Latin American Studies (LAST) 203 - Lecture 29
Introduction to Contemporary Latin America
Spring 2008
7 Saturdays from 8:00-12:30. May: 3, 10, 24, 31; June: 7,14, 21; Final Exam June 28. (Weekend University)

 

Instructor:	Prof. Dario Bustamante
Office Location:	SS 209
Office Phone:	220-4841
E-Mail:	bustaman@ucalgary.ca
Web Page:	NA
Office Hours:	By appointment

Course Description

Latin America has gained considerable importance on the North American Agenda, due to increasing political and economic interactions, in business, trade, investment, migration and regional integration. Good examples of this process are the North American Free Trade Agreement, Canadian membership in the Organization of American States, the Summit of the Americas in Quebec, and the initiative of the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas.

Recent turmoil in some of the Latin American countries has had important international implications. The latest events in Cuba and Venezuela, as well as the uncertainties of the Ecuadorian and Bolivian future, the daily terrorism and violence in Colombia and the relative economic recovery of the region; call for a better understanding of the Latin American societies. It is important for Canada and Canadians to consider the consequences of their situation for the developing world and the international community.

Exploration of the complex and dynamic realities of Latin America is a challenging and exciting academic experience: the struggle for economic development, the extreme contrasts of the Latin American societies ( rich and poor, cities and countryside, intellectual and illiterate), the permanent tension between populist, military and democratic political regimes, the complexities of cultural diversity and ethnic processes ( Indigenous, European and African populations), the gender issues in the land of "machismo", the impacts of urbanization, environmental sustainability, the persistence of social and political violence, the drug traffic, etc.

Latin American Studies 203 is an introductory course, designed to provide students with a multidisciplinary approach to contemporary Latin America, where the mentioned issues will be addressed.

Objectives of the Course

To offer the students a better knowledge of Latin American countries, so that they will be able to enjoy and take advantage of the increasing opportunities emerging from growing continental interaction. The numerous nations of the region comprising more than 500 million people constitute the largest portion of the Western Hemisphere. Therefore it is particularly important to have a better understanding of these countries and to overcome the barriers of stereotyping, in the context of globalization and increasing integration of the Americas.

Textbooks and Readings:

Understanding Contemporary Latin America, edited by Richard S. Hillman, Third Edition(2005), Lynne Reinner Publishers Inc., Boulder.

Assignments and Evaluation

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.

1. First Mid Term Exam: May 24, Chapters 4-6 (Worth 25%)

2. Second Mid Term Exam: June 14, Chapters 7-9 (Worth 25%)

3. Final Exam: June 28, Chapters 10-13 (Worth 30%)

4. A class presentation (20 minutes) and a written report (6 pages) about a recent Latin American event reported in newspapers and magazines. It will be done by groups of students (usually 2). Specifics of this assignment will be explained in class (Worth 20%).

Note: Please return assignments directly to the instructor if possible. If it is not possible to do so, a daytime drop box is available in SS110; a date stamp is provided for your use. A night drop box is also available for after-hours submission. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date, and placed in the instructor's mailbox.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination:  Yes

Policy for Late Assignments

Assignments submitted after the deadline may be penalized with the loss of a grade (e.g.: A- to B+) for each day late. 

Writing Skills Statement

Faculty policy directs that all written assignments (including, although to a lesser extent, written exam responses) will be assessed at least partly on writing skills. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Writing skills include not only surface correctness (grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc) but also general clarity and organization. Research papers must be properly documented.

If you wish help with your writing at any stage, including drafts, you are invited to contact the Writing Centre, SS110, 220-7255. 

Grading System

The following grading system is used in the Faculty of Communication and Culture:

A+ (96-100); A (92-95); A- (86-91); B+ (81-85); B (77-80); B- (71-76);
C+ (65-70); C (62-64); C- (59-61); D+ (55-58); D (50-54); F (0-49)

 

Plagiarism

Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course and possibly suspension or expulsion from the university.

You must document not only direct quotations but also paraphrases and ideas where they appear in your text. A reference list at the end is insufficient by itself. Readers must be able to tell exactly where your words and ideas end and other people's words and ideas begin. This includes assignments submitted in non-traditional formats such as Web pages or visual media, and material taken from such sources.

Please consult your instructor or the Writing Centre (SS110) if you have any questions regarding how to document sources.

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability who may require academic accommodation, it is your responsibility to register with the Disability Resource Centre (220-8237) and discuss your needs with your instructor no later than fourteen (14) days after the start of the course.

Students' Union

For details about the current Students' Union contacts for the Faculty of Communication and Culture see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info

"SAFEWALK" Program -- 220-5333

Campus Security will escort individuals day or night -- call 220-5333 for assistance. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most parking lot booths.

Ethics

Whenever you perform research with human participants (i.e. surveys, interviews, observation) as part of your university studies, you are responsible for following university research ethics guidelines.  Your instructor must review and approve of your research plans and supervise your research.  For more information about your research ethics responsibilities, see

The Faculty of Communication and Culture Research Ethics site: http://www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/ethics

or the University of Calgary Research Ethics site: http://www.ucalgary.ca/research/compliance/ethics/info/undergrad/

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

May 3, General Introduction and Latin American Politics. Reading: Hillman, Chapter 4.

May 10, The Military. The Economies of Latin America. Reading: Hillman, Chapters 5 and 6 .

May 17, NO CLASS

May 24, International Relations. Reading: Hillman, Chapter 7.

May 31, The Environment, Population and Urbanization. Reading: Hillman, Chapter 8.

June 7, Patterns of Ethnicity, Class and Nationalism. Reading: Hillman, Chapter 9.

June 14, The Role of Women. Education and Development. Reading: Hillman, Chapters 10 and 11.

June 21, Religion in Latin America. Latin America Literature. Reading: Hillman, Chapters 12 and 13.

In each class there will be a lecture by the instructor about the topic of the class, followed by a discussion with the participation of the students. Additionally, in most classes there will be an audiovisual presentation (around 50 minutes), followed by discussion.