Normalization of Relations Between the United States and Cuba: The Critical Systems which Influence the Process

What explains normalization of diplomatic relations between the United States of America and Cuba? The purpose of this thesis is to outline and analyze the causes of normalization between the United States government and the Cuban government. The aim is to find the key actors and factors which contributed to the normalization process to move forward at this point in history and provided the ability to progress. Three separate levels of analysis will be addressed: whether they fell under individual, nation-state, or international system influence on the normalization process. In conjunction with the three levels of analysis, three overarching issues played an extensive role in how each level of analysis would unfold. The key issues surrounded the topics of the U.S. embargo against Cuba, the reforms of President Raul Castro, and the establishment of democratically elected democracies throughout Latin America. As the research revealed, individual factors showed to have the weakest influence on the process, while both nation-state and international factors displayed a much greater degree of influence. Some influences played a more positive role, attempting to anastomose the relations of the U.S. and Cuba back to a diplomatic state. Other influences were resolved in assuring the U.S.-Cuba relationship would remain bifurcated. Those against a U.S.-Cuba reconciliation appeared to be overabundantly standing on the wrong side of the discussion.