ABSTRACT
This chapter presents some pertinent questions about Cubanology. It discusses questions related to the concepts, models, theories, and methods found in the study of the Cuban Revolution. The chapter reviews the necessary process of self-knowledge and self-criticism required in any area of the social sciences and the humanities. It outlines some of the features of the dominant paradigms in the fields of international relations and political power in Cuba and explores some aspects of the work of colleagues. Any assessment of works on Cuba and foreign policy will have to recognize that the literature is often overtaken by events. To understand the character of Cubanology it is imperative to understand the domain assumptions with which it functions and works. The center of gravity of Cuban studies—which had been located at the Latin American Studies Center at the University of Pittsburgh under the direction of Carmelo Mesa-Lago—also began to change.
