Course Description
The interdisciplinary study of Latin America and the Caribbean, with a focus on student-directed learning. Examination of ethnic and cultural diversity and issues of gender, race, class, and culture within Latin American and Caribbean society. Consideration will also be given to the historical, political, economic, geographic, and social experiences of Latin American and Caribbean ethnic and cultural groups, with special attention to their diversity and unity.
Athena Title
Introduction to LACS Hon
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in LACS 1000, LACS 1000E
Prerequisite
Permission of Honors
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
- Understand the complex histories and legacies of colonialism in Latin America and the Caribbean. - Examine major political transformations and economic changes throughout the region in a historical perspective. - Analyze the politics of race, ethnicity, and identity across the region and reflect critically on the ways in which these are both similar to and different from those in the U.S. - Relate historical and political-economic understanding of the region to various cultural forms, including film, literature, music, food, and cultural movements. - Examine the relationships between Latin American and Caribbean countries, the U.S. and the world, and historicize contemporary migration and U.S.-Latin politics. - Assimilate, analyze, and relate class readings and lectures in planning and executing individual research projects. - Practice library research, analysis of primary and secondary sources, writing, and creative presentation skills. - Participate actively in class and online discussions and debates.
Topical Outline
Introduction. LAC as Geography and Idea LAC and Georgia, LAC and UGA Colonialism and Its Legacies Economic Development Strategies Neoliberalism and its Discontents Nation-State Building and Consolidation Difficult Transitions to Democracy U.S. involvement in LAC Diaspora, Racial Democracy, Mestisaje Indigeneity: From Social Movements to Formal Politics LAC Literature and the World: 50 Years of One Hundred Years of Solitude Music and Art: Nationalism, Hybridity, and Other Political Projects The Globalization of LAC Food and Sports Latin Migration
General Education Core
CORE IV: World Languages and Global Culture