Latin America’s history is tremendously, and increasingly, significant to global politics, culture, and economic trends. Sharing a hemisphere with the United States, Latin Americans have had especially close and complex relationships with their northern neighbor. Yet many in the United States possess only a superficial understanding of the region’s diverse multicultural societies. This course will introduce students to how modern Latin American nations were formed after the region’s independence, focusing especially on how people of diverse ethnic, political, and economic affiliations have struggled to shape their societies ’ politics and cultures over the past two centuries. Lectures and class discussions will consider processes that affect the hemisphere as a whole, then zero in on unique features and experiences of specific nations or regions, with particular attention to Mexico, Central America, the Andean nations, Argentina, Chile, and Brazil. Students proficient in Spanish may earn one additional credit by enrolling in the Spanish discussion section (004). This section, conducted entirely in Spanish, will include discussion of the regular course readings as well as short Spanish texts.

For more information about how this course may count toward the Spanish major or minor requirements, students should visit the Romance Languages and Literature website.

Course Requirements:

Assignments include two short papers, two unit tests and a take-home final exam.

Intended Audience:

All undergraduates.

Class Format:

Lecture and discussion.