Latin American and Latino Studies

Student Portal : Info For Faculty/Staff : FAQ : Announcements : Contact Us

Latin American and Latino Studies - Spring 1999

[LALS-001-01][LALS-100B-01][LALS-129F-01][LALS-146-01]

LALS 001: Introduction to Latin American and Latino Studies

Instructor: Susanne Jonas
Location: Merrill 110
Time: T/Th 2-3:45

Phone: 9-3232, 9-2855-message
E-mail: sjonas@ucsc.edu
Office: Merrill 102
Office Hours: Wed. 1-4, Th. 11-12 or by appointment

Course Description:
This course provides an introduction to the study of Latin America and Latinos in the US, from an interdisciplinary social science perspective. Although we introduce Latin America historically, our main emphases will be contemporary. We will also focus on cross-border realities and issues facing Latino populations in the U.S. We will place a very strong emphasis on learning directly from Latin Americans and Latinos in order to give you a greater understanding of their intellectual, political, and cultural traditions; therefore, many of our readings are by Latin American and Latino writers and actor/participants. You will have the opportunity to hear lectures by some of UC Santa Cruz's leading Latin Americanists and Latino scholars. This course is designed to prepare you to pursue your interests in Latino and Latin American issues generally, and in LALS at UCSC.

Course Readings:
Required readings are: 1) Course Reader (available in class); 2) Mark Rosenberg, et al. (eds.), Americas (at Bay Tree); and 3) maps (at Bay Tree).
In addition, a number of books on Latin America and Latinos will be on reserve for use in preparing written assignments.

Course Requirements and Evaluations:
1) a written case study (pre-midterm) of a country you will "adopt"; 2) a midterm examination; 3) a final examination; 4) smaller written assignments (maps, news summary, identity statement, Latino assignment); 5) regular class attendance and keeping up with course readings; 6) attendance at discussion sections (which are required, and at which you should be prepared to discuss the readings and to raise your other questions). There will also be opportunities to raise questions and discuss issues in class.

NOTE: 1) Class (as well as section) attendance is mandatory; attendance will be taken, and all absences should be excused.
2) If for some reason you should need to take an "Incomplete" in this class, you must negotiate it ahead of time with the Instructor &endash; including the deadline for turning in the work and the forms.

TOPICS AND SESSIONS (NOTE: Dates to be adjusted for Spring 1999)

Course Introduction and Overview: Latinos and Latin Americans Across Borders (Jan. 5)

I. Conquests and Underdevelopment in the Americas

The Two Conquests (Jan. 7)

Readings: Introduction (Chap. 1) in Rosenberg, et.al.

Bray, Shorris in Reader, Sec. I

The Roots of Inequality: Colonial and Neo-Colonial Latin America (Jan. 12)

Readings: Stein & Stein in Reader
Chap. 2 in Rosenberg

Assignments:

1) Maps (due in section, week of Jan. 12)

2) Start browsing through Cockcroft, Skidmore & Smith, or Black (on reserve), choose a country to "adopt"

Internal Market vs. World Market, Theories of (Under)Development (Jan. 14 and 19)

Readings: Isbister, Dos Santos in Reader
Chap. 3 (especially 3.4, 3.5, 3.7) and 4.1 in Rosenberg

Sustainable Development vs. Neoliberalism (Jan. 21)
Film: "The Burning Season"

Readings: Mendes, Berger, Martínez, New York Times 1990 and 1994 in Reader

Chap. 4 (4.6 only) in Rosenberg

Written Assignment (pre-Midterm): relate these concepts to your "adopted" country in a formally written essay, due the week of Jan. 26 (guidelines to be given).

