Social Science 205: Latin American
Civilization and Culture
Instructor: Dr. Richard Stacewicz
Office: 2842 DP Office Hours:
Phone: 847-635-1915 MW: 10:00 – 12:00
Home: 773-878-9495 TR: 1:00 – 2:00
EMAIL: rstacewi@oakton.edu F: 9:30 – 11:00
_____________________________________________________________________________________
I. Course Course Course
Prefix: Number: Name: Credit: Lecture: Lab:
and Culture
II. Prerequisite: Any social science course or instructor
consent.
III. Course Description:
This course is a multidisciplinary study of
selected Latin American cultures and civilizations with emphasis upon
contemporary issues.
IV. Learning Objectives:
The student will:
A. explore distinction among Western and possible appropriate Latin American models of development.
B. examine rural and urban issues in a culturally relativistic way.
C. discuss industrialization and urbanization patterns for selected countries.
D. study internal and external migration patterns in relation to development and other political-economic issues.
E. examine employment patterns.
F. study the role of women.
G. compare and contrast political developments
H. explain alternating authoritarian/democratic forms of government particularly in relation to the military and the church.
I. weigh the problems of achievement of political/economic stability while taking into consideration fulfillment of basic human rights and needs. The political implications of land reform and diversification of income will be addressed.
J. incorporate the historical impact of heterogeneous populations and colonial experiences into the learning experiences.
K.
participate in small group projects in which the participants will
explore a particular development within a chosen Latin American nation, gather
and analyze primary sources, and present findings to the class through written
assignments and oral presentations.
V. Academic Integrity:
Students and employees at Oakton Community College are required to demonstrate academic integrity and follow Oakton’s Code of Academic Conduct. This
code prohibits:
· cheating,
· plagiarism (turning in work not written by you, or lacking proper citation),
· falsification and fabrication (lying or distorting the truth),
· helping others to cheat,
· unauthorized changes on official documents,
· pretending to be someone else or having someone else pretend to be you,
· making or accepting bribes, special favors, or threats, and
· any other behavior that violates academic integrity.
There are serious consequences to violations of the academic integrity policy. Oakton’s policies and procedures provide students a fair hearing if a complaint is made against you. If you are found to have violated the policy, the minimum penalty is failure on the assignment and, a disciplinary record will be established and kept on file in the office of the Vice President for Student Affairs for a period of 3 years.
Details of the Code of
Academic Conduct can be found in the Student Handbook.
VI. Outline of Topics:
A. Development -- urban and rural
B. Industrialization
C. Urbanization
D. Migration -- internal and external
E. Employment
F. The role of women
G. Authoritarian and democratic forms of government. Constitutional constructions and their enforcement.
H. The military
I. The Church
J.
Historical influences of colonization and heterogeneous populations
(this topic will be integrated within the preceding topics, not dealt with
discretely).
VII. Methods of Instruction:
Discussion, lecture, use of
audio-visuals, guest speakers, etc.
VIII. Course Practices Required:
Since this course relies on discussion for its success, students are required to attend class and participate in discussions. Participation includes not only making an effort to participate in discussions, but also volunteering to orally present summaries of the weekly reading assignments and attending 3 outside events/exhibits that in some way relate to the course content. To this end, each of you will begin the semester with an A or 20 points for participation (10 points for attendance, 4 points for the oral reading summary, and 6 points for the 3 outside events). Because attendance is so important, 1 point will be deducted from the 20 for each absence. If you miss more than 7 class sessions, you cannot pass the course. It is also important for students to show up for class on time. Each tardy/late arrival will be noted. 2 late arrivals will be counted as an absence. You can make up lost points for absences by attending other instructor-approved events. Each student must also do at least 1 oral presentation (reading summary) during the course of the semester. A type-written outline summarizing the key points of the chapter assigned must be completed and distributed to your peers on the day you present. Finally, each student is required to attend 3 events outside of class (at Oakton or in the Chicago-area) that in some way related to the topics covered in the course. To receive credit, students must turn in a 1 page description of the event/presentation.
If a serious illness, military service, or other unforeseen development should cause you to miss too many classes, we will make every effort to work with students to accommodate their legitimate absences. Make sure to talk with us if you find yourself in such a circumstance.
Students will also complete 3 short answer and short essay exams during the course of the semester. These are worth 10 points each (30 points total).
Each student is also required to turn in weekly reaction papers/journals that address specific issues/readings that we will ask you to write about. We will be asking you to integrate knowledge from both courses in these short papers. Each weekly paper should be type-written and two double-spaced pages in length (although lengthier pieces will be accepted). You should have 30 pages of papers/journals by the end of the semester. Each of the weekly reaction papers is worth 2 points (30 total).
