Publications
Peer-reviewed articles
Brokering Peace: Emerging Middle Powers, Agency and Mediation
by B Süsler, and C Alden (2025)
Global Policy 1–12
Reforming global finance: Africa’s G20 moment
by Álvaro Méndez (2025)
Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI)
China’s expanding footprint in Latin America: Trade, diplomacy, and strategic influence
by Alvaro Mendez and Chris Alden (2025)
Open Access Government
Sustainable banking and trust in the global South
by Fernando Ubeda, Alvaro Mendez & Francisco Javier Forcadell (2024)
Global Policy, 15 (Suppl. 1), 34–44
How socially sustainable multinational banks promote financial inclusion in developing countries
by Fernando Ubeda, Alvaro Mendez, Francisco Javier Forcadell, & Belén López (2024)
Research in International Business and Finance, 71, 102470
Etat des lieux de la présence chinoise en Amérique latine et aux Caraïbes
by A Mendez and G Estrada (2023)
Sciences Po Observatoire stratégique de l’Amérique latine, notes d'analyse
Southern multilateralism from IBSA to NDB: Synergies, continuities and regional options
by C Alden and G le Pere (2023)
Global Policy
Latin American agency: The New Development Bank, Uruguay’s accession and Brazilian influence
by A Mendez (2023)
Global Policy
Turkey and African agency: the role of Islam and commercialism in Turkey's Africa policy
by Buğra Süsler and Chris Alden (2022).
The Journal of Modern African Studies, 60(4), 597-617
Visceral politics and its impact on US foreign policy decision-making
by D P Houghton and A Mendez (2023)
Foreign Policy Analysis, Volume 19, Issue 1
by F J Forcadell, A Lorena, and E Aracil
Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Managementpp 1-15
Latin America in/and the AIIB: a constructivist analysis
by M Turzi and A Mendez (2022)
Vestnik RUDN. International Relations, Volume 22, No. 3, pp. 478-494
by F Ubeda, A Mendez, and F J Forcadell (2022)
Finance Research Letters (JIF=9.848)
Russia–Ukraine crisis: China’s Belt Road Initiative at the crossroads
by A Mendez, F J Forcadell, and K Horiachko (2022)
Asian Business & Management, Volume 21, pp. 488–496 JIF=4.13
by M Altamira, G Fornes, and A Mendez (2022)
Asia Pacific Business Review, Special Issue (The Chinese Belt and Road Initiative: Strategic Responses of Governments and Multinational Companies) JIF=2.011
How sustainable banking fosters the SDG 10 in weak institutional environments
by F Ubeda, F J Forcadell, E Aracil and A Méndez (2022)
Journal of Business Research, Vol 146, pp. 277-287 JIF=10.969
The Dynamics of Governance and Sustainable Development Goals in the Global South
by H Liu, C Lee, and C Alden (2022)
Global Policy Special Issue 2022 JIF=2.375
Fitting China in: local elite collusion and contestation along Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway
by C Alden, and O M Otele (2022)
African Affairs, Vol 121, Issue 484, pp. 443–466 JIF=3.017
by A Mendez (2021)
The China Journal, Vol 85, JIF=3.84
Sustainable Banking in the Global South
by A Mendez, F J Forcadell, and. F Ubeda (2021)
Digital Economy and Innovation, Vol 1, No 1
Chinese transnational criminal organisations and the illegal wildlife trade in Tanzania
by C Alden and R Harvey (2021)
The European Review of Organised Crime,Vol 5, No 1, pp 10-35
China in Panama: From peripheral diplomacy to grand strategy
by A Mendez and C Alden (2021)
Geopolitics, Vol 26, Issue 3, pp 838-860 JIF=2.872
MañanaToday: A Long View of Economic Value Creation in Latin America
by Enrique R García and Álvaro Mendez (2021)
Global Policy, 12 (3), 410-413
Outlining African Agency Against the Background of the Belt and Road Initiative
by Cobus van Staden, Chris Alden and Yu-Shan Wu (2020)
African Studies Quarterly, Special Issue: China-Africa Relations: The Belt and Road Initiative and Its Impact on Africa
Enlisting the Gatekeeper: Chain-Referral and Elite Access in Foreign Policy Analysis
by Alvaro Mendez (2020)
SAGE Research Methods Cases, Part 1
Sustainable Banking: The Role of Multilateral Development Banks as Norm Entrepreneurs
by Alvaro Mendez and David Patrick Houghton (2020)
Sustainability, 12 (972), 1-20
by Chris Alden and Klaus Brummer (2019)
India Review, 18 (5), 471-484
Latin America and the AIIB: Interests and Viewpoints
by Alvaro Mendez (2019)
Global Policy, 1-6. Q3 JIF = 1.197
Brave new world: debt, industrialization and security in China–Africa relations
by Chris Alden & Jiang Lu (2019)
International Affairs, 95 (3), 641-657. Q1
JIF = 3.74Emerging Powers and Africa: From Development to Geopolitics
by Chris Alden (2019)
IAI Papers, 19 (23), 1-15.
