The course begins with the aftermath of the wars of independence and the age of caudillos. Subsequent themes include Latin America's integration into the global economy and its consequences, populist dictatorships, revolutionary movements, military regimes, and the recent trend toward democracy and free market economies. Emphasis on Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Mexico and Peru. This course covers the diplomatic, political, economic, and cultural interactions between Latin America and the world. Topics include Latin America's international diplomacy, the impact of global capitalism and Latin America's responses, migration issues, international communism, and cultural exchanges.
Emphasis is on relations with the United States.
Selected historical topics of current and special interest. This course is designed to acquaint the student with the basic elements of historical research, writing, evaluation of evidence, and criticism. The focus of the course will be on the writing of a major research paper drawn from primary sources. History majors take this course in their third year. This course is designed for students who have taken HIST 398 and who wish to improve their historical and writing skills by continuing work on their research papers.