The signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was expected to signal the beginning of a new era of close cooperation between Mexico and the United States. Subsequent events, however, have introduced new tensions into the relationship.

In this book, scholars from the United States and Mexico examine the major elements of the bilateral relationship. The economic dimension is highlighted in two chapters that focus on NAFTA's effects on trade and financial transactions. The political and social dimensions are taken up in three chapters on immigration, drug trafficking, and environmental concerns.