This course provides the student with a general historical overview of the Spanish Central American region (including Panama), emphasizing the periods from World War II (1936-1945) to the first decade of the twenty first century. The region is considered as part of international, hemispheric, and Latin American contexts. Its specific characteristics -social, economic and political- and development tendencies are discussed, for each country, and for the topics of interest selected by the student.
The course also discusses the different political moments of the region from dictatorships to the most recent fragile democracies, the most important internal actors involved in the civil conflicts (guerrilla movements, political parties, mass media, oligarchies) and other external actors, focusing on the role of the United States in the region. At the end of the course, we will discuss the main social, political and economic changes that Central America has experienced in the last three decades.
Learning outcomes:
At the end of this course, students will be able to
Understand and differentiate the general historical tendencies and characteristics of Central America, including its international, hemispheric and Latin American contexts;
Understand and discuss the recent historical periods of the region based on the specific influences that determine the present trends, and
Historically discuss the political, social and economic transformations in the region.
Method of presentation:
Independent studies with direct mentoring from the professor. We will meet at the Universidad Nacional once a week for two hours to discuss and comment each class.
Readings will be subjects of analysis and reports.
PowerPoint presentations will provide information and promote discussions of the subjects.
Videos and documentaries will be used to illustrate some of the elements developed during independent studies.
Field trips will be planned in order to promote vivid learning experiences where students will get to know initiatives and projects that exemplify the concepts discussed in class.
content:
CONTENT
Week One:
Historical Background of Central America
Learning Goal:
Understand the historical context of Central America from “Banana republic’s” to “dictatorships” (1900-1979).
Obligatory readings:
Foster, Lynn (2007). A Brief History of Central America. New York, Facts on File, Inc, p.p. 170-225.
Activities:
Documentary: The Word in The Woods, by Jeffrey Gould.
Lecture to introduce the general ideas and discuss the readings with the student.
Report: The students will have to summarize the main ideas of the readings and the documentary in an essay (5 pages), and express their own conclusions about them.
Week Two:
Civil Wars and Peacemaking Process in Central America
Learning Goal:
Characterize the origins, actors and the peacemaking process of the Civil Wars in Central America (1979-1996)
Obligatory readings:
Chomsky, N (2005). Turning the Tide. U.S. intervention in Central America and the Struggle for Peace. Boston, South End Press, p.p. 11-72.
Foster, Lynn (2007). A Brief History of Central America. New York, Facts on File, Inc, p.p. 225-285.
Week Three:
New Economic Model in Central America
Learning Goal:
Characterize the main economic and social changes faced by Central America after the peacemaking process.
Obligatory readings:
Robinson, W. (2003). Transnational Conflicts in Central America: Central America Social Change and Globalization. Nueva York, Verso, p.p.147-209.
Activities:
Documentaries:
Sin Nombre, Cary Fukunaga.
Lecture to introduce the general ideas and discuss the readings with the student.
Report: The students will have to summarize the main ideas of the readings and the documentary in an essay (5 pages) and express their own conclusions about them.
Week Four:
Central America Today: Between Economic Power Groups, “Maras” (gangs) and Coups d´etát
Learning Goal:
Characterize the current perspectives and realities of Central America, focusing on violence, drug cartels, and democracy.
Obligatory readings: Rodgers, D.; Muggah, R.; Stevenson, C. (2009). Gangs of Central America: Causes, Costs and Interventions. Geneva, Small Arms Survey.
Activities:
Documentaries:
La Vida Loca.
Lecture to introduce the general ideas and discuss the readings with the student.
Report: The students will have to summarize the main ideas of the readings and the documentary in an essay (5 pages) and express their own conclusions about them.
Recommended readings:
Carol Wise, Riordan Roett and Guadalupe Paz, Post-stabilization Politics in Latin America: Competition, Transition, Collapse. Washington, D.C.:The Brookings Institution, 2003.
ECLA, Preliminary Overview of the Economies of Latin America and the Caribbean, 2011. Santiago de Chile: ECLA, 2011. (Several other years will be also used).
Martínez Franzoni, Juliana. Are Redistributive Gains From The Left-Turn Sustainable? Lessons From Costa Rican Social Protection. Proposal submitted to The Kellogg Institute for International Studies, Visiting Fellowship Program, 2009
Pablo Toral, The Reconquest of the New World: Multinational Enterprises and Spain´s Direct Investment in Latin America. Hampshire, VT: Ashgate, 2001.
