Political Violence and Justice in Latin America

Catalog description

The central objective of this course is to examine the human rights violations carried out by Latin American dictatorships during the 1970s as a method to suppress leftist movements that opposed the ruling elites across the region. While the course will focus mainly on the cases of Argentina, Guatemala, and Chile, it will also draw on examples from other countries in the region, including Colombia and its ongoing conflict and peace efforts. The course aims to cultivate a thorough understanding of human rights, with an emphasis on state accountability for severe violations and the pursuit of justice at both national and international levels. For these purposes, students will be introduced to fundamental human rights principles, the work of international and regional organizations, and mechanisms for holding states accountable for both territorial and extraterritorial human rights violations. Finally, the course will address key legal concepts related to international crimes, particularly genocide and crimes against humanity, and will examine the domestic legal processes these nations have pursued or continue to pursue in response to such violations.