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This dissertation examines the historical evolution of Canada-Chile relations through the intersecting lenses of colonialism, racial capitalism, and neoliberalism. Challenging dominant narratives of equitable partnership, it argues that Canada’s engagement with Chile has been consistently shaped by structural inequalities and imperial power dynamics, from the 19th century to the present. Beginning with Canada’s position as a British settler-dominion, the study traces how early economic and political exchanges were embedded in global colonial hierarchies that privileged imperial interests while subordinating Latin American autonomy.
Using an intersectional approach, the study highlights how gender, race, and class mediate the impacts of Canadian economic activity in Chile. Through archival research, policy analysis, and case studies of corporate intervention, it reveals a persistent logic of economic extraction and political dominance masked by liberal discourses of cooperation and development. Ultimately, the dissertation contends that Canada’s role in Chile exemplifies contemporary forms of neo-imperialism, in which North-South relations are reconfigured but not transcended, perpetuating enduring global inequalities under the guise of free trade and economic partnership.