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CLACS Courses
Core Courses
Master's
degree candidates must take G10.1001 (offered every Fall) and G10.2001
(offered every Spring). These core courses are open to graduate students
from other departments, and to certain qualified undergraduate students,
with CLACS' permission.
G10.1001.001 INTRODUCTION TO LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN STUDIES I: IBERIAN-ATLANTIC AND COLONIAL PERSPECTIVES
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is both a history of the peoples, cultures, and nations of Latin America and the Caribbean, and a history and wide-ranging survey of the various disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to the area, including the Area Studies paradigm itself. Some of the readings are included as a means to explore the boundaries of the established disciplines. The purpose is not only to introduce Latin American and Caribbean realities but to review the scholarly, intellectual, and political frameworks according to which these realities are discerned. Students learn about the history of the disciplinary and interdisciplinary frameworks for the study of the region, as well as the prevailing methods in the present moment. Some sessions will be led by guest faculty; discussion in all sessions will be facilitated by student study group presentations. Along with participation in classroom online discussion, students begin to formulate the projects that will become the focus of th
eir research for their M.A. degree.
Part I of the course covers the pre-invasion Americas, Iberian Empire, and the production of the Imperial/Colonial world and the first modernity through the early republican era, the mid-19th century. It also introduces the background to the genesis of plantation societies in Spanish America and Portuguese Brazil, and the contesting colonial projects in the Caribbean region, also involving slave plantation labor, of Britain, France, and the Dutch.
G10.2001.001 INTRODUCTION TO LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN STUDIES II: HEMISPHERIC AND POSTCOLONIAL PERSPECTIVES
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is both a history of the peoples, cultures, and nations of Latin America and the Caribbean, and a history and wide-ranging survey of the various disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to the area, including the Area Studies paradigm itself. Some of the readings are included as a means to explore the boundaries of the established disciplines. The purpose is not only to introduce Latin American and Caribbean realities but to review the scholarly, intellectual, and political frameworks according to which these realities are discerned. Students learn about the history of the disciplinary and interdisciplinary frameworks for the study of the region, as well as the prevailing methods in the present moment. Some sessions will be led by guest faculty; discussion in all sessions will be facilitated by student study group presentations. Along with participation in classroom online discussion, students begin to formulate the projects that will become the focus of th
eir research for their M.A. degree.
Part II of the course begins with the independence era, and treats the emergence of a Hemispheric axis for Latin America and the Caribbean, in which the emergence of a multiplicity of nation states, and relations with the United States, loom large, supplanted somewhat in the 21st century by renewed connections (foreign aid, investment, and a heavy flow of migrants) between Spain, France, and Holland, and their former colonies. Students learn about contending paradigms of sovereignty, patrimony, liberalism, citizenship, and development. The course examines the development of democratic national government and periodic authoritarian rule, as well as social violence, foreign military intervention, and civil war. The course also treats continuing problems of inequality, and the impact of pressure by other countries and international organizations on political and economic arrangements in the region. Alongside of such issues, students are introduced to expressive culture and the arts, to competing paradigms of formal and commemorative memory and history, and to the emergence of tourism and the UNESCO-associated culture industry. The course ends with in-depth analysis of the impact of globalization, neoliberal policies, emerging social movements, increased political participation and decentralization of governance, and the rise of populist governments. Throughout the course, students work closely with instructors to develop a scholarly genealogy of key concepts and processes within which they will be able to frame the themes and methods of their Master's Projects.
Other Courses offered by CLACS and other
Departments
Following is a list of selected courses which CLACS also
offers and /or crosslists with Latin American or Caribbean foci. Not all
the courses listed below will be offered every academic year; a list of
the courses during each semester is issued by CLACS before the registration
period.
