Australia and Latin America in a global era

Abstract

Until recently, Australia and Latin America were not typically associated with one another. The prevailing perception in Australia has been that Latin America is too remote, disconnected, and politically irrelevant to warrant serious scholarly or public attention. In this regard, we have witnessed a rapid paradigm shift in recent years. In Australia, interest in Latin America has reached an unprecedented peak, with Australian universities seeking to attract Latin American students, new diplomatic relations emerging, investment in mining and other business sectors expanding, and a growing fascination in Australia with Latin American food, music, dance, and other forms of popular culture. The changes in Australian-Latin American relations are not only commercial and political but also social. With Australians visiting Latin America in greater numbers than ever before and a new wave of Latin American migrants arriving in Australia, familiarity between Australians and Latin Americans is becoming more commonplace and more nuanced.