Cross Listed with Anthropology and Political Science

With a focus on Latin America, this course examines the historical, comparative, and current dynamics of two global commodities: illicit drugs and oil. These commodities--which depend on a U.S. consumer base--generate unfathomable wealth and unrelenting violence at local, national, and international levels. We follow them from extraction and production through consumption, examining socioeconomic and environmental impacts, their relationship to state corruption, and possible strategies for responding to the problems they create.

The course will focus on the specific characteristics of the current conflict by learning about President Felipe Calderón's approach to combating organized crime, the involvement of the ATF and DEA in Mexico, and the important Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs), such as the Sinaloa Cartel, Los Zetas, The Gulf Cartel and their leaders Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzmán, "El Lazca", Osiel Cardenas, Miguel Felix Gallardo, the Beltran Leyva brothers to name a few. We will also discuss the Peace Movement in Mexico and the work that is being done to change the course of the conflict. As the semester advances we will discuss more broadly the social issues embedded in this conflict and provide opportunities for students to arrive at complex understandings of the role of drugs and violence in contemporary society.

Cross Listed 

AFAS 363,  ANTH 363,  PORT 363,  SPAN 363

How are race and racism perceived and experienced in countries in Latin America particularly such as Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia where a mixed-race ideology and the myth of racial equality have traditionally been at the core of national identity? This class critically analyzes notions of race and anti-racist activism to examine the ideologies and circumstances of the political structure, race-targeted public policies, and black activism in contemporary Latin America.

Gen Ed: Tier 1 Individuals & Societies - Exploring Perspectives, Social Scientist

In this course, students will apply a social science perspective to the study of Latin America as a complex region. This course will examine the historical, political, economic, and social factors contributing to racism, inequality, and violence in Latin America, as well as how Latin Americans have fought for social justice and waged social revolutions to challenge systems of oppression. This course emphasizes the experiences, struggles, and contributions of marginalized populations such as women, Black and Indigenous people, economically disadvantaged, and members of LGBTQIA+ communities. Using the analytical tools and qualitative methods of social scientists, students in this course will analyze how specific case studies exemplify broader regional trends; identify the historical antecedents of current events; and propose solutions to pressing global problems. Along the way, students will reflect on their own stereotypes about Latin American countries and peoples and come to a greater understanding of the importance of learning about this dynamic region of the world.

Gen Ed: Tier 2 Individuals and Societies - Exploring Perspectives, Social Scientist

Food is of wide-ranging interest because it makes up a significant part of the cultures that bind people together into national communities. Food is central to cross-cultural studies of behavior, thought, and symbolism. This course explores the connections between what people in Latin America eat and who they are through cross-cultural study of Latin Americans' food production, preparation, and consumption. Readings are organized around critical discussions of what people cook and eat in Mexico, Tucson-Mexico Border, Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, and Argentina. A primary goal of the course is to provide students with theoretical and empirical tools to understand and evaluate the relationship between food, history, culture, and economy in Latin America at local and global levels.

Gen Ed- Diversity Emphasis - Gen Ed: Tier 2 Individuals and Societies - Gen Ed: Exploring Perspectives, Social Scientist 

Cross listed with Public Administration & Political Science

How does power shape international relations? In this course, students will apply a social science perspective to the study of U.S.-Latin American relations. The course is organized around the concept of power, and how asymmetric power relations between the United States and Latin American countries contribute to inequality and in justice between states (global) and within societies (social). In this course, students identify and explore social science approaches to the global power structure and use theory to analyze five hemispheric challenges: unequal economic development, cross border displacement, insecurity, climate change, and global health inequalities. In addition, students explore how a social scientist's position in the global power structure shapes their perspective through a comparison of the main U.S. approach(realism) and the main Latin American approach(dependency). Students use the analytical tools and methods of social science to identify how U.S. imperialism shapes the five hemispheric challenges, and to connect imperialism to structural injustice at the international level. Finally, throughout the course, students reflect on their position in the global power structure and how they can contribute solutions to hemispheric problems.

Gen Ed: Tier 2 Individuals and Societies

Gen Ed: Exploring Perspectives, Social Scientist

What do witches in colonial Guatemala, nuns in a Mexican convent, born-again gang members in El Salvador, Catholics seeking in-vitro fertilization in Ecuador, and lesbian practitioners of Candomblé in Brazil have in common? Their experiences tell us something about the complex intersection of sex, gender, and religion in Latin America. This course draws on anthropological methods and scholarship to consider two central questions: (1) How do religious ideologies and institutions shape sexuality and gender in Latin America? (2) How do Latin Americans contest gender norms, patriarchy, and heteronormativity through their religious practices, thus contributing to larger processes of social change? To address these questions, this class focuses on the social scientific study of diverse religious communities in Latin America from the pre-Columbian past to the present.

