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Free Trade and Social Citizenship

Prospects and Possibilities of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR)

University of Copenhagen, Denmark and Instituto Centroamericano de Estudios Fiscales, Guatemala, Peter.Abrahamson{at}sociology.ku.dk

The article takes as its starting point the proliferation of regional free trade agreements, and the question is posed: whether increased economic integration in Central America may `spill over' in enhanced social citizenship rights? The question is triggered by the signing in 2004 of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). The article explores the arguments concerning the development of CAFTA-DR and social citizenship, exemplified by labour rights. The article situates the making of CAFTA-DR in the context of historical attempts to promote regionalism. It reviews the arguments for and against free trade agreements in the USA and Central America and argues that there are tangible effects on social citizenship in particular relating to labour rights that can be credited to the signing of the agreement. The article concludes that CAFTA-DR has generated new possibilities for social citizenship in the region.

Key Words: Central America • CAFTA-DR/TLC • globalization • regional free trade agreements • social citizenship

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Global Social Policy, Vol. 7, No. 3, 339-357 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1468018107082238


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This Article Abstract Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Abrahamson, P. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?