Bolivarianism and the Populist Experience of Modernity in Latin America (New!) , G10.2010– Fall
Talk of pristine beginnings once again resonates all across Latin American Andean nations— Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru—a situation clearly reminiscent of what went on some two hundred years ago when these nations first came into being in the wake of Independence from Spain. Such an insistence on “beginnings” and “foundations” is traceable to the rise of “Bolivarianism,” an umbrella term referring to a series of largely convergent social movements, state ideologies and initiatives, all claiming direct inspiration from the example and writings of Simon Bolívar, the paramount founding figure of the region’s republicanism. Broadly speaking, “Bolivarianism” stands for three closely interconnected beliefs concerning the “People,” the “Leader,” and the “Army.” Thus, for “Bolivarianism” a single, homogeneous “People” is the sole legitimating source and foundation of all of the nation’s main republican practices and institutions; such a “People,” in turn, is what an “Army”-backed “Leader” must tap in an originating moment of foundation so as to constitute anew or re-found all of the nations main republican practices and institutions, an initiative that seeks to make tabula rasa with the past. It is precisely this emphasis on radical beginnings brought about by the constituting powers of the “People,” the “Sovereign” of official and non-official ideology and rhetoric that, especially in its chavista version, authorizes talk of “Bolivarianism” as a form of radical populism. Focusing mostly on Venezuela’s Chávez, but paying close attention to developments elsewhere in the region, this course explores genealogically the emergence, antecedents and current political and sociocultural consequences of Bolivarianism throughout the Andes as a form of radical populism with deep roots in the region’s monarchical and republican traditions. An argument running throughout the course will be that, rather than more recent, as many analysts suggest, at least since the moment of Independence from Spain “populism,” as an experience, is itself constitutive of Latin American modernity. Special attention will be given to the tensions between “freedom” and “equality,” “representative” and “participatory” democracy, and, finally, “republicanism” and its inassimilable “excess.” All of these tensions will be approached as crucibles for the constitution in Latin America of what often turn out to be alternative, mutually exclusive and antagonistic forms of individual and collective experiences and identities.
International Human Rights: Latin America, G10.1048– Spring
In this graduate seminar, students will study the international human rights standards and principals, topical case studies in Latin America , the role of international and local NGOs (non-governmental organizations) in the human rights movement, popular resistence and social movements in the Latin American human rights movement, and the role of media and representation in reporting and promoting human rights.
The Latin American Left: Old or New, G10.2300 - Fall
This course will cover a historical and current analysis of the evolution of the Left in Latin America through the 20 th Century until today. Following the original framework of Utopia Unarmed: the Latin American Left after the Cold War, published in 1992, the seminar will attempt to update that analysis, taking into account current changes. Emphasis will be placed on the debate regarding the novelty or traditional roots of today’s Left in countries like Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, and Chile. The seminar will seek to identify changes and continuity in the Latin American Left regarding market economics and the Washington Consensus, poverty, inequality and social issues, deepening democracy, and relations with the United States.
During most of the 20th century, and associated with the expansion of voting rights and the participation of previously excluded sectors, leftist parties, groups and movements were divided because of conflicting views of democratic institutions. While moderate leftists sought to bring about change and reform within the formal institutions of democracy, the revolutionary left argued in favor of more radical and immediate change. The relative success of the Mexican Revolution and, more importantly, the Cuban Revolution-with the subsequent emergence of guerrilla activity in many countries-strengthened the view within the left that a radical process of revolutionary change was the only viable alternative for Latin America. Yet, others continued to attempt a reformist path to bring about change within the boundaries of liberal democracy. With the end of the cold war in the late 1990s and the consolidation of liberal democracies in the 1990s, the debate between revolutionary and reformist left has been replaced by challenges to the reformist left placed by new actors within the left (former coup plotters-turned populists democrats, indigenous leaders, anti-globalization activists and others). Moreover, as democracy has consolidated as the 'only game in town', debates over the quality of democracy (accountability, responsiveness, participation, transparency, civil society, institution-building, etc.) have become central to those identified with leftist political views. As the new century gets under way, some of the seemingly perpetual problems of slow economic growth, persisting inequality and unstable democratic institutions continue to fuel support for those who advocate moderate, radical or revolutionary change in Latin America. Whether they represent or constitute the left is a much more complex matter. This class will intend to address precisely that question: "What is the left and what does it advocate in Latin America today?"
