Course Description

What are the main characteristics of Latin American politics? How has it evolved since independence in the early 1800s? What material and cultural factors have influenced the region’s political development?

Driven by such questions, this course encourages participants to comprehensively explore Latin American politics, its general processes (trends, patterns, changes, and evolution), its key issues, and detailed case studies of several countries in the region. Particular attention will be paid to the process by which Latin American nations developed modern politics in four main dimensions: [1] “nation-building” (the cultural dimension of national development); [2] “state-building” (the dimension of political and governmental institutionalization); [3] the politics of economic development (developing the material foundations as a means to achieve the well-being of the people); and [4] external relations within the Latin American region, as well as with major powers in the global arena.

In the cultural dimension, participants will learn about the “creation” of modern Latin America, a multicultural region. How people from all over the world entered the region (as colonists, immigrants, slaves, etc.) and mixed with the indigenous population and other immigrants (some of whom produced Creoles or Criollos, Mestizos, etc.) to create what we now know as “America Latina” or “Latin America.”

In the political dimension, participants will be introduced to key events and trends in the region, from the independence period in the early 1800s, the democratic transition of the 1980s, the market reforms of the 1990s, the rise of the “Pink Tide” (a nickname for moderate Leftist governments) of the 2000s, and the decline of Leftist leadership in recent years.

In the economic dimension, participants will examine the key debates in the contemporary political economy of Latin America. This course will help participants examine the interactions between political and economic actors and factors in specific international contexts, with particular emphasis on how states determine direction, regulate, and channel economic activity. Do economic factors determine political outcomes? Or, conversely, do institutions determine political participation?

In the external dimension, participants will identify the challenges and opportunities arising from intra-Latin American relations and relations with major world powers, particularly the United States.

Expected Learning Outcomes

1. Describe the challenges facing Latin American politics in four areas: basic concepts of foreign policy analysis and international relations theories on foreign policy.
2. Explain the achievements of Latin American nations in addressing the four main issues mentioned above by applying theories learned in class.
3. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of these theories and conceptualizations in understanding Latin American politics.
4. Produce an analytical paper on Latin American politics in one or more of the four main issues mentioned above.

Syllabus

Read the full syllabus here.