POL 2215: Latin American Politics

Abstract

1. Course description How did colonialism influence Latin America’s lasting affair with authoritarianism? Why and how have most Latin American countries transitioned from authoritarianism to democracy? What role does economic development play in a country’s transformation? What are some of the most pressing issues facing Latin American countries in the early twenty-first century? What has been the role of the USA over the past century and a half? This course provides answers to these ambitious questions by conducting a comparative analysis of Latin American and Caribbean countries in a historical perspective. We will use chapters from textbooks and primary sources that cover not only the realm of political science, but also economics, sociology, and history, to examine some of the most pressing topics in Latin American politics: populism and democracy, poverty and inequality, U.S.-Latin American relations, indigenous movements, etc. Classes will consist of lectures dictated by the instructor. Students are advised to come prepared to class by doing all the readings. You will find it difficult or impossible to participate and fully comprehend the discussion if you have not read the assigned materials. ___ 2. Course objectives This course aims for students to learn about: • Important concepts in comparative politics, such as states, nations, regimes, revolutions, • The different stages of political and economic development in Latin America since the late nineteenth century • The persistence of problems such as poverty, inequality, and political representation in the early twenty-first century • The role that the U.S. and other foreign powers have held at shaping the regions’ political and economic institutions. • Recent political trends such as the end of the ‘pink wave’ and the ‘return of the right.’