NS3501 History and Cultures of Latin America

This introductory course examines the heritage of Latin America from pre-Columbian Indian traditions and Iberian colonial patterns, through the independence movements of the early nineteenth century, and the global economic relationships that re-oriented the region toward Northwestern Europe and the United States. PREREQUISITE: None.

Lecture Hours

4

Lab Hours

0

Course Learning Outcomes

In this course, students engage with course material, class discussions, and assignments to demonstrate competency in:

• Describing the central features of Latin America’s experiences with colonialism, state formation, and nation-building.
• Describing the differences and similarities in colonial and post-colonial experiences across different sub-regions of Latin America as well as within these sub-regions.
• Explaining why Latin American states’ experiences with colonialism, state formation, and nation-building varied in important ways.
• Explaining how Latin American states’ historical trajectories shaped development patterns.
• Explaining how power inequalities shape historical narratives and evaluating how this impacts our understanding of history.
• Comparing and critically analyzing theoretical arguments about a range of topics such as colonialism, political economy, slavery, state formation, nation-building, and identity projects.
• Explaining the role of racial and ethnic relations in experiences of state formation and nation-building, with a critical eye towards understanding variation within the region.