The Making of Modern Latin America
The Making of Modern Latin America offers a survey of Latin American history from conquest to the 1970s. This course addresses six moments in this history through a combination of broad secondary readings, specific primary sources and individual stories. Questions that we will address include the significance of multiple historical perspectives, interpretation of sources, and the relationship between individuals and their larger social context.
Required Texts
Chasteen, John Charles. Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America. (New York: W.W. Norton, 2005). ISBN: 0393927695 (BBF)
de Cuéllar, José Tomás. The Magic Lantern: A Novel and Novella. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000). ISBN: 0195115031
de Erauso, Catalina, Michele Stepto and Gabri Stepto, Lieutenant Nun: Memoir of a Basque Transvestite in the New World. (Boston: Beacon Press, 1997). ISBN: 0807070734
Lauderdale Graham, Sandra. Caetana Says No: Women’s Stories from a Brazilian Slave Society. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002). ISBN: 0521893534
Partnoy, Alicia. The Little School: Tales of Disappearance and Survival. (Berkeley: Cleis Press, 1998). ISBN: 1573440299
Course Expectations
Reading
Reading for this survey ranges from short pieces (3-5 pages) to long pieces (more than 70 pages) of reading for each class. This range means that you will need to plan your work accordingly; you are expected to do all of the reading.
Participation and Facilitation (20%)
You must attend all meetings and participate actively in the discussion of all of the texts. You cannot get an A in this class if you are not prepared and eager to participate in the discussions. Part of the participation for this course is “facilitating” discussion of the longer texts on a week of your choice. This does not mean preparing a presentation; this means coming to class extra-prepared to respond to questions and to pose questions back to the class.
Responses (10%)
At the end of each unit, you are expected bring to class a 1 page (approximately 250 word) response to the unit. This response should connect the three texts and be more analytical than reflective.
Midterm (10% take-home, 20% in-class)
The midterm will consist of two parts; the take-home portion of the midterm will be a 3-4 page essay analyzing a piece of travel writing as a historical source. The in-class portion of the midterm will address the texts from the first half of the course.
Final (20% take-home, 20% in-class)
As with the midterm, the final will have take-home and in-class components. The take-home final will be a 5-6 page essay responding to prompts handed out in class. The in-class portion will address the texts from the second half of the course.
Plagiarism is totally unacceptable and will be reported immediately to the Honor Committee.
Schedule
Week 1
Thursday
- An Introduction to the Course
Unit 1: Conquest Narratives
Week 2
Tuesday
- “Encounter” in BBF pgs. 29-62
Thursday
- “The Spaniards’ Entry into Tenochtitlán” in TMR pgs 97-104 (on Blackboard)
- MAP QUIZ
Week 3
Tuesday
- Selections from Victors and Vanquished (on Blackboard)
Thursday
- Selections from Victors and Vanquished (on Blackboard)
- RESPONSE DUE
Unit 2: Colonial Life
Week 4
Tuesday
- “Colonial Crucible” in BBF pgs 63-92
Thursday
- “In Defense of the Indians” in TPR pgs 107-110 (on Blackboard)
Week 5
Tuesday
- Foreword, Introduction, Chapters 1-6 in Lieutenant Nun pgs xii-xliv, 3-25
Thursday
- Chapters 7-26 in Lieutenant Nun pgs 26-80
- RESPONSE DUE
Unit 3: Slavery
Week 6
Tuesday
- “Post Colonial Blues” in BFF pgs 119-148
Thursday
- “The War against Palmares” in TBR pgs 125-130 (on Blackboard)
Week 7
Tuesday
- Prologue, “The First Story” in Caetana Says No pgs xix-xxii, 1-82
Thursday
- “The Second Story” in Caetana Says No pgs 83-165
- RESPONSE DUE
Week 8
Tuesday
- “Progress” in BFF pgs 149-178
Thursday
- IN-CLASS MIDTERM
- TAKE-HOME MIDTERM DUE
Spring Break
Unit 4: The Mexican Revolution
Week 9
Tuesday
- “Nationalism” in BBF pgs 213-44
Thursday
- “Plan of Ayala” in TMR pgs 339-343
Week 10
Tuesday
- Introduction, Prologue, Chapters 1-4 in The Magic Lantern pgs xi- xxxiii, 3-44
Thursday
- Chapters 5-9 in The Magic Lantern pgs 45-118
- RESPONSE DUE
Unit 5: The Cuban Revolution
Week 11
Tuesday
- “Revolution” in BBF pgs 245-274
Thursday
- “Castro Announces the Revolution” in TCR pgs 341-345 (on Blackboard)
Week 12
Tuesday
- Various Poems (see Blackboard)
- FINAL PAPER PROPOSAL DUE
Thursday
- Various Poems (see Blackboard)
- RESPONSE DUE
Unit 6: Dictatorship and Democracy
Week 13
Tuesday
- “Reaction” in BBF pgs 275-306
Thursday
- “Never Again” in TAR pgs 440-448 (on Blackboard)
- PAPER OUTLINE DUE
Week 14
Tuesday
- The Little School pgs 7-77
- FIRST PAGE DUE
Thursday
- The Little School pgs 78-133
- RESPONSE DUE
Week 15
Tuesday
- Presentations
Thursday
- Presentations
Week 16
- FINAL DRAFT DUE