II. Social Structures and Social Movements in the Americas: Class, Race, Gender

Social Class Structure (Jan. 26)

Readings: Sec. II(A) in Reader (Torres-Rivas optional)

Chap. 5 in Rosenberg

Indigenous Movements (Jan. 28)

Readings: Sec. II(B) in Reader

Chap. 6 in Rosenberg

Latin American Immigrants in the U.S. (Feb. 2)

Readings: Cockcroft through Malone in Reader, Sec. II(C)

Chicano Social Movements (Guest Lecture: Pedro Castillo) (Feb. 4)

Readings: Acuña, Martínez in Reader, Sec. II(C)

Chap. 12 in Rosenberg

ASSIGNMENT: MIDTERM WILL BE HANDED OUT ON FEB. 4 (to be completed partly in class)

Film "Mi Familia" (Feb. 9)
ASSIGNMENT: MIDTERM DUE FEB. 11 AT BEGINNING OF CLASS

Latinos in Los Angeles (Guest Lecture: Manuel Pastor) (Feb. 11)

Readings: Bacon in Reader, Sec. II(C)

Feb. 16: EXCHANGE DAY (no class; Mon. sections meet Tues.

Women's Movements in Latin America (Feb. 21)

Readings: Domitila, Navarro in Reader, Sec. II(D) (Safa optional)

Chap. 7 in Rosenberg

Assignment: Identity Statement or Latinos Assignment due in Section, week of Feb. 21 (guidelines to be handed out)
Chicanas/Latinas in the U.S. (Guest Lecture: Gabriela Arredondo) (Feb. 23)

Readings: "Women's Voices" in Reader, Sec. II(D)

Chap. 9 in Rosenberg (optional)

III. Politics: Revolution and Intervention

State and Revolution, Mexican Revolution (Feb. 25)

Readings: Huntington, Jonas/Stein, Cockcroft, Poniatowska in Reader Sec. III

Chap. 11 (11.1, 11.2, 11.3) in Rosenberg

Assignment: News Summary (due in Section, week of Mar. 2)
Cuban Revolution Then and Now (Mar. 2)

Readings: Fagen, Pérez-Stable in Reader, Sec. III

Central America: Revolutions and Hurricanes, and U.S. Policies (Mar. 4)

Readings: Jonas through Fuentes in Reader, Sec. III
Finish Chap. 11 in Rosenberg, Chap. 10 optional

IV. Cross-Border Issues

Free Trade, NAFTA, and Chiapas (Mar. 9)

Readings: Morici through Mora in Reader, Sec. IV

Future of the Americas (Mar. 11)

Readings: Galeano, Fuentes in Reader, Sec. IV

ASSIGNMENT: GET TAKE-HOME FINAL ON MAR. 11; DUE MAR. 18

LALS 100B: Culture and Society

Examines the phenomenon of transculturation through examples from music, film, popular culture, literary expression, autobiography, concepts of the sacred, languages and historical writing. Explores and analyzes production of cultural theories primarily by Latin American, Chican@ Latino@ scholars in direct interaction with others.

Prerequisite: LALS 001

W (Intense writing)

E (Ethnic Area)

LALS 129F: Mexican Folklorico Dance

Description:
This class provides instruction in the aesthetic, cultural, and historical dimensions of Mexican Folklorico dance. Students will be taught choreograhped dances from various regions of Mexico and will also learn dance techniques (técnica) and stage make-up application. Additional workshops and lectures are offered to supplement the class. This course is open to all students; no previous experienced is required.

Format:
This class is designed to offer 2 units of credit to student members of Grupo Folklorico Los Mejicas de UCSC but members are not required to enroll in the course. Classes are held in the Eastfield Activities Room on the following dates and times.

Monday: 7-9 PM
Friday: 6-8 PM
Sunday: 5-7 PM

LALS 146: Land & Peasants in Latin America Explores current trends of peasant movements in Latin America analyzing them against past rural movilizations. Emphasizes the human experience of the peasantry. Concentrates on peasant theory focusing on specific cases that consider land use and territorial notions, deforestation, processes of depeasantization, emergence of agrarian proletariat, ethnicization of the country side, Indigenous Peoples and peasantries, relevant examples on sustainable agriculture contributions.

General Education Code: E

Revised 8/3/04.