The course traces Mexican history from pre-Columbian times to the present. It explores the character of indigenous societies, the nature of the encounter, the colonial legacy, the tumultuous nineteenth century, the Mexican Revolution, United States-Mexican relations, politics during the 20th century, immigration, the rise of social movements and the current drug war.
Latin America incorporates Indigenous, European, African and Asian traditions. Examines the interplay between race, identity, culture, gender and nationalism; the multifaceted process of ethnicity and race relations; challenges to elite preferences; alternative cultural identities such as Indigenismo and Negritude; impact of immigration; and current state of nationalism. (Latin America and the Caribbean)
Examines the rise of the Aztec and Incan empires; the Spanish conquest and settlement of the Americas; the evolution and consolidation of colonial institutions; the significance of race, gender and sexuality in shaping the culture of the colonial society from the perspectives of Indigenous, European and African peoples; and the settlement of Brazil and the impact of the Age of Revolution, especially the Haitian Revolution, on the process of independence. (Core course, Latin America and the Caribbean)
The history of Latin America from 1820s to the present, including the complex process of national consolidation, the character of new societies, the integration of Latin American nations into the world market, the dilemma of mono-export economies, political alternatives to the traditional order and relations with the United States. (Core course, Latin America and the Caribbean)
Examines transformation of the Mexico-U.S. border from an internal frontier to an international boundary. The “border” penetrates deep into both Mexico and the United States and influences the politics, economy and culture in both countries. Focuses on changes that Mexicans, U.S. and Indigenous peoples experience as a result of border interaction. (Latin America and the Caribbean)
Prepares students for their senior exercise, emphasizing integrative analytical methods and important topics in the core disciplines chosen by students for their exams or senior theses.
The political landscape in Latin America has changed dramatically since the 1980s, when neo-liberal policy predominated. The backlash to these policies has transformed the political landscape in most countries where the rise of mass movements and popular discontent has produced the election of reformers, progressives and even socialists. The seminar seeks to contextualize the emergence of new social and political movements throughout Latin America. (Latin American and Caribbean History)
