LAS 356: Indigenous Resistance in Latin America: Democracy from Below

This course explores the development, strategies, and political impact of indigenous peoples' movements in the Latin American region. It focuses on structural factors to explain how and why indigenous communities organize politically, and the ways in which indigenous movements have shaped democratization and development from the mid-20th century until the present. The course will include cases from across the Latin American region with particular emphasis on those regions with the highest concentration of indigenous populations in Mesoamerica (Mexico and Guatemala) and the Andes (Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador). Specific topics include the construction and politicization of ethnic identity; colonization and the historical roots of racism and inequality; nationalism and mestizaje; democratization and its impact on indigenous movements; indigenous women¿s movements; indigenous resistance to neoliberalism and globalization; indigenous political parties; patterns of electoral participation; and the multinational state.