History 397PRH - ST-Power&Resistance/LatinAmer

Why have ordinary Latin Americans joined social movements, often at high personal risk? How and when have those movements achieved their goals, and what common obstacles have they faced? What factors have influenced the forms and strategies that movements adopt? This course surveys the history of Latin American and Caribbean social movements from the late nineteenth century to the present day, seeking to identify key patterns and lessons in the process. Some of the case studies will include labor movements in twentieth-century Chile and Cuba, peasant/indigenous movements in Mexico and the Andes, feminist and LGBTQ movements in Brazil and Honduras, mobilization against military dictatorship in Argentina in the 1970s, the transnational campaigns against U.S. intervention in Central America in the 1980s, and recent struggles in defense of natural resources and the environment. We will also consider some of the groups who have mobilized in opposition to these movements.

Open to Seniors, Juniors & Sophomores only. Classes will involve a mix of lectures and seminar-style discussion. Requirements include several short quizzes, a take-home essay, and an independent research paper.