The course will focus on the specific characteristics of the current conflict by learning about President Felipe Calderón's approach to combating organized crime, the involvement of the ATF and DEA in Mexico, and the important Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs), such as the Sinaloa Cartel, Los Zetas, The Gulf Cartel and their leaders Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzmán, "El Lazca", Osiel Cardenas, Miguel Felix Gallardo, the Beltran Leyva brothers to name a few. We will also discuss the Peace Movement in Mexico and the work that is being done to change the course of the conflict. As the semester advances we will discuss more broadly the social issues embedded in this conflict and provide opportunities for students to arrive at complex understandings of the role of drugs and violence in contemporary society.

Cross listed with Political Science

This course offers a general introduction to contemporary Latin American development from the perspective of political economy. We will focus on structural factors to help explain the main political, social and economic trends in the region. The overall goal of the course is to provide theoretical, historical, and policy tools for understanding and addressing the current challenges of development in Latin America.

Cross listed with Africana Studies & Anthropology

In this course, we will explore race and resistance across the Americas. Taking the Brazilian situation as a springboard, this class will critically analyze notions of race, racism, and anti-racism. Students will have the opportunity to work on projects that explore racial ideology, structural/institutional racism, and anti-racist resistance across the Americas. Through a social science lens, students will select, examine, and share examples of racial injustice in a particular country, paying attention to how race has been a determining factor in discrimination, exclusion, and resistance. Course materials are organized around critical discussions of the deeply seated racial inequality and discrimination that impact all aspects of economic and social life, as well as the ways in which different forms of mobilization confront racism.

This course examines the causes and experiences of Central American migration, both historically and in recent years. It explores diverse drivers of migration across the region, as well as the experiences of Central American diasporic communities, drawing on multiple kinds of texts, including film, and engaging with experts and community leaders from the region. You will analyze current policy debates related to Central American migration and you will carry out individual research and group projects.   

GIDP: Applied Intercultural Arts Research (AIAR)

Interdisciplinary introduction to graduate work and research in Latin American Studies.

Gen Ed: Tier 1 Individuals & Societies/150

Gen Ed: Exploring Perspectives, Social Scientist

Mexico today is a diverse and dynamic country that is often misrepresented in popular stereotypes as a country full of sleepy, rural villages or dangerous, drug-ridden deserts. What are the major challenges facing Mexico today? Why do so many people migrate away from Mexico-and why do even more Mexicans return home?  What historical and contemporary forces have shaped contemporary Mexico? We will learn about major topics including immigration, racial and ethnic diversity, democracy and political change, inequality, environmental change, violence, injustice and impunity, and Mexico in the global context (especially Mexico-United States relations). In the process, you will gain a far better understanding than most North Americans have of the peoples, environments, cultures and regions of Mexico, and of the complex political, economic and social structures that influence the region and its international relations, especially with the United States. This course focuses on current challenges of development, environment, and politics in Mexico. It will examine how Mexico has dealt with such issues as economic development and human rights. We will also explore environmental and indigenous politics, resource struggles, urban challenges, and the impact of the war on drugs. The last part of the class examines Mexican migration experiences, U.S. immigration policy, and the social and environmental context of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Students are encouraged to follow the news about Mexico to keep up with rapidly-changing events and ideas. Some of the topics we cover are controversial (e.g., revolutions, immigration, drugs and U.S. intervention) and you may not always agree with the opinions expressed by the readings, professors, teaching assistants, or your fellow students.  We encourage you to express your ideas and to question the ideas presented to you, in a constructive manner that shows respect for the views of others.

Cross Listed HIST

Engagement: Intercultural Exploration

Engagement: Diversity and Identity

This course focuses on the social, cultural, linguistic, and historical roots of contemporary Central American identities.  As the introductory course in Central American Studies Certificate offered through the Center for Latin American Studies, this course takes an interdisciplinary look at the evolution and development of Central American peoples and nations, with particular emphasis on the indigenous foundations of the region. We begin by situating Central America in broad Latin American historical contexts with examinations of colonialism, nation-building, and the modern political economies of the region. We then turn to topical examinations of indigenous identity, culture, and languages. Through individual and collective research and analysis, students will examine the following themes of this course: colonization and imperialism; indigenous identity and culture; race and mestizaje; migration and human rights; and indigenous movements of Central America.

Cross Listed POL

This course takes a critical approach to the field of security studies through examination of the historical and contemporary security context in Latin America. Throughout the course, students engage with a broad range of perspectives on security including positivist, feminist, green, and human security approaches. The course begins by questioning how Latin American societies ascertain and prioritize security threats using desecuritization theory to deconstruct conventional ideas and assumptions. The course then covers a broad range of security issues in Latin America including state violence, non-state armed actors, organized crime, geopolitical threats, and insecurity related to resources, environment and health. In addition, the course includes critical perspectives on the different government policy and community responses to security threats including militarization, vigilantism, non-state armed governance, and non-violent community activism.

