This class will provide an overview of Latin American politics and political economy. We will focus on crucial issue areas in Latin America today: 1) authoritarianism, democracy, and human rights; 2) development and economic policy; and 3) the role of social movements (women's groups, human rights organizations, environmental movements, etc.) in promoting social, economic and political change; 4) ethnicity, gender, race, class, and nationalism; 5) religion and politics; and 8) Latin American relations with the United States and other countries. In addition to this wide range of topics, the course will focus on a major case study of the problem of violence in Latin America, using Tina Rosenberg's book Children of Cain: Violence and the Violent in Latin America as a starting point, and then considering a range of theoretical writings to try to understand the origins of violence in Latin America. This will involve case studies of Colombia, Argentina, Peru, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Chile, Brazil, and Mexico. The goals of the class are: a) to understand the most important theories for explaining Latin American politics and political economy; b) to learn the basic background and issues of Latin American politics; c) to strengthen critical thinking, research, and analytical abilities. The course will also use a video series Americas created by faculty members at Columbia University.

Course requirements, expectations, and grading criteria: Two midterm exams, and two short (5-6 pages) written assignments will be required for the course. Graduate students will take the same exams but the will write a slightly longer (8-9 page) versions of the written assignments. Each exam will account for 25% of the grade; the written assignments will account for 25% of the grade. The exams will consist of a combination of essay questions and multiple choice. Exam grading will be based on demonstrated command of the material from lectures, readings, and the videos. Grades will be based on University grade definitions which establish the qualities of performance expected at different grade levels (See CLA Classroom Grading and Examination Procedures 1996-1997, p. 13), Note, for example, that the University defines a "C" grade as "achievement meeting the basic course requirements in every respect." All readings listed in the syllabus are required readings. The professor will provide study guides for the exams. On the days that writing assignments are due, students will be asked to participate in class discussion and small group work focused on the points discussed in their papers.

I expect students to do all the reading listed on the syllabus. I list the reading for each class period so that students can do the reading before the class period. I may call on people to help answer questions about the reading for the day, so please come prepared to class. Lectures, videos, and small group work in class will, for the most part, complement the readings, not duplicate them, and if you have completed the reading prior to class you will benefit more from the lectures and videos. At every class session I will make time for discussion and questions, so please come prepared with questions or issues to discuss. I would also like to encourage students to read a daily newspaper to look for news of Latin American politics, and to bring that material to class to discuss. I encourage students to visit me during my office hours to discuss issues raised in the readings, videos, and lectures, to get help in completing your written assignments, and preparing for exams, and to discuss any difficulties you may be encountering with the course.

Policies for make-up exams, late assignments and incompletes: Make up exams will not be permitted unless the student notifies the professor before the regular exam is administered and later presents written documentation of the circumstances (eg. note from University Health service verifying illness). Only the legitimate circumstances mentioned in the Policy on Makeup Examinations will be accepted, and only with written documentation (eg. legitimate circumstances include a religious holiday, verifiable illness, serious family emergencies, subpoenas, jury duty, military service, and participation in group activities sponsored by the University). Incompletes will be granted only in the case of documented illness, and if the student and professor complete the College of Liberal Arts Agreement for Completion of Incomplete Work. Written assignments are due during the class period on the days they are due. Assignments turned in after the class period will be considered late. Late assignments will be marked down one full grade for each week they are late.

The required textbooks are: Understanding Contemporary Latin America edited by Richard s. Hillman (Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1997); Americas: An Anthology, edited by Mark B. Rosenberg, A. Douglas Kincaid, and Kathleen Logan (Oxford University Press, 1992); and Tina Rosenberg, Children of Cain: Violence and the Violent in Latin America. They are available in the bookstore, and they are on reserve in Wilson Library. The rest of the readings are in a readings packet that will be available on reserve in Wilson Library and at Copies on Campus on the West Bank. You will not need material from the readings packet until the fifth week of the course.

