| Unit name | Modern Latin American Revolutions (Lecture Response Unit) |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HISTM0052 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Cervantes |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of History (Historical Studies) |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
The study of Modern Latin America has been unduly neglected by historians since the fall of the Berlin wall and the consequent decline in interest in Revolutions and peasant studies, all of which had made the region highly popular in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. This unit centres on a reassessment of the study of Revolutions and the role they have played in the development of modern American nations. It will study four major Latin American revolutions in chronological order; the Mexican (1910), the Bolivian (1952), the Cuban (1959) and the Nicaraguan (1979), each time aiming to highlight common problems that are central to our understanding of modern Latin America. Among these are issues of nation building, land reform, militarism, democracy, the church and liberation theology, neo-liberalism, and the return of left-wing populism. Students will also be encouraged to come up with their own suggestions for independent study.
1) To provide a broad grounding in the history of revolutions and revolutionary movements of modern Latin America.
2) To improve students’ ability to argue effectively and at length (including an ability to cope with complexities and to describe and deploy these effectively).
3) To be able to display high level skills in selecting, applying, interpreting and organising information, including evidence of a high level of bibliographical control.
4) To develop the ability of students to evaluate and/or challenge current scholarly thinking.
5) To foster student’s capacity to take a critical stance towards scholarly processes involved in arriving at historical knowledge and/or relevant secondary literature.
6) To be able to demonstrate an understanding of concepts and an ability to conceptualise.
7) To develop students’ capacity for independent research.
1 x 2-hour interactive lecture per week.
One summative coursework essay of 5000 words (100%). This will assess ILOs 1-7.
Edwin Williamson, The Penguin History of Latin America (2003)
T. Skidmore and P. Smith, Modern Latin America, 6th edition (2004)
Alan Knight, The Mexican Revolution, 2 vols (1986)
James Dunkerley, Rebellion in the Veins (1984)
James Dunkerley, Power in the Isthmus (1989)
M. Pýrez-Stable, The Cuban Revolution, 2nd ed. (1999)
