97W
NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
Farquhar Center for Undergraduate Studies
COURSE OUTLINE
I. COURSE NUMBER AND TITLE: HIST 2140-3D1
Modern Latin America
II. PROFESSOR: Dr. Barbara Brodman
Office: Parker 301
Phone: (954) 262-8205
III. COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The 20th and 21st Centuries: Using Latin America and the
Caribbean as a focal point, the course provides an inter-disciplinary overview of contemporary American systems and
societies and their place in a rapidly changing, increasingly
interdependent world. Topics discussed will include the causes and
goals of revolution in Latin America, Latin American debt and
development, U.S.-Latin American relations, and a new hemispheric
order for the 21st century.
IV. COURSE OBJECTIVES AND EXIT COMPETENCIES
By the end of this course, students should be able to
demonstrate a knowledge of:
1. the roots of contemporary Latin American systems
and patterns of development in a pre-20th century legacy,
2. causes and goals of revolution in the 20th century,
3. causes and consequences of the 1980s debt crisis,
4. U.S. foreign policy in the Americas,
5. options for the future.
V. REQUIRED MATERIALS:
Texts:
1. Akwe:kon Journal (Summer 1994): Chiapas: Challenging
History.
2. Ernesto Che Guevara. The Motorcycle Diaries: A Journey
Around South America.
3. Joe Kane. Savages.
Handouts:
Burns, E. Bradford. Latin America: A Concise Interpretive
History. Prentice Hall, 1990 (Chs. 6-10)
VI. CALENDAR OF READING AND WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS:
Week 1: Contemporary Latin American systems and patterns of
development as products of a pre-twentieth century
legacy
M 3/10 Introduction to course; Lecture: The pre-20th
century legacy
Development and Democracy Frustrated
W 3/12 Reading: Burns, Chapter 8 (handout)
F 3/14 Video: the Garden of Forking Paths: Dilemmas
of National Development
Week 2: ****SEE ATTACHED FLYER****
Causes and goals of revolution in the twentieth century:
Mexico as a casestudy
M 3/17 Reading: Chiapas, pp.1-49; lecture: the Mexican
Revolution & beyond; Burns: Chapter 7 (optional)
W 3/19 Video: Continent on the Move: Migration &
Urbanization; reading: "The Four Horsemen ride
again" (handout)
F 3/21 Reading: finish Chiapas; update Chronology
Week 3: The Revolutionary Option
M 3/24 Lecture: The Revolutionary Option, 1950-2000
W 3/26 Map Quiz; video: Fire in the Mind: Revolutions
and Revolutionaries
F 3/28 Reading: Guevara, pp.1-72
Week 4: M 3/31 Reading: finish Guevara
W 4/2 Lecture: Che Guevara's revolutionary legacy
F 4/4 MID-TERM EXAMINATION
Week 5: M 4/7 Burns, Chapter 9 (handout)
W 4/9 Video: Romero
F 4/11 Burns, Chapter 10 (handout)
The Latin American Debt Crisis of the 1980s and After
Week 6: M 4/14 Lecture: Latin American Debt, Democracy, and
Free Trade
W 4/16 Video: Capital Sins: Authoritarianism and
Democratization
F 4/18 Kane: 1st half
Week 7: M 4/21 Kane: through Epilogue
W 4/23 Video: The Huaorani
U.S. foreign policy in the Americas and options for the
future
F 4/25 Lecture: U.S.-Latin American Relations;
VERTICAL FILES DUE
Week 8: M 4/28 Discussion of current events; final exam review
W 4/30 FINAL EXAM
VII. DESCRIPTION OF WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS
VERTICAL FILE GUIDELINES
Find five (5) current events articles that may be used to reinforce
assigned readings, lectures, and class discussions. Articles may
be taken from print or on-line sources but must reflect five
distinct sources and topics.
Critically analyze each article as it relates to what you have
learned in the course. You may want to use the Discussion
Questions you received at the beginning of the course as a
framework for your analyses.
You will be graded on your ability to effectively utilize course
material in an analysis of current events. Your articles must,
therefore, be current.
Each analysis should be between 250-500 words in length
(1-2 pages). Analyses that are too short or too long will receive
lower grades.
Vertical files are due at the beginning of class on the date
indicated in the Reading Schedule and Topic Outline. See Class
Policies for policy concerning late files.
VIII. CLASS POLICIES AND GRADING CRITERIA:
Each student's grade will be assessed on the basis of:
1) Examinations (45%)
There will be two major examinations. The midterm
examination will be a combination of multiple choice and essay
questions (25%). The final examination will be multiple choice
only (20%).
2) In-class reading quizzes (15%)
During the term, in-class quizzes should be expected
every day. These will be either short multiple choice questions or
questions that require only a sentence or two to answer.
3) Map quiz (10%)
Students are required to learn all of the countries and
capitals of Latin America and key topographical items as listed in
the attached Map Quiz Guidelines.
4) Annotated Vertical Files (20%)
See attached Vertical File Guidelines.
5) Class participation (10%)
Students are expected to come to all classes prepared to
discuss the material assigned. They will be graded on the basis of
the quality of their responses to questions and the questions they
ask. Students are expected to attend all scheduled video
presentations.
*** In accordance with the Farquhar Center's Writing Across
the Curriculum Policy, at least 35% of a student's grade will be
determined by written assignment.
CLASS POLICIES
| Farquhar Center Home Page | NSU Home Page | Return to My Home Page | Return to Course Outlines |
|---|
E-mail me at brodman@polaris.acast.nova.edu
Last updated on February 22, 1997 by Dr. Barbara Brodman.