Caribbean Small Island States and United States Hegemony in the Caribbean Region

摘要

The emergence of Caribbean small island states (SIS) through the 'demonstration effect‘ has resulted in even some of the smallest Caribbean islands achieving sovereignty. Past conventional security threats, such as the 1983 coup and intervention in Grenada, have resulted in the US Commonwealth Caribbean relations being interpreted in the context of US hegemony. Such an interpretation has been pejoratively interpreted as being negative, and therefore having a negative impact on Commonwealth Caribbean SIS. However, increasing recognition of unconventional security threats in the Caribbean (such as drug trafficking, illegal immigration, money laundering and gun smuggling) have led to the direct and indirect involvement of the United States (US) in the region‘s security agenda through increased regional cooperation. Despite negative connotations of US hegemony in the Commonwealth Caribbean, the US role in Commonwealth Caribbean SIS security can be considered that of a mentor state. This thesis will argue pejorative negative interpretations of US hegemony, in the context of the 1983 US invasion of Grenada, to assert that non-conventional threats are the predominant security threat to Commonwealth Caribbean SIS.