History 266 - State Violence in Lat Am

[LA] The course centers on events in Argentina, Chile, and Brazil since 1960. In each country the military seized power and then, after years of directing violence against its own population in the name of combating communism, peacefully ceded power to a democratically elected government. Since those transitions, each country has struggled to deal with what happened during these dictatorships. We will consider the broad history of governmental pardons, similar dynamics in other Latin American countries such as Colombia and Guatemala, and contemporary practices of Truth and Reconciliation.  In the process, we will explore the following questions:  What is the role of public memory in these processes? Does an effort toward peaceful reconciliation inevitably place individual and societal needs in opposition? How have recent events blurred the distinction between international and domestic law? Finally, what does the history of pardoning reveal about contemporary practices of Truth and Reconciliation? Course readings will include academic literature, memoirs, and the public reports of various truth commissions. Two class meetings per week.

Limited to 25 students.  Fall semester.  Visiting Professor Rosenthal.