Summer 2018

The Grinding Gears of North America

The uncertain fate of NAFTA and President Trump’s trade wars are testing the bonds of the North American continent. From Iowa’s cornfields to Mexico’s factories, and from trust in Canada to strategy in China, these are stories of profits and losses that go beyond the balance sheet.

in this issue:

Interactive Map: The United States of Trade

– The Wilson Quarterly

From auto to agro, bourbon to bees, and cash registers to cow semen, take this state-by-state tour to reveal the sources and destinations of the goods that crisscross the North American continent.

What I Lost in the Trade Wars: Reflections of a Disillusioned Canadian

– Laura Dawson

I wonder if decision-makers in Washington, let alone the president, understand how Canadians are interpreting the recent developments, whether they care, and whether they realize what the practical consequences may be.

Mexico’s New President Chooses North America

– Duncan Wood

Mexico’s identity as a North American nation has crystallized in the years since NAFTA was signed. Despite questions about its incoming president and major pressure points with Washington, that identity will not erode.

While Negotiators Talk NAFTA, Mexicans Grapple with Automation

– Amy Guthrie

Automation may be reshaping North American manufacturing and the North American workforce, but it is not a part of NAFTA negotiations. And so, cities like San Luis Potosí go on grappling with the ground-level changes under way.

In Trade Trouble, China Sees North American Opportunity

– Zheng Wang and Andrew Ludwig

The continent’s economic infighting also creates a new context for China’s relationships with the three NAFTA countries. Could this moment be the springboard for Beijing’s great leap forward in North America?