85524 - History of Relations between Europe and Latin America in Contemporary Age

Learning outcomes

Course unit's purpose is to reconstruct the remains in the contemporary history of cultural encounters and clashes following the "Atlantic" conquests and Iberian advance in the (north-central and southern) Americas. A process that somehow produced a complex relationship between Euro-Mediterranean cultures and the multicultural Amerindian and Hispano-American world. After completing the course the student is able to deal with some complex issues, such as the construction of the nation-state relationship after independence and the end of the Spanish monarchy, the reconsideration of the past and the idea of mestizaje, the relations between the Latino-American and Anglo-Saxon worlds, the relations between political, religious, social and cultural institutions, up to the construction of networks of solidarity and of new Euro-American bonds during the Cold War, the great dictatorships, the theory of dependency and international campaigns for the protection of human rights.

Course contents

This Course is an introduction to the relations between Latin America (LA)and Europe in the contemporary age, focusing equally on key issues that distinguish the region, as well as different approaches to studying and understanding LA. This class is designed to provide students with the means to approach this relationship critically and self- reflexively. The class is intended to introduce students to the “interdisciplinary” nature of LA Studies. By surveying different types of scholarship on LA, e.g. anthropology, political science, history, etc). Much of the class examines stereotypes about Latin America, exploring the origins and maintenance of cultural assumptions in the media and in the international cooperation policy.

LA is one of the richest and most diverse regions in the world, its inhabitants are of diverse cultural origin, including descendants of Europeans as well as numerous native indigenous groups. The region encompasses glacier fields, tropical rainforests, deserts and islands and boasts an abundance of renewable and non-renewable natural resources, namely oil, copper, gold, timber, etc. However, LA is one of the most unequal and imbalanced areas in the world in terms of wealth distribution and access to services and resources. The economic gap [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_inequality] between the rich and poor is often astonishingly large.

Europe and Latin America are linked, not only by a shared history but also through cultural, political and economic ties. Strategic partnership between the EU and Latin America has existed in the history of both regions. The regions now cooperate closely and maintain intensive political dialogue at regional, sub-regional and bilateral levels. However, while EU-Latin American cooperation seems to demonstrate the existence of an equal and flourishing inter-regional relationship, some civil society organisations and other scientific approach assert that cooperation could take more in account economic asymmetries and power imbalances between the two regions.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

• To survey some salient points in the general history and culture of LA
• To introduce the origins and significance of LA Studies as an interdisciplinary field of study

• To develop the critical vocabulary necessary to understand and discuss the historical structure and contemporary conditions of LA
• To discuss, debate and inspire a lasting interest in contemporary issues in LA
• To introduce various forms of “traditional knowledge”—(indigenous, afro and peasants); that contribute to create new epistemological openings

Readings/Bibliography

REQUIRED TEXTS:

Chasteen, John. Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America, 3rd edition. Norton, 2011 (paper). 340 pgs. ISBN 978-0-393-91154-1

Escobar, Arturo. 1998. “Power and Visibility: Development and the Invention and Management of the Third World.” Cultural Anthropology 3 (4): 428-443

Williamson, Edwin. The Penguin History of Latin America (parte III e IV), Revised Edition, The Penguin Press, London, 2009.

De la Cadena, M., 2015. Earth Beings: Ecologies of Practice across Andean Worlds. Duke University Press.

Quijano, Aníbal. “Paradoxes of Modernity in Latin America.” International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society 3.2 (1989): 147-177.

Schroeder, H., González, N.C., 2019. Bridging knowledge divides: the case of indigenous ontologies of territoriality and REDD+. Forest Policy Econ. 100, 198–206.

González, N.C., Kröger M., 2020. The potential of Amazon indigenous agroforestry practices and ontologies for rethinking global forest governance. Forest Policy Econ. 118, 102257.