Global Governance in Foreign Policy
Dr Álvaro Méndez, Senior research fellow and co-founder of the LSE Global South Unit.
Jul–Sep 2017
It’s time South Africa tuned into Africa’s views about its role on the continent
Authors:
Chris Alden, Professor of International Relations, London School of Economics and Political Science.
Maxi Schoeman, Professor of International Relations and Deputy Dean: Postgraduate Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Pretoria.
Asnake Kefale, Assistant Professor, Political Science and International Relations, Addis Ababa University
2017
African countries square up for battle over future of ivory trade ban
Authors:
Chris Alden, Professor of International Relations, London School of Economics and Political Science
Ross Harvey, Senior Researcher in Natural Resource Governance (Africa), South African Institute of International Affairs
2016
Authored books, edited books and book chapters
China and Latin America: Development, Agency and Geopolitics
by C Alden, and A Mendez
Bloomsbury, 2023In this detailed and up-to-the-minute investigation, Chris Alden, author of the critically acclaimed China in Africa, and Alvaro Mendez, leading expert in the international relations of Latin America, look at the interests, strategies and practices of China's incoming power. What can be learned by comparing Latin America with other developing regions in which China has had significant economic ties and a growing diplomatic stake? Does Beijing's approach to Latin America really differ, as is often claimed by Chinese leaders, from its approach to Africa? And more broadly, how should we read the curious and uneven decline of both the US and Europe as actors in the region?
South Africa–China Relations: A Partnership of Paradoxes
by C Alden, and YS Wu
Springer, 2021Involves predominantly South African authors with knowledge and expertise on the topic of relations with China, allowing them to better interact with a local and African audience
Links societal and economic levels, seeking to merge the policymaking space with concerns of everyday citizens
Considers contemporary debates, trends and questions, such as the 2018 launch of the suspension bridge between South Africa and Mozambique that was built and funded by Chinese investment.
New diplomatic relations between Panama and China: geopolitical and socioeconomic implications
By L C Herrera, M Montenegro, C Alden, A Mendez, V Torres–Lista
Since Panama established diplomatic relations with China in June 2017, the two countries have developed a fairly strong diplomatic relationship. This edited book by scholars in Panama and in the UK explores the geopolitical and socioeconomic implications of the bilateral agenda. It analyses China’s efforts to recruit the global South, including Panama, into its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It also uniquely provides a comparative chapter of Costa Rica, Argentina, Malaysia and Djibouti and their complex relationship with Beijing.
The Political Economy of China-Latin America Relations
by Alvaro Mendez and Mariano Turzi
Palgrave Macmillan, 2020The book explores the ways in which Latin American states are capitalizing or failing to capitalize on the initiatives of China in world affairs. The authors hypothesize that a dearth of regional agency and social construction, and a consequent institutional deficit in foreign relations, characterizes Latin America and its inadequate reaction to Chinese agency.
New directions in Africa-China Studies
by Chris Alden & Daniel Large (Eds.)
Abingdon, UK: Routledge, 2019Interest in China and Africa is growing exponentially. Taking a step back from the ‘events-driven’ reactions characterizing much coverage, this timely book reflects more deeply on questions concerning how this subject has been, is being and can be studied.
