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xvii Acknowledgments This book is the culmination of almost a decade of research and work on the political economy of MERCOSUR and Argentine-­ Brazilian relations . Over the course of this project, I have benefited from the support of a large number of people and academic institutions in the United Kingdom, the United States, Argentina, and Brazil. I am particularly grateful to Andrew Hurrell, my dissertation advisor at Oxford University , for his intellectual guidance and generosity in the early stages of this project. His work inspired my interest in International Relations theory and influenced not only this book but also my long-­ term development as a scholar and as a teacher. St. Antony’s College and the Latin American Center at Oxford provided a stimulating environment as well as funding for field research in Argentina and Brazil. I am also grateful to the Institute of Latin American Studies at Columbia University, for welcoming me as a visiting scholar during my years in New York City. Many earlier drafts of the empirical chapters were written in the second floor of the Butler library, one of my favorite spots in the world to work. In Brazil, I am indebted to Carlos Pio, for hosting me at the Universidade de Brasília and for his valuable guidance while I conducted my first round of interviews with Brazilian policy makers. I was also very fortunate to have my dear friend Flavia Fiorucci hosting me in São Paulo during my several research trips. Both in Brazil and in Argentina, I conducted almost a hundred interviews with diplomats, policy makers, xviii Acknowledgments business and labor representatives, and academics, many of which are cited or listed in this book. Their contribution to this project is invaluable . I thank them for taking the time to share their knowledge and views with me. I am also grateful to my colleagues and graduate students at the University of Miami (UM). This book would not have materialized without the constant encouragement and support of my academic mentor and good friend Bill Smith, who read and commented on countless drafts of the entire manuscript. I don’t have enough words to thank him for his excellent feedback, his great generosity, and for believing in me and in my project. I want to also thank my former colleague at UM, Felipe Agüero, who also read several drafts of the manuscript and offered brilliant suggestions and kind words of encouragement. In addition, I have been very fortunate to receive invaluable feedback from colleagues and scholars who read parts of the manuscript at its different stages, including Andrés Malamud, Andrea Oelsner, Sean Burges, Richard Feinberg, Carol Wise, and Mario Carranza. My biggest debt of gratitude is with my family and my wonderful friends in Buenos Aires, Miami, New York, Oxford, and London, for their everlasting support and encouragement during this long process. Jason P. was by my side at almost every step of this long journey, ensuring I never got bored or considered giving up. Special thanks go to my parents , Isabel and Juan, and to my brother Pablo. Apart from their patience and love, the three of them provided research and logistical support at various times during the project. I dedicate this book to my parents, whose kindness and dedication has been and will always be my main source of inspiration. Chapter 2 incorporates some material from my “Domestic Constraints on Regional Cooperation: Explaining Trade Conflict in MERCOSUR ,” Review of International Political Economy 16 (5) (2009): 746–77, used by permission of Taylor and Francis. Chapter 4 incorporates some material from my “Macroeconomic Concerns and Intrastate Bargains: Explaining Illiberal Policies in the Brazilian Automobile Sector ,” Latin American Politics and Society 49 (1) (2007): 113–40, used by permission of John Wiley & Sons. ...

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