Courses

Latin American and Caribbean Studies

Courses in History

Colonial Latin America

The societies and cultures of Latin America from pre-Hispanic times to the early 19th century. Topics include indigenous societies, period of contact and conquest, resistance and accommodation in the emerging colonial regimes and the revolutions for independence. Emphasis on social relations and cultural practices of the diverse Latin American peoples.

Modern Latin America

The legacies of independence, modernization processes, revolutionary upheaval, nationalisms and the populist movements that marked the history of Latin America from 1825 to the present. Emphasis on social relations and cultural practices of the diverse Latin American peoples.

History of Mexico

A social history of Mexico from pre-Hispanic times to the present. Emphasizing processes of resistance, rebellion and accommodation, this course examines the social and cultural dynamics of the major Mesoamerican societies (Aztecs and Maya), the colonial period and the process of nation formation. Attention will be given to gender and ethnic issues.

Latin American Revolutions

This discussion course examines the revolutionary movements which swept Latin America after World War Two. These include: Guatamal in 1940-1954, Bolivia 1952, Cuba 1959, Chile 1970, Nicaragua 1979 and Chiapas 1994. Our analysis will cover a range of social, political, economic, and cultural frameworks for understanding these revolutions, why they happened, did they sucdeed, or why they failed. Analysis will focus on theories of revolution, why they happen, what thier process is, and the thorny issue of how to evaluate their success or failure. We will learn about peasant and urban working class movements, as well as issues of consciousness as it pertains to the formation of counter-hegemonic movements. Guerilla warfare, the 'foco' strategy, and organizing tactics will be examianed. We will develop an understanding of the role of US foreign policy in each revoluation. the course will have a gender component by exploring how the role of women changed over time in the revolutionary movements. We develop an understanding of how and why the pre-1994 Chiapas revolutions were 'modern' responses to social, political, economic and cultural problems and how the Zapatista rebellion can be understood as the first postmodern revolution. Students will learn about why the autonomous movement is a more powerful tool of revolution than the 'traditional' revolutionary movements of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. The course will hae approximately 7 monographs. Reading will be at the pace of a book every two weeks (150 pages a week+/-). Students will write multiple thesis drive essays responding to the reading. There will also be a term paper.

Courses in Latin American and Caribbean Studies

Introduction to Latin American and Caribbean Studies

This introductory course to Latin American and Caribbean cultures serves as the gateway to an interdisciplinary exploration of the regions of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Topics in Latin American and Caribbean Studies

This course is an exploration of selected aspects of one of the societies and/or cultures in Latin America and the Caribbean, or a comparative treatment of aspects of these cultures. Specific case studies will include ethnographic research and/or readings of primary sources relating to Latin America and the Caribbean. Topics may include religion, migration, identity, gender, literature and art, and society. May be repeated for credit with different topics.

Advanced Topics in Latin American and Caribbean Studies

This course is designed to be an interdisciplinary examination of a significant theme, genre or period in Latin American and Caribbean literature and art, or an exploration of significant issues and/or periods in Latin American and Caribbean cultural and intellectual history. This course is different from LACS 290 in that its purpose is to explore the deeper questions raised by such issues as identity, ethnicity, gender, performance, and class. May be repeated for credit with different topics.

Courses in Modern Languages in English

Topics in Hispanic Literature

Reading and analysis of the works of Spanish and/or Latin American authors or of U.S. Latino authors. Not applicable toward a major or a minor in the department. Student may repeat for credit with a different topic.

Topics in Latin American Culture

Study of topics in the Hispanic culture of Latin America. Not applicable toward a major or a minor in the department. Student may repeat for credit with a different topic.

Courses in Spanish

Introduction to Hispanic Literature

Significant authors and texts from throughout the Spanish-speaking world. Prerequisite: SPAN 332.

Latin American Civilization

A study of the history, geography, art, intellectual currents and social developments of Latin America. Prerequisite: SPAN 332 or permission of instructor.

Spanish American Literature

Selections from important authors of Spanish America. Prerequisite: SPAN 335 or permission of instructor.

Courses in Political Science

Politics of Developing Nations

An introduction to the similarities and unifying characteristics of heterogeneous developing nations. Emphasis on diversities to be found in different regions of the Third World. The focus is on issues and problems and not countries and regions, though case studies are used for illustrative purposes. The course covers theories and approaches to the study of the Third World; changes in the Third World (political, economic, governmental and regime); contemporary issues (hunger and famine, multinationals, foreign debt and the New International Economic Order); and Third World ideologies and movements (nonalignment, developmental socialism, anti-Americanism and Islamic revivalism).

Courses in Religious Studies

Liberation Theology

An examination of the interaction between Western religious traditions and the foremost liberation movements: Third-World, black, gay and women's liberation.

Courses in Anthropology

Latin American & Caribbean Cultures

This courses introduces students to the diverse cultures and societies of Latin America and the Caribbean via a multi-disciplinary approach. Through historical, ethnographic, and literary study, we will explore relations of power, ideology, and resistance from the colonial conquest to the present, including economic dependency, development, political institutions, the military, social movements, religious expressions and ethnic and class relations.

Indigenous Peoples: South and Central America

Indians of South and Central America range from hidden peoples of the Amazon to the builders of the Inca, Aztec and Maya civilizations. This course explores the ways of life of some of the world's least-known, yet most intriguing peoples. Prerequisite: ANTH 151 or sophomore standing.

African Diaspora Religions

This course is designed to explore the history, functions, and communities, which encompass religions of the African Diaspora such as Santería, Vodou, and Candomblé. Lectures, discussions, films, and a range of ethnographic literature will introduce students to these religious systems. Among the topics and themes to be addressed in relation to relgiion are issues of identity, ethnicity, gender, performance, and class. Case studies in Brazil, Cuba, and among Latinos in the U.S. will illuminate the multivocality of the religious beliefs and practices found in the African Diaspora.