It offers a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary and authoritative contribution to Africa–China studies. Its diverse chapters explore key current research themes and debates, such as agency, media, race, ivory, development or security, using a variety of case studies from Benin, Kenya and Tanzania, to Angola, Mozambique and Mauritius. Looking back, it explores the evolution of studies about Africa and China. Looking forward, it explores alternative, future possibilities for a complex and constantly evolving subject.
New Development Assistance: Emerging Economies and the New Landscape of Development Assistance
by Yijia Jing, Alvaro Mendez & Yu Zheng (Eds.)
Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, 2020This book explores the changing face of development assistance. China's One Belt, One Road development program is the largest international investment scheme in history, surpassing the Marshall Plan by an order of magnitude. In 2017, a group of top scholars from Fudan, the London School of Economics, and other institutions like the Institute of Development Studies, Australian National University, and World Bank gathered to share findings and ideas about the nature of New Development Assistance. A compilation of their findings, this book will be of interest to NGOs, policymakers, and academics.
La Conexión China en la Política Exterior del Perú en el Siglo XXI
by Javier Alcalde, Chris Alden, Angelica Guerra & Alvaro Mendez (Eds.)
Lima, Perú: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, 2019This book brings together the contributions of speakers invited by the London School of Economics Global South Unit, the Institute of International Studies, the School of Government of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, and the academic, diplomatic and business sectors of Peru, to the international seminar that bears the same name, held in May 2016, in Lima (Peru).
China and Africa - Building Peace and Security Cooperation on the Continent
Editors: Alden, C, Alao, A, Chun, Z, Barber, L
This book investigates the expanding involvement of China in security cooperation in Africa. Drawing on leading and emerging scholars in the field, the volume uses a combination of analytical insights and case studies to unpack the complexity of security challenges confronting China and the continent. It interrogates how security considerations impact upon the growing economic and social links China has developed with African states.
Foreign Policy Analysis - New approaches, 2nd Edition
By Chris Alden, Amnon Aran
Building on the success of the first edition, this revised volume re-invigorates the conversation between foreign policy analysis and international relations. It opens up the discussion, situating existing debates in foreign policy in relation to contemporary concerns in international relations, and provides a concise and accessible account of key areas in foreign policy analysis that are often ignored. Focusing on how foreign policy decision making affects the conduct of states in the international system, and analysing the relationship between policy, agency and actors, the volume examines:
foreign policy and bureaucracies
domestic sources of foreign policy
foreign policy and the state
foreign policy and globalization
foreign policy and change.
This second edition builds on and expands the theoretical canvas of foreign policy analysis, shaping its ongoing dialogue with international relations and offering an important introduction to the field. It is essential reading for all students of foreign policy and international relations.
The China-Latin America Axis: Emerging Markets and their Role in an Increasingly Globalised World
This second edition authored by Dr Álvaro Méndez and Dr Gastón Fornes explores and accounts for the many changes in the emerging markets of China and the Latin American countries since 2011. Taking account of the major developments such as the rapid expansion of the Chinese state and the ongoing effects of the world recession, the authors will present up-to-date case studies and data on both Chinese and Latin American companies, including updates on those included in the first edition and presenting new innovative start-ups. Including an international relations perspective alongside business strategy and global markets, The China-Latin America Axis 2nd edition presents the drastic changes in the globalized economy in the past 5 years.
Colombian Agency and the making of US Foreign Policy: Intervention by Invitation
This book authored by Dr Álvaro Méndez studies a significant event in US relations with Latin America, shedding light on the role of dependent states and their foreign policy agency in the process by which local concerns become intertwined with the dominant state’s foreign policy. Plan Colombia was a large-scale foreign aid programme through which the US intervened in the internal affairs of Colombia, by invitation. It proved to be one of the major successes of US foreign policy, and has been credited with stemming a potentially catastrophic security failure of the Colombian state.
China and Mozambique: From Comrades to Capitalists
New Edited volume by Dr Chris Alden and Dr Sergio Chichava, "China and Mozambique drills down into the heart of a relationship whose growing depth and complexity exposes key themes that will affect Africa’s future development."
