Introduction to Latin America

Catalog description

How have Latin American countries fit into the global economy? How have Latin American leaders integrated diverse landscapes and groups into prosperous nations? How have Black, Indigenous, and women's movements transformed the region? Throughout the course, students will address these and other questions in an introduction to Latin American history. By working with a variety of textual and visual sources—from colonial-era paintings and historic texts to scholarly essays and contemporary media—students will learn how Latin America has changed and how historians have come to know its past. Spanning Pre-Columbian times to the present, this course offers students an introduction to the history of Latin American politics, cultures, and economies and provides an excellent foundation to understand contemporary challenges facing the region. Some specific topics include Europe's encounter with Indigenous peoples, slavery, food and national identity, U.S.-Latin America relations, twentieth century social movements, and recent environmental activism. In-class discussion, lectures, close reading, and written assignments will emphasize broad similarities and unique differences across Latin America to understand the region's rich and varied history.