Delivered at:: Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs

Course type:: Elective course

When:: 3 year, 1, 2 module

Instructor

Alekseev, Fyodor

Full Syllabus

Abstract

What does politics look like under conditions of economic inequality? What sort of culture does colonialism produce? When does democracy survive, and when does it break down? When do revolutions produce real improvements for ordinary people? These all sound like questions that many have been asking in the world in the last few decades. In Latin America, they have been asked for decades.This course will give a broad overview of Latin American history from the pre-colonial era to the present day. Particular emphasis will be placed on the socioeconomic, cultural, and political structures and processes that shaped and continue to influence life in Latin America. Key issues such as colonialism, nationalism, democracy, and revolution will be examined critically in light of broad comparative themes in Latin American and world history. The course takes an interdisciplinary approach: using materials from multiple disciplines in order to provide insight into the complex and diverse history of the region. Among the topics to be explored in detail will be colonialism, the Mexican and Cuban revolutions, and the transition from dictatorship to democracy. We will examine present-day issues in Latin America, including violence and inequality, and how they fit into a changing global environment. Moreover, we will cover the most pending issues of regional foreign politics as integration, relations with extra-regional actors (Russia, EU, US, China), Inter-American system.

Learning Objectives

1. Provide an introduction to the historical context of the region and modern socio-political situation; 2. Examine the basic contours of Latin American history, culture, and society, 3. Explore key concepts relevant to Latin American history such as colonialism, imperialism, caudillismo, democracy, and inequality to comparative world history; 4. Develop critical skills necessary to examine and assess the modern political course of Latin American states.

Expected Learning Outcomes

1. Provide an introduction to the historical context of the region and modern socio-political situation; 2. Examine the basic contours of Latin American history, culture, and society, 3. Explore key concepts relevant to Latin American history such as colonialism, imperialism, caudillismo, democracy, and inequality to comparative world history; 4. Develop critical skills necessary to examine and assess the modern political course of Latin American states.

Course Contents

Lecture 1 and Lecture 2. Creation and Genesis of Latin American States
Lecture 3. The Nineteenth-Century
Seminar 1. Cuba's Quest for Independence
Lecture 4. Mexico and Its Revolution
Seminar 2. War of the Pacific: Impact on Andean States
Lecture 5. Latin America at the Beginning of the 20th Century
Seminar 3. At Crossroads: Argentina in Search of Development Paths
Lecture 6. Cuba and Its Revolution
Seminar 4. Cuba-US Relations After 1959
Lecture 7. Democratic Breakdown and Dictatorship in Power: Brazil, Chile, and Argentina
Seminar 5. Transitions to Democracy: Brazil, Chile, and Argentina
Seminar 6. The Struggle for Memory in Latin America
Seminar 7. Midterm Test
Lecture 8. Pink Tide in Latin America
Seminar 8. Crisis of Pink Tide Regimes (2015-2019)
Lecture 9. Integration in Latin America
Seminar 9. Making of Modern Venezuela
Lecture 10. Inter-American System
Seminar 10. US, EU, and China's Quest for Latin America in the 21st century
Lecture 11. Migration in Latin America
Seminar 11. New Political Course in Mexico under AMLO
Lecture 12. Security Challenges in Latin America
Seminar 12. Colombian Conflict
Lecture 13. US Sanctions in the Western Hemisphere
Seminar 13. Russia's Foreign Policy in Latin America
Lecture 14. Indigenous Population and its Position in Modern Latin America
Seminar 14. Current Economic Trends in Latin America

Assessment Elements

Active participation
Active participation in class is essential as the learning process will be richest as more people become involved in the conversation and debate. By the end of every seminar the point will be given to each student who attended and contributed to the discussion in the following format: 0 – if a student attended the class, but failed to speak on the topic; 1 – if a student attended a class and answered only ones; 2 – if a student attended a class, answered on several occasions (structurally, with arguments), but with some minor mistakes; 3 – if a student attended a class, answered on several occasions (structurally, with arguments) without mistakes and added extra information from the sources not listed in seminar's reading list. By the end of the course the instructor will provide a final mark for the seminar's participation calculated as an average mark for all the seminars.
In-class quizzes
Every seminar will start with a short quiz that includes 2-5 short questions based on a reading list proposed for the class. Therefore, all readings must be completed before you meet in class.
Final essay
There will be a final written assignment of approximately 15000 characters with spaces. There are 5 topics to choose from, but no more than 4 students can choose each topic. The essay is due the penultimate class of the 2nd module.
Midterm test
There will be an in-class midterm test taken on the last seminar of the 1st module covering a whole class block.
Final exam
There will be an obligatory oral exam taken on the exam week in December. The list comprised of 30 questions will be sent by the instructor one month before the Final exam date. Each student will get two questions based on the course content, will have 10 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to answer. The instructor, if needed, may ask additional questions concerning other topics of the course.

Interim Assessment

2024/2025 2nd module
0.1 * Active participation + 0.2 * Final essay + 0.4 * Final exam + 0.1 * In-class quizzes + 0.2 * Midterm test

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Cuba : what everyone needs to know, Sweig, J. E., 2009
The Cambridge history of Latin America. Vol.2: Colonial Latin America, , 1997

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Levitsky, S., & Helmke, G. (2006). Informal Institutions and Democracy : Lessons From Latin America. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=215883
Nolte, D. (2016). América Latina: Constituciones flexibles y estructuras de poder rígidas ; Latin America: Flexible Constitutions and Rigid Political Power Structures. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.B4849124

Authors

Алексеев Фёдор Олегович
Korneev Oleg Vladimirovich
Zakharova Elizaveta Sergeevna

Bachelor’s Programme 'International Program 'International Relations and Global Studies''

Address

Area Studies: Latin America