HIST 151 Modern Latin America

This course offers a survey of postcoloial Latin America as a process of cultural transformation, political struggle, and economic change. We will explore the complex challenges of colonial legacies posed to emerging nation-states in the 19th and 20th centuries, and seek a balance between engaging particular histories and larger processes common to the region. The first section of the course introduces themes of the 19th century: colonial heritage and the different routes taken to political independence; the political, economic, and social challenges of independence in a multi-cultural context; citizenship and race; and the development of export agriculture. The second section introduces themes of the 20th century: industrialization, revolution, U.S.-Latin American relations, and select intellectual trends. Students will use a variety of sources, including scholarly works, films, and primary sources to engage these topics and issues.

Survey Requirement Met: Latin America