Successful completion of this course will provide the following learning outcomes:

A greater cognizance of the importance of Latin America as a region in the everyday
functioning of our society, and its crucial role in informing international policy
and foreign affairs in the hemisphere

An ability to recognize the reciprocal interactions between Latin Americans, and 
also between Latinos in the U.S. and American citizens, and their commonalities and
differences as they affect development scenarios and past/future global 
environmental change

A basic understanding of physical and biological processes that influence the
"latiness" of countries at local and regional scales

An appreciation of the diversity of culture and nature and its linkages with 
physical systems of the continent

An awareness of the dynamic nature of geopolitical systems, with emphasis on
historical and current democratic regimes and patterns of collaborative efforts
towards hemispheric integration and sustainable development


This course meets the following General Education Abilities by accomplishing the
specific learning objectives listed below:

Communicate effectively through writing.  This is met by a series of writing 
assignments associated with supplemental reading and data analysis.
 
Communicate effectively through speech.  This is met by oral presentations, 
discussion leading, and classroom participation.

Critical Thinking is central to the learning objectives of this class, and is
developed through homework assignments, lecture, classroom discussion, and inquiry-
based learning efforts.

Moral Reasoning (Ethics) is an important element of this course, as it explores 
the growing importance of Latin America in world politics, economic development, 
and hemispheric well-being.  Moral reasoning is developed through lectures, writing 
assignments, classroom discussion, and inquiry-based learning activities.

Overview of Latin America  
Definitions 
Core and Periphery considerations  
Regional Scopes
America or Américas? 
A culture region with subcultures and subregions  
Alphabet soup of Latin Americanisms
Geoecology of the environment in a continental scale.  Physical characteristics and
environmental determinism 
Guest lecture:  UGA librarian for Latin America. Databases  
Clashing views debate: Issues 1 and 2 (Integration and Pinking)
Peopling Latin America to 1820: changing demographics
Clashing views debate: Issues 3 and 4  (Cuba’s aid and Plan Colombia)
Economic geographies of Latin America: aim development
Latin American revolutions and rural/urban change
Clashing views debate: Issues 5 and 6 (Commonwealth and Government intervention)
Alliance for Progress  
Oil crisis 
Depression 
Trade
Rapid population growth  
Migration  
Age pyramids
Clashing views debate: Issues 7 and 8 (Gangs and Abortion)
Immigrants and demographic transitions
Urban geographies: contemporary cities and urban patterns
Migration, population change and race relations
Clashing views debate: Issues 9 and 10 (Race and Border patrols)
Latin American Journey and the politics of power
Urban centers of antiquity                                                           
Megalopolis and the transformation of Latin America in the world economy  
Clashing views debate: Issues 11 and 12 (Protestantism and D.D.T.)
Agriculture, mining, manufacturing, services
Mexico
FTAA, NAFTA and Georgia debate
Guest lecture:  Dr. Sergio Quezada.  LACSI
Clashing views debate: Issues 13 and 14 (Dry canal and GMOs)
Central America.  CAFTA
Prisoners of Geography. The Greater and the Lesser Antilles
Guest lecture: Dr. Leara Rhodes, Journalism
Clashing views debate: Issues 15 and 16 (Agrarian reform and Privatization)
Middle America, West Indies and The Caribbean
Latin American Journey: Tyrants will raise from my tomb 
Clashing views debate: Issues 17 and 18 (FTAA and International Aid)
Andean America   
Andean Pact
Mountain geography and the sense of place                 
Latin American Journey: Heaven, hell and El Dorado 
Brazil as a melting pot
Political and social frontier geographies
Latin American Journey: Inca cola
Debunking the myths of Amazonia
Jungle geography and ecological imperatives
Latin American Journey: Frustrated colossus 
Andean-Amazonian continuum 
The Cloud Forests 
Andean treeline dynamics
The Southern cone as an alternative                                                     
Latin American Journey: A continent crucified 
Argentina-Chile axis   
Mercosur 
Island geography:  Galapagos, Easter, Malvinas          
Latin American Journey: Bravo, bread and circuses
Regional economies.  Core and peripheries
Latin American identity debate