Summer 2005

GOV S328L • Introduction to Latin American Government and Politics

Course Description

This course assumes no prior knowledge of Latin America or of its politics. It opens with a brief introcution to Latin America, including its geography, history and socio-economic characteristics. It then develops a scheme of four basic political questions and four historical models that have been present in the area to address these questions. It then moves on to case studies of various countries and how they have attempted to address these questions, successfully and otherwise. The course finishes with a quick look at US-Latin American relations.

Grading Policy

There are two mid-term exams and a final; each counts a third of the grade. There is also the opportunity to do an extra credit research paper that counts the same as a mid-term, but which is not a replacement for an exam. Exams are short answer and essay in form.

Texts

Charles Blake, Politics in Latin America. Ronaldo Munck, Contemporary Latin America. Michael Kryzanek, US-Latin American Relations, 3rd edition. Duplicated readings packet.

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