Additional texts /due for non-attendants:

Mignolo, Walter. “Epistemic Disobedience and the Decolonial Option: A Manifesto.” Transmodernity: Journal of Peripheral Cultural Production of the Luso-Hispanic World, 1(2), 2011.

Rappaport, Joanne. “The Challenges of Indigenous Research.” Journal of Latin American Cultural Studies 22.1 (2013): 5-25.

Gonzalez, Nidia Catherine , Democrazia e pluralità, da diritti etnici a costituzioni plurinazionali (1991 – 2012). Rivista di Studi Iberoamericani, Confluenze. (2015) ISSN 2036-0967.

Teaching methods

SEMINAR DISCUSSION:
Each week, I will post some questions that relate directly to the readings for the next class meeting. Before the class meeting, all students must have posted answers (by mail)on the discussion thread to all of these questions. Each class one student will present an abstract or no more than 700 words that identify three discussion points that the student will present to the class on Tuesday and which will be the basis for the seminar discussion. In addition to your participation in the discussion group leadership portion to the course, you are also required to contribute vocally to the class by asking questions and offering comments throughout the length of the course. This portion of the course is worth 50% of your final grade and is divided accordingly: 25% from your discussion leadership assignment, and 25% from the quality of your answers each class.

Assessment methods

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. Class participation (25%):

This is a seminar course in the truest sense: students are expected to be active participants in an ongoing, in-depth scholarly discussion (and will even have a chance to lead that discussion—see below). Consequently, your attendance, preparation and participation are absolutely crucial to the success of this course.

1. Abstract: your discussion leadership assignment(25%)
2. Map quiz (25 %)
   During the 8th week of class, students will take a map quiz. To success the quiz, you must have a minimum of 8 correct responses from a total of 12 responses.
3. Reflection papers (25%)

Reflection papers are critical reflections relate to the contents of the class. These reflection papers should be 4-5 double-spaced pages in length, using 1-inch margins and 12 point Times/New Roman font. DUE DATES: The first reflection paper is due on may. 24, 2020.

The final evaluation will be the weighted average of the evaluation of the project work and the participation in class discussion.

The ability of the student to achieve a coherent and comprehensive understanding of the topics addressed by the course, to critically assess them and to use an appropriate language will be evaluated with the highest grades (A = 27-30 con lode).

A predominantly mnemonic acquisition of the course's contents together with gaps and deficienciesin terms of language, critical and/or logical skills will result in grades ranging from good (B = 24-26) to satisfactory (C = 21-23).

A low level of knowledge of the course’s contents together with gaps and deficienciesin terms of language, critical and/or logical skills will be considered as ‘barely passing' (D = 18-20) or result in a fail grading (E).

ATTENDANCE:
Attendance is mandatory; it will be taken each class meeting; and it will factor into your final grade. You should arrive to class on time. Attendance is worth 10% of your participation grade. If you miss more than three classes, it will also negatively affect your seminar discussion participation grade.

Non-attending students

Non-attending students will undergo an oral exam on the dedicated syllabus provided by the instructor after the end of the class.

The oral exam will consist of three/four questions aimed at assessing the student’s level of knowledge of some of the most important topics addressed by the course, as well as her/his ability to critically analyse and verbally articulate them and her/his level of understanding of the texts.

The ability of the student to achieve a coherent and comprehensive understanding of the topics addressed by the course, to critically assess them and to use an appropriate language will be evaluated with the highest grades (A = 27-30 con lode).

A predominantly mnemonic acquisition of the course's contents together with gaps and deficienciesin terms of language, critical and/or logical skills will result in grades ranging from good (B = 24-26) to satisfactory (C = 21-23).

A low level of knowledge of the course’s contents together with gaps and deficienciesin terms of language, critical and/or logical skills will be considered as ‘barely passing' (D = 18-20) or result in a fail grading (E).

Teaching tools

Lectures and class discussions-debates will be hold with the support of audio-visual tools (ppt, web, short documentaries).

Office hours

See the website of Nidia Catherine Gonzalez Pineros