Mercenaries, Hybrid Armies and National Security
This book, authored by Dr Caroline Varin, assesses the use of ‘mercenaries’ by states, and their integration into the national armed forces as part of a new hybridisation trend of contemporary armies in the 'Global South' as well as in Western societies.
2025
Reforming multilateral financial institutions: perspectives from India and China on development finance in the Global South
By Álvaro Méndez
In Fasulo, Filippo and Missaglia, Nicola, (eds.) Competing for the Global South: Asia and the Quest for Leadership in a Multipolar World. Istituto per gli studi di politica internazionale (Milan, Italy), Milan, IT, 57 - 73. ISBN 9791256002917
Geopolitical Game-Changer: China’s Expanding Role in Latin America’s Defense, Aerospace, and Telecommunications
by A Mendez & G Estrada
In Adib Farhadi, Mark Grzegorzewski, & Anthony J. Masys (Eds.), The Great Power Competition Volume 6: The Rise of China (pp. 185-206). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.
2023
Russia’s Backyard: China and Central Asia after the Invasion of Ukraine
by A Mendez
in The Great Power Competition Volume 5, Springer, 2023, pp199-216
2022
China and Latin America: Diplomacy, Trade and Geopolitics(translated from Spanish)
by A Mendez and F J Forcadell
in América Latina: Mirar al futuro
Fundacion Felipe Gonzales (2022)
2021
Geopolitics in Central America: China and El Salvador in the 21st century
by A Mendez
in China-Latin America and the Caribbean: Assessment and Outlook, Taylor and Francis, 2021, pp 207-221
The drive for Chinese investments in agriculture: comparing South Africa to the continent
by A Harding, L Jiang, W Anseeuw, C Alden
in South Africa–China Relations: A Partnership of Paradoxes, Palgrave Macmillan, 2021, pp179-198
Leadership, Global Agendas and Domestic Determinants of South Africa’s Foreign Policy Towards China: The Zuma and Ramaphosa Years
by C Alden, Y S Wu
in South Africa–China Relations: A Partnership of Paradoxes, Palgrave Macmillan, 2021, pp37-63
2019
Studying China-Africa/Africa-China Relations
by Chris Alden, & Daniel Large
In Chris Alden & Daniel Large (Eds.), New directions in Africa-China Studies (pp. 3-36). Abingdon, UK: Routledge, 2019.
The Western Way of Development: A Critical Review
by Chris Alden, Daniel Large & Alvaro Mendez
In Yijia Jing, Alvaro Mendez, & Yu Zheng (Eds.), New Development Assistance: Emerging Economies and the New Landscape of Development Assistance (pp. 19-38). Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, 2019
New Development Assistance in the Making: An Introduction
by Yijia Jing, Alvaro Mendez & Yu Zheng
In Yijia Jing, Alvaro Mendez, & Yu Zheng (Eds.), New Development Assistance: Emerging Economies and the New Landscape of Development Assistance (pp. 1-18). Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, 2019
Introducción: Análisis de la Política Exterior de Perú hacia China en el siglo XXI
by Alvaro Mendez, Javier Alcalde & Chris Alden
In Javier Alcalde, Chris Alden, Angelica Guerra-Baron, & Alvaro Mendez (Eds.), La Conexión China en la Política Exterior del Perú en el siglo XXI (pp. 13-24). Lima, Perú: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, 2019
Perú, China y la nueva multipolaridad – navegar en la política internacional en tiempos inciertos
by Chris Alden & Alvaro Mendez
In Javier Alcalde, Chris Alden, Angelica Guerra-Baron, & Alvaro Mendez (Eds.), La Conexión China en la Política Exterior del Perú en el siglo XXI (pp. 278-307). Lima, Perú: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, 2019
Evolving Debates and Outlooks on China-Africa Economic Ties
by C. Alden
In A. Oqubay & J. Y. Lin (Eds.), China-Africa and an Economic Transformation (pp. 84-97). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2019
Working Papers
The LSE Global South Unit Working Paper Series showcases research conducted by GSU staff and other academics working on the topic of the emergence of the 'Global South'.
