Courses

Fall 2019 LACA Courses 

LACA 0500 Around Latin America in 80 Days: An Historical and Cultural Journey (Taught by Visiting Associate Professor Erica Durante)

Tuesday/Thursday, 1pm - 2:20pm 

This course will be constructed as a journey throughout the complex and diverse region of Latin America. By exploring the main geographical, historical, cultural and ethnic characteristics of this area of the globe, students will discover some critical junctures, and personalities that in the past centuries have defined Latin America as a unique, transnational and multilingual subcontinent. The course will be structured around three axes (foundational and modern myths, nation-building and cultural identities, and icons of popular culture) that will be explored from an interdisciplinary perspective, combining insights from the fields of archaeology, anthropology, arts, history, literature, and political science. The languages of instruction will be Spanish and English. Students will be expected to be able to conduct their readings in Spanish, when English translations of the reading material are not available, although during class discussion and assignments they will be permitted to use the language of their choice.

LACA 1503O Networked Movements: Mobilizations for Change in Latin America in the 21st Century (Taught by Cogut Visiting Professor Iria Puyosa)

Monday, 3pm - 5:30pm

Networked Movements examines the characteristics of social movements emerging in Latin America since 2007. These movements combine the non-violent occupation of public spaces and the intensive use of digital technologies for autonomous political communication. The course starts with foundations of networked social movement theories. Topics will include: the social appropriation of technological innovations; the construction of collective identity and the movement´s aesthetics; collective action for the occupation of public space; counter-public or counter-hegemonic political action; dynamics of social capital combining strong and weak ties; small-world structure of the movement networks; and mobilizing ideas by information cascades and network contagion.

LACA 1503P Consuming the Cold War in the Caribbean (Taught by Cogut Visiting Professor María Cabrera Arús)

Tuesday, 4pm - 6:30pm

How was the Cold War experienced in the Caribbean? How did refrigerators, automobiles, washing machines, stereos, and blue jeans become proxies of the world superpowers and mechanisms of impersonal rule in the hands of local regimes? How were Caribbean populations transformed by modernizing and developmentalist policies, and how did they resist the marketed allure of empires? Consuming the Cold War in the Caribbean answers these questions, exploring the politics of modern material and visual regimes in Cuba and the region during the post WWII era, addressing such regimes as mechanisms of soft power, impersonal rule, political critique, and resistance.

LACA 1503Q Politics of Indigeneity in Brazil (Taught by Cogut Visiting Professor Estevão Fernandes)

Wednesday, 3pm - 5:30pm

This course examines the politics of indigeneity in Brazil. First, it examines the relationship between native peoples and settlers, especially the Jesuits, Portuguese colonists, and the Portuguese Crown. Our purpose is to understand images of savagery and innocence as part of colonial imaginary in Brazilian’s imaginary about natives. Next, we will explore how indigenous peoples were understand by scientists and naturalists, and how these discussions are important in understanding notions about race in Brazil. Finally, we examine the relationships between native peoples and the State during the Republic, with a focus on contemporary issues, such as development, the environment, and social movements.

LACA 1900 Preparation for Honors and Capstone Projects on Latin American and Caribbean Topics (Taught by Visiting Associate Professor Erica Durante)

Tuesday, 4pm - 6:30pm

This workshop is designed for junior and seniors in any concentration who are researching and writing about Latin America and the Caribbean. It will help students to enhance their research and organization skills, refine their research or creative projects, and develop or complete a Capstone Project (e.g. honors thesis, honors project, substantial research paper).

Spring 2019 Cross-Listed/Related Courses in Latin American and Caribbean Studies

Africana Studies

AFRI 0210	Afro Latin Americans and Blackness in the Americas Anani Dzidzienyo
AFRI 0670	Global Black Radicalism Brian W E Meeks + Geri M Augusto
AFRI 1210	Afro-Brazilians and the Brazilian Polity Anani Dzidzienyo + Keisha-Khan Y Perry

Anthropology