Fall 2005

LAS 337M • INT'L POLITICS OF LATIN AMER

Course Description

This course will analyze Latin Americaís political and economic relations to external actors over the course of the last few decades. We will first take a close look at U.S. foreign policy towards Latin America, especially U.S. responses to efforts at reform and revolution in the region. The second section of the course will examine Latin Americaís position in the international economic system, focusing on issues such as the role of transnational corporations, the debt crisis, and the recent move towards market reform. Finally, we will analyze the range of ìnewî issues that have emerged in U.S. - Latin American relations over the last two decades, such as human rights, immigration, drugs, environmental protection, and concern for indigenous groups.

Grading Policy

1 six-seven page essay paper about questions distributed by the instructor; midterm and final examinations; 2 quizzes about the readings. Strict attendance policy. Rigorous enforcement of scholastic honesty norms.

Texts

John Martz., ed. United States Policy in Latin America (1995) Robert Pastor, Exiting the Whirlpool (2001) Jorge Dominguez, ed., The Future of Inter-American Relations (2000) NACLA Report on the Americas, vol.35, #3 (Nov./Dec. 2001): After the Cold War--In the Wake of the Terror Coursepack with xeroxed journal articles and book chapters

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