Latin American Culture

This course will develop students’ abilities to understand Latin American culture at both the national and regional levels. Students will analyze the social, economic, political, and cultural development of the region by applying modern critical thinking to the understood history of the individual Latin American countries. At the same time, students will study the contributions of different cultural and ethnic groups that exist within these countries, in order to understand fully the social complexity of what we call “Latin America”. Lastly, students will evaluate the developmental needs of Latin American countries and propose possible solutions in which individuals can act as a force for change.

Throughout the course, students will develop abilities such as: independent thinking and learning, analytical skills, and the ability to synthesize, and evaluate. The final part of the course will help develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. After completing this course, students will gain a better awareness of Latin American reality and needs.

1. The birth of Latin American culture

1.1 An idea of culture

1.2 Encounter, confrontation or unification?

2. The political dimension.

2.1 Political systems and their development over time.

2.2 The struggle for democracy.

2.3 The leader in Latin America.

2.4 Sudden and dramatic events during the 20th century.

 

3. The characteristics of the economic processes in contemporary Latin America.

3.1 Economic models: from socialism to neoliberalism.

a) Globalization;

b) Treaties and economic alliances;

c) The end of the welfare state;

d) The search for successful economic models.

 

 4. Development and sustainability in Latin America.

4.1 Poverty and the environment: quality of life, environment, violence, poverty, gender, drug trafficking, corruption, and religious fanaticism.

4.2 Consequences, implications and possibilities of modernity in Latin America.

4.3 Proposals for development.

 

5. Art in Latin America I

5.1 What makes Latin America Art unique.

5.2 Understanding Latin America through art.

5.3 Literature.

 

6. Art in Latin America II

6.1 Visual Arts.

6.2 Music.