2025
by Rick Rowden
LSE GSU Working Paper Vol 11 No 3
by Daniel Agramont
LSE GSU Working Paper Vol 11 No 2
The pentacrisis: Colombia’s foreign policy at a crossroads in a polarized world
by Andres Rugeles
LSE GSU Working Paper Vol 11 No 1
2024
Crisis of democracy: beyond malaise and autocratization
by Gaspardo Murilo
LSE GSU Working Paper Vol 10 No 2
Is Mexico replacing China in US supply chains?
by Hanzhen Ouyang and Shuo Shi
LSE GSU Working Paper Vol 10 No 1
2023
Global Megatrends That Challenge Latin America
by G Fernandez de Soto and A Rugeles
LSE GSU Working Paper Vol 9, No 3
Sustainability and Trust: Financial Inclusion in the Global South
by F Ubeda, A Méndez, and F J Forcadell
LSE GSU Working Paper Vol 9, No 2
Explaining the Persistence of Illegal Chinese Mining in Ghana: The Efficacious Role of Local Patrons
by N Ocquaye
LSE GSU Working Paper Vol 9, No 1
2022
by F Ubeda, A Méndez, and F J Forcadell
LSE GSU Working Paper Vol 8, No 1
China-US economic war: opportunities for the Andean Community beyond the decoupling process
by D Agramont Lechín
LSE GSU Working Paper Vol 8, No 2
2021
by C Alden and A Méndez
LSE GSU Working Paper 05/2021
2020
The diplomatic context between China and Panama and their agreements
by Luis Carlos Herrera, Markelda Montenegro and Virginia Torres-Lista
Working Paper 03/2020
Understanding debt and diplomacy: China, 'debt traps' and development in the Global South
by C Alden
Working Paper 01/2020
2019
Myths of Multipolarity: The sources of Brazilian Overexpansion
by Luis L Schenoni, Dawisson Belém Lopes, and Guilherme Casarões
LSE Global South Unit Working Paper Series
edited by Alvaro Mendez and Chris Alden
UK: LSE IDEAS, 2019
2018
Trans-Regional Cooperation in a Multipolar World:
How is the Belt and Road Initiative Relevant to Latin America?by Adriana Erthal Abdenur and Ariel Gonzalez Levaggi
WPS-01-2018
The growing Chinese presence in Latin America and its (Geo)political manifestations in Bolivia
by Daniel Agramont and Gustavo Bonifaz
WPS-02-2018
2017
'The Development-Insecurity Nexus: Geo-economic Transformations and Violence in Myanmar'
by David Brener
WPS 01-2017
2016
'CSR and S&E engagement in emerging economies: Analysis of a case study based in China'
by Gastón Fornes.
WPS 04-2016.
'Passive agents? Bureaucratic agency in Africa-China negotiations: A case study of Benin'
by Folashadé Soulé-Kohndou
WPS 03-2016.
'Civil Society Organisations’ Political Control over Brazil and Japan’s Development Cooperation in Mozambique: More than a mere whim?'
by Sérgio Chichava and Jimena Durán
WPS 02-2016.
2015
by Jian Junbo and Álvaro Méndez
WPS 05-2015.
'A comparative study of foreign economic policies: The CIVETS countries'
by Angélica Guerra-Barón and Álvaro Méndez
WPS 03-2015.
'Reshaping the Financial Architecture for Development Finance. The New Development Banks'
by Rajiv Biswas
WPS 02-2015.
'Regional Organizations and Security Governance: A Comparative Assessment of IGAD and ASEAN'
by Asnake Kefale
WPS 01-2015.
2014
'Strategies and Counter-strategies: China in the Andean Region of South America'
by Ádam Chimienti and Benjamin Creutzfeldt
WPS 01-2014.
The Global South Unit invites submissions to its Working Paper Series. We welcome research manuscripts of a quality suitable for academic journals or edited book chapters.
Scope
Manuscripts should make a substantive contribution to knowledge on:
- South–South cooperation
- Latin America in a global context
- The emergence of China in the Global South
- Foreign policies of the Global South
- Regionalism and the Global South
Lead-Author Requirement
Because the series highlights well-developed, policy-relevant research, each submission must identify a lead author with established research or policy experience.
- Contributors at any career stage are welcome as co-authors.
