Introduction to Latin American Studies

MALS

78400

Introduction to Latin American Studies

This seminar surveys five centuries of Latin American history, culture and politics from an interdisciplinary perspective. Students will be exposed to landmarks in the field of Latin American studies in order to recognize and engage in some of the main issues and debates both in the region at large and the sub-regions within it. At the same time, students will examine various theoretical frameworks to approach the study of Latin America, including literary studies, linguistics, history, political science, sociology and anthropology. The survey will cover key works and criticism from the pre-Columbian era, the nineteenth-century processes of independence, the emergence of the new nation-states, and the overall development of modern Latin American societies in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The seminar will be cross-listed and taught on a rotating basis by faculty from the different disciplines. Learning Goals/Outcomes: Students will be able to conduct research into Latin American studies subjects using both traditional and electronic sources. They will demonstrate satisfactory knowledge of the history, concepts, theories, actors, events, and processes pertaining to analyses of the Latin American Region, ranging from the pre-Columbian era to the present day. Students will demonstrate research, analytical, and communication skills in the field of Latin American Studies. They will engage with the integrative, multidisciplinary nature of Latin American Studies and learn to apply multiple perspectives from the humanities and social sciences. They will add compelling political, cultural, moral, and ethical considerations, to their professional and intellectual career and commitments.Assessment: Students will participate in weekly debates posted on discussion boards in the Blackboard platform. Each debate will test a key theoretical and/or critical aspect of Latin American studies directly related to the seminar content. Each student will be responsible for one 20-minute presentation discussing selected reading materials from the seminar syllabus. On the final day of class, students will present an abstract for a 20-25 page term paper concerning one of the main topics of discussion from the seminar. The final paper will be due one week after the final day of class.

Offer as needed

Graduate School Graduate

No