political Diagnosis and Political Strategy
9. Conclusions

About the author

Frederick W. Mayer

Summary

Drawing on a wide range of documents and interviews with officials in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, as well the author's experience as an aide to Senator Bill Bradley during negotiations, Interpreting NAFTA is a history of the agreement's development, from opening talks to final passage.

Product details

• Authors: Frederick Mayer, Frederick W. Mayer
• Publisher: Columbia University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 26.10.1998
• EAN: 9780231109819
• ISBN: 978-0-231-10981-9
• No. of pages: 374
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political theories and the history of ideas; USA, Mexico, Canada, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / International / General, POLITICAL SCIENCE / History & Theory, POLITICAL SCIENCE / International Relations / General, POLITICAL SCIENCE / World / Caribbean & Latin American, POLITICAL SCIENCE / World / Canadian, International Relations, Political science & theory, United States of America, USA, Political science and theory, c 1990 to c 2000, c 1990 to c 1999, International Trade, International trade and commerce