The U.S., Latin America and the Media, G10.1015 – Fall (same as G54.0001)
The seminar will study the representation of Latin America in the U.S. media, how it affects public opinion, culture and foreign policy. In the same way, it will also explore the representation of the U.S. in the Latin American media and some of its effects. The seminar will also try to assess the development of media outlets (especially broadcasting) in Latin America and how they have been influenced by the U.S. government and American companies. Special attention will be paid to how this development has been impacted by globalization and the transition to democratic forms of government which took place in many Latin American countries during the 1980s and 1990s.
Government and Politics of Latin America, G10.1017 – Spring (same as G53.2621)
As a social science, political science differs from other disciplines in that its basic object of study is the State and the way individuals and groups of individuals relate, interact and respond to the State. Political parties, institutions and collective behavior of individuals are central components in the field. Yet, rather than studying individual behavior (as psychology does) or group behavior (sociology) in general or individual/group behavior in given contexts (anthropology and economics), political science studies all of the above as they relate to the State. Not surprisingly, there is a bias in political science to concentrate on those groups and individuals that have a stronger relationship with the State and on those who can influence it more directly. Thus, political science will often focus more on political parties, the military, government bureaucracies and revolutionary forces than on labor unions, peasants or disposed groups. In short, political science tends to show a bias towards elite studies. This class is no exception. Perhaps as a signal that traditionally disposed groups are acquiring greater political power, non-elite studies have grown and enriched the field in recent years (see in particular week 3). Yet, the primary research focus continues to be the State and how different groups influence (or seek to influence) the State. This course will be taught from 4-6pm, disregard other printed times.
Financial Issues in Latin America, G10.3002 – Spring (G31.3002)
The aim of the course is to familiarize participants with contemporary economic conditions and problems in Latin America and to understand the policy choices that will influence economic development in the future. The course includes a review of the region’s modern economic evolution including experiences and lessons learned during thirty-five years (1946-81) of deliberate industrialization and a decade of debt-induced crisis (1982-1992). Latin America’s volatile economic performance post-1992 will be considered in detail, including the Mexican peso crisis, the Brazilian devaluation, and the Argentine default. Consideration will be given throughout the seminar to policies that can lead to higher and more sustainable growth rates in Latin America in the future.
Covering Latino and
Caribbean stories in the U.S., G10.1019 – Spring (same as G54.1019)
This is a feature-writing course that focuses on Latin American and Caribbean
immigration to the United States and the stories that the immigration
phenomenon generates. Industry professionals will be invited to as guest
lecturers throughout the semester. There will be a significant amount
of in class and independent writing and reading assignments.
Latinos in Urban Schools, G10.1023- Fall (same as E20.2097) -
3 points
Students will be introduced to theories and research explaining why Latinos
living in urban areas in the United States are least likely of all major
social groups to be enrolled in school and, as adults, are most likely
to lack a high school diploma. The course will explore the racial/ethnic
differences that exist between and within recent immigrant groups, drawing
especially on research that shows the diversity of cultural backgrounds
within Latino subgroups. Topics will include assimilation of new immigrants,
educational achievement and persistence in school, language and schooling,
the interplay of race and gender and class with educational attainment
and transnational communities.
Education and Development in Latin America, G10.1024- Spring (same
as E20.2094) - 3 points
This course is an introduction to education and social issues in Latin
America. We will explore the relationship between national development
and education, understood broadly as the processes of institutions, both
formal and informal, through which people shape their cultural identities
and political order. Using conceptual perspectives drawn from comparative
education, the course will include case studies of individual nations
as well as issues embracing the region as a whole.
Populism and Democracy
in Latin America, G10.2030 - Fall
This graduate level course seeks to provide a general historical and theoretical
background on populism in Latin America. After a necessary overview of
20th century Latin American history and populism, we analyze a number
ofmethodological and theoretical issues that pertain to the classical
definition of populism and to newer modern versions of populism in the
region. Understanding recent populist experiences, their economic and
social context, will be the central objective of this course.