Robert N. Gwynne and Cristobal Kay, Latin America Transformed: Globalization and Modernity. Hodder Arnold Publications, 1999.
Robinson, William I. Latin America and Global Capitalism: A Critical Globalization Perspective. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008.
Rosemary Thorp, Progress, Poverty And Exclusion: An Economic History Of Latin America In The Twentieth Century. Inter-American Development Bank, 1998.
Sánchez-Ancochea, Diego. State, Firms And The Process Of Industrial Upgrading: Latin America's Variety Of Capitalism And The Costa Rican Experience. Economy And Society, Vol. 38 Number 1 Feb. 2009: 62-86
Sarah Babb. Managing Mexico: Economics, from Nationalism to Neoliberalism. Princeton University Press, 2010.
Brief Biography of Instructor:
Mr. Robles has a Master degree in Latin American Studies. Currently, he is a professor at the School of Communication at the Universidad de Costa Rica where he is also a researcher at the Social Research Institute. Additionally, he is a professor at the Universidad Nacional of Costa Rica, where he teaches undergraduates and graduates at the Latin American Studies Institute. He is also an independent consultant and has worked for the International Organization for Migrations.
This course provides the student with a general historical overview of the Spanish Central American region (including Panama), emphasizing the periods from World War II (1936-1945) to the first decade of the twenty first century. The region is considered as part of international, hemispheric, and Latin American contexts. Its specific characteristics -social, economic and political- and development tendencies are discussed, for each country, and for the topics of interest selected by the student.
The course also discusses the different political moments of the region from dictatorships to the most recent fragile democracies, the most important internal actors involved in the civil conflicts (guerrilla movements, political parties, mass media, oligarchies) and other external actors, focusing on the role of the United States in the region. At the end of the course, we will discuss the main social, political and economic changes that Central America has experienced in the last three decades.
At the end of this course, students will be able to
CONTENT
Week One:
Historical Background of Central America
Learning Goal:
Understand the historical context of Central America from “Banana republic’s” to “dictatorships” (1900-1979).
Obligatory readings:
Foster, Lynn (2007). A Brief History of Central America. New York, Facts on File, Inc, p.p. 170-225.
Activities:
Documentary: The Word in The Woods, by Jeffrey Gould.
Lecture to introduce the general ideas and discuss the readings with the student.
Report: The students will have to summarize the main ideas of the readings and the documentary in an essay (5 pages), and express their own conclusions about them.
Week Two:
Civil Wars and Peacemaking Process in Central America
Learning Goal:
Characterize the origins, actors and the peacemaking process of the Civil Wars in Central America (1979-1996)
Obligatory readings:
Chomsky, N (2005). Turning the Tide. U.S. intervention in Central America and the Struggle for Peace. Boston, South End Press, p.p. 11-72.
Foster, Lynn (2007). A Brief History of Central America. New York, Facts on File, Inc, p.p. 225-285.
Week Three:
New Economic Model in Central America
Learning Goal:
Characterize the main economic and social changes faced by Central America after the peacemaking process.
Obligatory readings:
Robinson, W. (2003). Transnational Conflicts in Central America: Central America Social Change and Globalization. Nueva York, Verso, p.p.147-209.
Activities:
Documentaries:
Sin Nombre, Cary Fukunaga.
Lecture to introduce the general ideas and discuss the readings with the student.
Report: The students will have to summarize the main ideas of the readings and the documentary in an essay (5 pages) and express their own conclusions about them.
Week Four:
Central America Today: Between Economic Power Groups, “Maras” (gangs) and Coups d´etát
Learning Goal:
Characterize the current perspectives and realities of Central America, focusing on violence, drug cartels, and democracy.
Obligatory readings: Rodgers, D.; Muggah, R.; Stevenson, C. (2009). Gangs of Central America: Causes, Costs and Interventions. Geneva, Small Arms Survey.
Activities:
Documentaries:
La Vida Loca.
Lecture to introduce the general ideas and discuss the readings with the student.
Report: The students will have to summarize the main ideas of the readings and the documentary in an essay (5 pages) and express their own conclusions about them.
Mr. Robles has a Master degree in Latin American Studies. Currently, he is a professor at the School of Communication at the Universidad de Costa Rica where he is also a researcher at the Social Research Institute. Additionally, he is a professor at the Universidad Nacional of Costa Rica, where he teaches undergraduates and graduates at the Latin American Studies Institute. He is also an independent consultant and has worked for the International Organization for Migrations.