Written Assignment #1: (*** Due on Tuesday October 13 ***) Do a brief summary (5-6 pages) of the background of the country you have chosen to focus on in Latin America. Provide the following information: 1) brief historical overview (no more than 2 pages, summarizing the most important political stages in the history of the country); 2) basic socio-economic information: a) population; b) GNP; c) GNP per capita; d) income distribution figures or data on levels of poverty; e) infant mortality and life expectancy; f) literacy rates (try to get a breakdown for men and women; h) ethnic composition; i) key resources and exports; 3) Summarize the current political situation, including: a) type of political system; b) major political institutions; c) most important political parties and the percentage of seats each holds in the legislature (or the percentage of votes they received in the last election; d) other key interest groups and political actors; 4) briefly summarize the situation of violence (or lack of violence in the country) and discuss the major types and sources of violence. Footnote your sources and provide a bibliography. Anytime you draw directly or indirectly on another author, you must cite your source. You will be expected to follow standard academic procedure for citations (Use MLA Handbook or Kate Turabian if you need guidance). Graduate students will follow the same guidelines but write slightly longer (8-9 pages) papers.

Written Assignment #2 (***Due the last day of class, Thursday, December 3 ***) In this short (5-6) page paper, you will explore a theoretical issue discussed in the class readings in relation to situations of violence in your case country in Latin America. You will be expected to go through the following steps to prepare your paper: 1) First you will need choose to focus on one or two theories about violence that we have been examining in class (theories from readings either from Tina Rosenberg, or from the readings packet for weeks five and six and seven by William Stanley, Steven Poe and Neal Tate, and Teresa Caldeira) and very briefly (only one or two short paragraphs) summarize their basic arguments. 2) Secondly, you will need to work through the implications of these theories for your case. For each of the theories you choose, ask yourself: If this theory is true, what would you expect to find in your case country? What kinds of evidence would make you think that this theory is not useful in this case? 3) Third, you need to do library research to gather more information on violence in your case country; 4) Fourth, review the material from your case and summarize the evidence to evaluate whether or not the theories you are examining are or are not useful for helping you understand your case. You may need to do more research to complete this part of the assignment. 5) Fifth, you will need to draw conclusions about the usefulness of the theory or theories for the case. If they are not fruitful, tell us why not, and perhaps suggest what other approaches or theories might be more helpful in explaining the issue of which you have chosen to focus. Footnote your sources and provide a bibliography. Anytime you draw directly or indirectly on another author, you must cite your source. You will be expected to follow standard academic procedure for citations (Use MLA Handbook or Kate Turabian if you need guidance). Graduate students will write papers following the same guidelines, but slightly longer (8-9 pages). Bring the paper to class as a basis for discussion.

Thursday, September 24: Introduction and Overview of Course, and Geography of Latin America:
(everyone will choose a case country to focus on during the quarter)

Tuesday, September 28: Historical Overview:

Read: Hillman Understanding Contemporary Latin American, Chapters 1, 2, and 3, pp. 1-50; and Americas: An Anthology, Chapters 1 and 2, pp. 4-47.

Thursday, October 1: Video: "The Garden of Forking Paths: Dilemmas of National Development (Argentina)

Read: Hillman, Understanding Contemporary Latin America Part of Chapter 4, pp. 51-64; Americas: An Anthology p. 48-71.

Tuesday October 6: Understanding Latin American Politics.

Read: Understanding Contemporary Latin America, pp. 64-94; and Americas: An Anthology chapter 4, pp. 72-103.

Thursday, October 8: Violence in Colombia and Argentina

Read: Tina Rosenberg, Children of Cain: Violence and the Violent in Latin America, Introduction and Chapters 1 and 2, pp. 7-141.

