CLS 150 - Latin American History and Culture

Course objectives:
1.    Define the term, “Latin America,” and explain the historic and sociocultural origins of the term and its limitations.
2.    Define the term, “culture,” and explain how the concept of culture applies to Latin America.
3.    Explain why it is important to understand the history and culture of Latin America.
4.    Identify and describe the main component regions of Latin America (e.g., Middle America, Central America, the Caribbean, South America).
5.    Provide specific examples of Latin America’s historical development and its influence on human behavior in the contemporary era.

Describe the diverse sociocultural and demographic attributes of Latin America and its major sub-regions, focusing primarily on Mexico and the nation-states of Central America, the Caribbean, and South America.

Course objectives:
1.    Summarize the racial, ethnic, and linguistic diversity of Latin America, and explain why the population of Latin America is often referred to as a “blending of peoples.”
2.    Describe the religious diversity of Latin America, including the role of religion and the impact of cultural syncretism on religion.
3.    Identify significant examples of Latin American cultural norms and values, including those relating to marriage and family relations, gender roles, social networks, recreation and leisure, political authority, and economic relations in the workplace and society.
4.    Explain how the mass media, arts and humanities, popular culture, and social movements have influenced the sociopolitical evolution of Latin American societies.
5.    Compare and contrast the primary sociocultural and demographic features of Latin America to those of the United States.

Explain how geography and the natural environment have impacted the sociocultural, economic, and political development of Latin America.

Course objectives:
1.    Describe the physical geography of Latin America and how it varies by region and nation-state.
2.    Provide examples of social problems and political issues in contemporary Latin America that are related to the natural environment.
3.    Analyze the impact of geography and the natural environment on the economic and sociocultural development of Latin America.
4.    Explain how geography and the natural environment have influenced the prevalence of poverty and social inequality in Latin America.
5.    Compare and contrast poverty and social inequality in Latin America with that of the United States.

Describe and assess the historical evolution of major civilizations of Latin America in both the pre-Columbian and post-Columbian eras.

Course objectives:
1.    Describe the early origins and cultural commonalities of indigenous societies in pre-Columbian Latin America.
2.    Trace the historical, socioeconomic, and political development of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations.
3.    Evaluate the impact of Columbus and the conquistadors on Latin American civilizations.
4.    Trace the historical, socioeconomic, and political development of the Iberian-influenced civilizations in Latin America.
5.    Describe the main sociocultural and political structures of Latin American societies under colonial rule and the impact of indigenous labor systems, the African slave trade, social stratification systems, and nationalist movements, on colonial regimes.

Identify and describe major events leading to the rise and fall of colonial regimes, post-colonial regimes, and military juntas and other authoritarian regimes, in the Latin America region.

Course objectives:
1.    Identify and describe major events, ideas, and practices leading to the rise and consolidation of colonial regimes in Latin America.
2.    Identify and describe major events, ideas, and practices leading to the decline and fall of colonial regimes in Latin America.
3.    Identify and describe major events leading to the rise and fall of post-colonial regimes in Latin America.
4.    Describe the sociopolitical role of the military (including military juntas) in colonial and post-colonial Latin America.
5.    Explain why Latin America has been prone to military juntas and other authoritarian regimes throughout much of its history.

Explain how modern global events and phenomena, such as American interventionism, imperialism, the Cold War, international trade and neoliberalism, the illicit drug trade, and migration, have impacted and influenced Latin America.

Course objectives:
1.    Provide examples of how American interventionism and imperialism have impacted and influenced Latin America.
2.    Provide examples of how the Cold War has impacted and influenced Latin America.
3.    Explain how neoliberalism and international trade have impacted and influenced Latin America.
4.    Explain how the illicit drug trade and related drug war have impacted and influenced Latin America.
5.    Explain how internal migration and international immigration have impacted and influenced Latin America.

Compare and contrast the political and economic systems of authoritarian and post-authoritarian nation-states in Latin America.

Course objectives:
1.    Describe the main political and economic systems found in authoritarian nation-states of Latin America.
2.    Describe the main political and economic systems found in post-authoritarian nation-states of Latin America.
3.    Compare and contrast the political systems of authoritarian and post-authoritarian nation-states in Latin America.
4.    Compare and contrast the economic systems of authoritarian and post-authoritarian nation-states in Latin America.
5.    Compare and contrast the political and economic systems of Latin American nation-states to those of the United States.