Cross Listed AFAS 280,  ANTH 280,  PORT 280,  SPAN 280

Gen Ed: Tier 2 Individuals and Societies

Gen Ed: Exploring Perspectives, Social Scientist

Cross Listed with Anthropology 348 and Political Science 348

With a focus on Latin America, this course examines the historical, comparative, and current dynamics of two global commodities: illicit drugs and oil. These commodities--which depend on a U.S. consumer base--generate unfathomable wealth and unrelenting violence at local, national, and international levels. We follow them from extraction and production through consumption, examining socioeconomic and environmental impacts, their relationship to state corruption, and possible strategies for responding to the problems they create.

The course will focus on the specific characteristics of the current conflict by learning about President Felipe Calderón's approach to combating organized crime, the involvement of the ATF and DEA in Mexico, and the important Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs), such as the Sinaloa Cartel, Los Zetas, The Gulf Cartel and their leaders Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzmán, "El Lazca", Osiel Cardenas, Miguel Felix Gallardo, the Beltran Leyva brothers to name a few. We will also discuss the Peace Movement in Mexico and the work that is being done to change the course of the conflict. As the semester advances we will discuss more broadly the social issues imbedded in this conflict and provide opportunities for students to arrive at complex understandings of the role of drugs and violence in contemporary society.

Cross Listed FOOD 405

Engagement: Intercultural Exploration

Engagement: Diversity and Identity

Mexico has one of the world's most accomplished food heritages. Many people in the U.S. are unaware that in ancient times the country's native peoples domesticated many important food crops that are of great importance today: corn, tomato, avocado, squash, pinto beans, and cacao (chocolate), to name a few. As in other countries, Mexican food is not an incidental component of life, but an essential part of how Mexico is structured; what people eat represents a confluence of power, culture, technology, and taste. In this course, we take a critical look at Mexican food production, processing, and consumption through a political ecology approach that includes an examination of important historical developments that provide context to more contemporary processes. These include Mexico's Green Revolution; the impact of globalization and new conceptualizations of food; the North American Free Trade Agreement; and migration in and out of Mexico. This course includes a 10-day optional field trip to Oaxaca, Mexico during the spring break for 1 extra credit. In combination with field activities, the course will also include a section on qualitative methods for the study of food.

Cross Listed ANTH 422

Writing Emphasis Course

This course examines the social study of human health both within and beyond the borders of Latin America. In addition to the violent processes of human migration, we will explore how other border-crossings of pathogens, chemicals, climates, economies, medicine, and morality move across borders and how and why they become critical to assessing key dilemmas of `global Latin American health today. How do borders, of landmasses, nation states, and even the body itself, shape human health through the boundaries they structure? On the other hand, how is interdisciplinary research on health contending with the breakdown of borders at various scales of human existence? To answer these questions, students will read historical and contemporary texts to grapple with the complex conditions that constitute health, suffering, and disease in Latin America and beyond.

A culminating experience for majors involving a substantive project that demonstrates a synthesis of learning accumulated in the major, including broadly comprehensive knowledge of the discipline and its methodologies. Senior standing required.

This course provides a hands-on introduction to the use of qualitative research methods. We will examine data collection and data analysis techniques that are employed in qualitative research. Data collection methods will include: informal and semi-structured interviewing, direct observation, free lists, and focus groups. We will also cover the management and analysis of these data. Throughout the course, students will be asked to consider the advantages and disadvantages associated with each method and to consider alternate methods of data collection and analysis. The format is varied and will include lectures, discussion, group work, class presentations, and practical experience with the methods.

In Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Paulo Freire wrote: “The more radical the person is, the more fully he or she enters into reality, so that, knowing it better, he or she can transform it.” In this course, we will take Freire’s observation as a starting point and demonstrate that injustice has a history, that it can be confronted collectively, and that change demands new solidarities, strategies, and forms of knowledge. We will read Freire’s pedagogical radicalism alongside other forms of thought, including the decolonial theory of Silvia Rivera Cusicanqui, and the ideas of Gustavo Gutiérrez, Domitila Barrios de Chungara, María Lugones, Ernesto “Che” Guevara, and Roberto Bolaño, thus learning from those who organized literacy campaigns, church-based communities, feminist and Indigenous movements, guerrilla struggles, and literary dissent under dictatorship. In discussion and writing, we will ask: how did individual rebels and protest movements link critique to collective strategy? When and why did they turn to armed resistance? Whose visions of equality survived, and whose were lost? What do these radical visions and experiments teach us about creating more just societies in the Americas?