Latin American Studies

This course provides a historical examination of the region of Latin America and the Caribbean, and the main processes and differing perspectives with which Latin American history has been written. Topics discussed include: the impact of European conquest and colonization on the indigenous populations of the region; elaborates on the legacies of colonialism and independence as they affected the model of the oligarchic liberal state; the transition of the State and the subsequent irruption of the masses on a country by country basis; the context of important events that have affected the region, such as the Cuban revolution, Cold War, economic crisis, and the rise of authoritarianism; present day processes of integration in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as crucial points in the founding of current ideologies revolving around neoliberal globalization, political transition, and emancipatory alternatives.