SPAN 234 - Parallel Revolutions in a Nascent Continent

This course provides a broad foundation to the varied and complex geographical, ethnic, social, and historical forces that have shaped contemporary Latin American nations from the early 19th-century independence period to current affairs. Students will be introduced to the diverse regions of the continent: Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, the Bolivarian republics, and the Southern Cone. Students will analyze and discuss nation-building factors such as European-African-Asian-New World interactions, ethnic mixtures, military takeovers, revolutions, U.S. interventions in the region, and migratory experiences. Discussions will also be aimed at contrasting and comparing the contemporary and diverse cultural manifestations of the peoples living in Latin America and the cultural transformation of Latin Americans who have emigrated to other parts of the world, as well as the perceptions of Latin Americans in other cultures.