- Early-career researchers, including doctoral candidates, may be co-authors but should not be listed as the sole or lead author unless specifically agreed by the editors.
Authorship
Authorship is open to academics, practitioners, and independent researchers, provided the lead-author requirement is met.
Format
- Citation style: APA 6th edition with full reference list
- File format: Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx), not PDF
- Title page: title, author name(s) and affiliation(s), corresponding author’s address, abstract with keywords, and the month and year of submission
- Layout: 1.5 line spacing, 1-inch margins, justified text
- Length: up to 4,000 words. In exceptional circumstances, the editors may permit a longer manuscript where the subject matter warrants additional depth.
Submission
Please email manuscripts to gsu@lse.ac.uk. All eligible submissions undergo the standard peer-review and editorial process. Acceptance is not guaranteed.
Rights
Editorial decisions to publish on the Global South Unit website are final. Authors retain all rights to their work.
Government Reports
Panama, Ecuador, and China: The Dangers of Short-Term Calculations
SPECIAL REPORT: United States Institute of Peace (USIP). Washington, DC, USA
Mendez, A & Alden, C(2024)
Reforming Multilateral Financial Institutions: Perspectives from India and China on Development Finance in the Global South
Mendez, A
in Competing for the Global South: Asia and the Quest for Leadership in a Multipolar World, F. Fasulo and N. Missaglia (Eds). Institute for International Political Studies & Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation: Milan, Italy. p 57-73
Commentary and Blogposts
China’s Assessment of U.S. Policy Toward Latin America
A. Mendez (2026)
Interpret: China, Center for Strategic and International Studies, February 18 2026
Tit-for-Tat Diplomacy: Will Brazil Join China’s Belt and Road Initiative?
A. Mendez and C. Alden (2024)
China Global South Project
China’s Free Trade Agreements in the Global South: Quito and Beijing
A. Mendez and C. Alden (2023)
China Global South Project
China’s Overseas Fishing Fleet and the Global South
C. Alden and S. Chichava (2022)
China Global South Project
Finding a Common Destiny in the Global South: The Role of China’s Regional Forum Diplomacy
C. Alden (2022)
China Global South Project
Beijing and Taipei: the Latin American geopolitical connection
A. Mendez (2021)
China Global South Project
China’s vaccine diplomacy: soft power lessons from Latin America
A. Mendez (2021)
China Global South Project
China-Driven Port Development: Lessons from Kenya and Malaysia
C. Alden, S Chichava, L. Jiang, B. Murg, G. Lim, and Y.S. Wu (2021)
South African Institute of International Affairs Policy Briefing
Autocratic entrenchment as the world turns a blind eye towards Zimbabwe
R. Harvey and C. Alden (2020)
LSE International Relations blog
Policy Brief
The LSE Global South Unit Policy Briefs Series showcases expert analysis conducted by GSU staff, and other academics and political experts working on the topic of the emergence of the 'Global South'.
Navigating Argentina's BRICS Entry: between domestic dynamics and geopolitical Implications
By Ariel González Levaggi and Tomás Múgica
PBS 02-2023
October 2023
The discrete role of Latin America in the globalization process
By Iliana Olivié and Manuel Gracía.
PBS 01-2018
December 2017
The Long Crisis Facing Emerging Markets: A Roadmap for Policy Reforms.
by Rajiv Biswas and Álvaro Méndez
PBS 01-2016
January 2016
Comparative advantages and challenges of regional developmental banks: The CAF experience.
by L. Enrique Garcia
PBS 02-2015
September 2015
What next for the peace negotiations between the Colombian government and the FARC?
by Sophie Haspeslagh
PBS 01-2015
August 2015
COVID-19 and the Global South
Responses of regional organisations to the transnational challenge
- COVID-19 and the Global South
- COVID-19: Africa and the African Union
- COVID-19: Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
- COVID-19: South Asia and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
- COVID-19: Latin America and the Caribbean and MERCOSUR and CARICOM
- COVID-19: Middle East and the Arab League
- COVID-19: Gulf States and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
If you wish to submit a paper to be considered for publication, please contact us by email: gsu@lse.ac.uk