Surrealism and the Francophone Caribbean (NEW!), G10.1990 - Fall (same as G45.1990)
While Surrealism took shape in Europe in the aftermath of World War I, its impact was also deeply felt in non-European countries. It is arguably in the Caribbean and South America that Surrealism produced a long and sustained dialogue on the question of the relationship between Europe and its colonial others. In the Caribbean in particular, this relationship goes back to 1932 and the journal Legitime Defense started by Rene Menil and Jules Monnerot. Later a unique series of encounters take place in the 1940s between French Surrealists fleeing a war-torn Europe during World War II and Caribbean writers in Martinique and Haiti . This course will look both at the initial impact of Surrealist ideas on Caribbean writers in the 1930s and the encounters that took place in the Caribbean during and after World War II between Surrealist artists escaping Europe and a post–Negritude generation of writers in the French Caribbean colonies and Haiti . These encounters between the traveling Surrealists and Caribbean writers such as the Tropiques group, Magloire St Aude, Jacques Stephen Alexis, Rene Depestre and Edouard Glissant mark the emergence of a new arguably postcolonial moment in French Caribbean writing.
Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the New Immigration, G10.1545- Spring
This course will introduce students to a sampling of recent theoretical work, in various academic disciplines, dealing with immigration. The course shall examine very recent research in comparative and interdisciplinary perspectives with a particular focus on the emerging Inter American migration system. We shall focus on Latin American, Caribbean and to a lesser extend Asian migration to the US and compare the nature of current immigration scholarship in the United States to developments in other postindustrial settings. An examination of the comparative materials will highlight isomorphic conditions --as well as differences-- in immigration debates, policies, processes, and outcomes. This course will be interdisciplinary. We shall examine recent data and theoretical work in a variety of fields such as economics, education, law, policy, psychology, sociocultural anthropology, sociolinguistics, and sociology.
Gender, Society, and Culture in Latin America and the Caribbean, G10.1006– Summer
This course provides an overview of selected literary-critical, historical and anthropological scholarship that explores Latin America and the Caribbean by paying special attention to gender and sexuality. Some readings deal with populations that have been rendered “marginal” because of their gender and/or sexual difference in various historical moments and regional contexts. However, the main objective of this course is to interrogate the opportunities and challenges in the use of gender and sexuality as categories of analysis for an understanding of local, national and regional identities, institutions, discourses, and processes. Particular attention will be paid to the relationship of gender and sexuality to subject formation and to dynamics of power.
Latin American Economics, G10.1018 - Fall (Same as G31.1605)
The course will cover the following: Efficiency and equity: what constitutes an economic problem; Regional generalizations; Some essential notions of international macroeconomics; The historical context: failure of import substitution industrialization ; Regional crisis of 1982, beginning the “lost decade”; Overview of post-1982 Latin economic crises ; Four-country structural and institutional précis and historical review of the recent past.
Reading and Research (independent study), G10.1010 – Fall and Spring
Advanced students wishing to pursue interdisciplinary research on a theme not covered in the normal disciplinary course of events may request to register for this course. The credit value ranges from 1 to 4 points. Prior to registering for this course, the student should identify a professor appropriate to evaluate the research project and get his/her agreement to supervise the work, as well as confirmation that there is not an appropriate disciplinary reading or research course in which to enroll.
CLACS Internship Seminar,
G10.3000 (every semester)
The aim of the internship is to provide an intensive work experience for
competitive entry or advancement in a profession that involves work dealing
with Latin America or the Caribbean. Students will be able to utilize
the experience and information gathered toward the completion of the CLACS
Master Project, final requirement for graduation. Each student will be
responsible for securing his/her own internship but CLACS will provide
any assistance necessary to secure the internship. The student is encouraged
to spend one semester or its equivalent as an intern, for a minimum of
200 hours at one institution. Placements are individualized, and based
on student goals. A grade of Pass/Fail will be assigned and a Fail in G10.3000 renders
the student ineligible for credit.
For more information on the
internship guidelines, please go to
http://www.nyu.edu/gsas/dept/latin/internships.html