Tuesday, October 13: Violence in Peru *** WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT #1 DUE TODAY (See description above) ***

Read: Rosenberg, Children of Cain Chapter 3, pp. 145-215; Americas: An Anthology, pp. 273-334. Video: Fire in the Mind: Revolutions and Revolutionaries (El Salvador, Peru, Mexico, Cuba, Nicaragua)

Thursday, October 15: Violence in El Salvador and Nicaragua

Read: Rosenberg, Children of Cain, Chapters 4 and 5, pp. 219-329. WEEK 5 Tuesday, October 20: Violence in Chile and Brazil:

Read: Rosenberg, Children of Cain, Chapter 6, pp. 333-387; Segments from two Videos: "In Women's Hands: The Changing Role of Women (Chile)

Teresa P.R. Caldeira, "Crime and Individual Rights: Reframing the Question of Violence in Latin America," in Constructing Democracy: Human Rights, Citizenship, and Society in Latin America, edited by Elizabeth Jelin and Eric Hershberg (Westview Press, 1996), pp. 197-211.

Thursday, October 22: Explaining Violence: The Military in Politics

Read: Understanding Contemporary Latin America, Chapter 5, "The Military," pp. 95-117; and William Stanley, The Protection Racket State Introduction, Chapter 1, and Conclusions, pp.1-40, 218-166. (reading packet)

Tuesday, October 27: *** MIDTERM EXAMINATION ***

Thursday, October 29: Ending violence: the Role of Democracy and Civil Society:

Read: Kathryn Sikkink and Margaret Keck, "Human Rights Advocacy Networks in Latin America," in Activists Beyond Borders: Advocacy Networks in International Politics (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1998): pp. 79-120. (readings packet)

Steven C. Poe and C. Neal Tate, "Repression of Human Rights to Personal Integrity in the 1980s: A Global Analysis," American Political Science Review (1994); pp. (readings packet)

Tuesday, November 3: The Economies of Latin America

Read: Understanding Contemporary Latin America Chapter 6 and 11, pp.119-149, 271-293

Thursday, November 5: Explaining Poverty and Inequality in Latin America:

Read: United Nations Development Programme, "Overview: Growth for Human Development," in Human Development Report 1996 (Oxford University Press, 1996): pp. 1-10, 29, 40;
Nora Lustig, "Introduction," in Coping with Austerity: Poverty and Inequality in Latin America, Nora Lustig, ed. (Washington, D.C.: The Brookings Institution, 1995), pp. 1-41. WEEK 8: Tuesday, November 10: The Environment, Migration, Population, and Urbanization,

Read: Americas: An Anthology, chapter 5, "Migration and Urbanization," pp. 105-136; and Understanding Contemporary Latin America, Chapter 8, pp.177-207.

Thursday, November 12: Ethnicity, Race, Class, and Nationalism

Read: Understanding Contemporary Latin America Chapter 9, pp. 209-236, and Americas: An Anthology, Chapter 6, pp. 138-172. Video: Mirrors of the Heart: Race and Identity

Tuesday, November 17: Gender and the Changing Roles of Women:

Read: Understanding Contemporary Latin America, Chapter 10, pp. 237-266; and Americas: An Anthology, Chapter 7, pp. 174-207.

Thursday, November 19: Religion and Politics in Latin America:

Read: Americas: An Anthology, Chapter 8, pp. 209-240; and Understanding Contemporary Latin America, Chapter 12, pp. 295-320. Video: "Miracles are not enough: Continuity and Change in Religion

Tuesday, November 24: **** SECOND MIDTERM EXAM ****

Thursday, November 26: Thanksgiving Holiday, No class

Tuesday, December 1: Latin America and the World:

Read: Americas: An Anthology pp. 273-297; and 336-372; and Understanding Contemporary Latin America Chapter 7, pp. 151-176.

Thursday, December 3: Prospects for the future, and brief presentations of second written assignments:

Read: Understanding Contemporary Latin America, Chapter 14, pp. 345-350;

*** WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT #2 DUE TODAY (See description above) ***