History 356 - US Empire&Solidarity/CentralAm

This course will examine the role of U.S. imperialism in the region and the revolutionary organizing of Central Americans to build a world free of exploitation and state violence. As a diverse group of people, Central Americans have practiced solidarity to unite their movements across class, racial, and geographic borders. Why has the United States intervened in the region? What common interests have national elites and imperialists shared? How have working-class people transformed the region and confronted empire? The solidarity practices of Central Americans have much to teach us in an age in which many of us feel alone and heavy with despair. This history can help us chart a path forward. It can offer us important lessons, and even nourish our connections, dreams, and struggles for collective liberation.

CLASS NOTE: This class is being offered in conjunction with the History Department's 2022-2023 Feinberg Family Distinguished Lecture Series. As part of course, students will attend several Feinberg Series events featuring historians, community organizers, artists, and people with lived experience discussing the history of U.S. imperialism and resistance to it. Read more about the Feinberg Series: https://www.umass.edu/history/feinberg-series