About the course
Description and Purpose of the Course:
Historians usually point to the 19th-century in Latin America as time where contemporary socio-political formations and institutions began to germinate. The emergence of the nation-state is one of the most debated political processes of that period. In this course, we take an interdisciplinary approach to the analysis of the problem of “citizenship” in Latin America. For example, we read slave narratives alongside archival research to analyze two of the most important legacies of colonialism: the discourse of freedom and the consolidation of capitalism. Although this is intended as a survey of 18th and 19th century Latin American history, we will concentrate on two countries, Brazil and Cuba.
There are two primary objectives for this course. The first is to focus students’ exploration of the question of citizenship in Brazil and Cuba through the framework of race, class and gender. The second objective is to develop students’ abilities within the historical discipline by designing assignments that focus on methods of historical research, such as analysis of primary sources (slave narratives, newspapers, etc.) and secondary sources (analytical essays).
Taking theories and methodologies from sociology, literature, and cultural studies, the course seeks to foment critical thinking around issues that influenced the conceptualization and exercise of citizenship in these two countries. This approach exposes students to different questions and different routes of answering the most pressing issues of our present moment. It also ensures that students develop a critical understanding of the period and concepts discussed in class.
Course Goals:
Through a combination of lectures, readings, discussion, and written assignments, students should develop the following competencies:
- Identify key developments in Latin American history from 1800 until 1910
- Identify important events in the social and political history of Brazil and Cuba
- Summarize key debates about citizenship and the emergence of the nation state in Latin America
- Define how race, class, gender and citizenship are interrelated
- Develop argumentative writing abilities
- Strengthen written English language abilities
Course Contents:
1. The Meaning of Freedom
Freedom is one of the fundamental concepts in Western influenced societies. In Latin America, freedom defined the Wars of Independence and the imagining of the new nation-sates. However, the legacy of slavery defined the contours of freedom. In this section of the course, students will learn about the complexity of the ideals that drove the fight for independence in Latin America.
2. Imagining the Nation/Nation-Building
In the section of the course, students will be exposed to the different theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of the nation-state in Latin America. The driving question of this section will be: How do the legacies of colonialism, such as race and gender, define and determine the socio-political and ideological building blocks of Latin American nations.
3. Brazil From Tropical Empire to Independent Nation
Brazil is one of the “case studies” we will analyze in this course. The most important questions we will address will be: What are the fundamental historical differences and similarities between the process of nation-building in Brazil and the rest of Latin America? How did racial configurations influence the discourse of citizenship in Brazil?
4. Cuba: The Recalcitrant Colony
Cuba was one of the most important colonial outposts of the Spanish empire. Of particular importance is the development of plantation economy. Some key questions are: What is the role of foodstuffs in the development of modern forms of capitalism? How did the rational organization of forced labor influence the ways in which the class system was developed in the post-independence period?
19th Century Latin America 