Students must keep all reaction papers, exams, and other written assignments together in a portfolio that we will collect and evaluate as the semester progresses. The totality of the course work will be collected in the portfolio at the conclusion of the semester so do not lose/throw away any assignments.
Finally, each student will have to complete a small-group research project that integrates material from both courses and that focuses on one of the following Latin American nations: Bolivia, Venezuela, Haiti, and/or Brazil. Students will be asked to study different aspects of the nation, such as economic policies/distributive justice, environmental policies, indigenous rights and to then prepare a group presentation that includes a discussion of “the facts” as well as advocacy for the specific policies that should be pursued based on your vision of social, economic and environmental justice. You will also need to prepare written handouts for your fellow students that include such things as a bibliography, timeline, etc. We will provide more detailed written descriptions of this project early in the semester and assign students to the various groups by the fourth week of the semester. This semester-long project is worth 20 points.
IX. Instructional Materials:
Gwynne, Robert and Cristobal Kay, Latin America Transformed
Leon-Portilla, Miguel, The Broken Spears
Skidmore,
Thomas and Peter Smith, Modern
Latin America
X. Methods of Evaluation:
Attendance and Participation 20 points
Exams 30 points
Reaction papers/journals 30 points
Research Project 20 points
A=90 – 100, B=80-89, C=70-79, D=60-69, F=59 or below.
XI. Other Course Information:
A. If you have a documented learning, psychological, or physical disability you may be entitled to reasonable academic accommodations or services. To request accommodations or services, contact the ASSIST office in the Learning Center. All students are expected to fulfill essential course requirements. The College will not waive any essential skill or requirement of a course or degree program.
B. Support services - will be sought as needed by mutual student/instructor determination.
Class Schedule
The following schedule is tentative and subject to change based on student and faculty interests.
January 17: Course Introduction.
January 19: Why Latin America?
Reading: Packet of Articles.
January 24: The Americas Before the Conquest
Reading: Broken Spears, Foreword, Modern Latin America, Prologue.
January 26: Pre-Conquest Latin America
Reading: Broken Spears, Introduction.
January 31: Europe in the 15th Century
Reading: Broken Spears, pp. 3 – 82.
February 2: European Conquest of the Aztecs.
Reading: Broken Spears, pp. 83-172.
February 7: European Conquest of the Americas
Reading: Modern Latin Amerca, pp. 13 – 26.
February 9: Latin American Indepedence
Reading: Modern Latin America, pp. 26-36.
February 14: 19th and 20th Century Developments in Latin America, An Overview
Reading: Modern Latin America, pp. 36 – 68.
February 16: Argentina
Reading: Modern Latin America, pp. 69 – 108.
*****Exam*****
February 21: Chile
Reading: Modern Latin America, pp. 109-138.
February 23: Brazil
Reading: Modern Latin America, pp. 139-180.
February 28: Peru
Reading: Modern Latin America, pp. 181 – 220.
March 2: Colombia
Reading: Modern Latin America, pp. 221 – 253.
March 7: Mexico
Reading: Modern Latin America, pp. 254 – 295.
March 9: Cuba
Reading: Modern Latin America, pp. 296 – 327.
March 14-16: Spring Break
March 21: Caribbean
Reading: Modern Latin America, pp. 328 – 355.
March 23: Central America
Reading: Modern Latin America, pp. 356 – 395.
*****Exam*****
March 28: The United States and Latin America
Reading: Modern Latin America, pp.396 – 439.
March 30: Latin America in the Age of Neoliberalism
Reading: LA Transformed, pp. 3- 21.
April 4: Neoliberalism Continued
April 6: Cultural Change in Latin America
Reading: LA Transformed, pp. 22-38
April 11: Economic and Structural Changes in Latin America
Reading: LA Transformed, pp. 39 – 114.
.
April 13: The Land and Sustainable Futures
Reading: LA Transformed, pp. 117-138.
April 18: Political Transformations
Reading: LA Transformed, pp. 141 -170.
April 20: Space Society and Livelihoods
Reading: LA Transformed, pp. 173 – 250.
April 25: Indigenous Rights and Indigenous Movements
April 27: Latin American Futures; Alternatives to Neoliberalism?
Reading: LA Transformed, pp. 253-267, Modern Latin America, 440 – 455.
*****Exam*****
May 2: Class Presentations
May 4:` Class Presentations
May 9: Class Presentations
May 11: Party