This course will attempt to introduceits participants to the politics of the Latin American region.  Specifically,the course will focus on three aspects of Latin American politics: internal(national) political and economic development in all its variety, regionalpolitical and economic integration within Latin America, and the politicaland economic aspects of the relationship between Latin America and therest of the world.  Accordingly, the course will begin with some discussionof international relations, focussing on Latin America within the InternationalSystem, and as a sub-system of international politics.  The coursewill also examine the position of Latin America within the internationalpolitical economy, specifically in the context of globalization. The course will then focus inside the boundaries of the Latin Americanstate and examine the phenomenon of democratization and its evolution duringthe 1980s and ‘90s.  Finally, the course will conclude with more in-depthstudy of two (larger) Latin American countries, Mexico and Brazil.

Throughout the course, the themesof democratization, globalization, and development will be emphasized asbeing important to the understanding of Latin American politics today. More specifically, these themes will be discussed in conjunction with thetopics of economic development, the maintenance of civil order, the degradationof the environment, and increasing global political, economic and culturalinterdependence.
 

CourseReadings

This seminar will be relatively readingintensive.  Students should be prepared to do 50-75 pages of readingper week.  The reading assignments are an important component of thecourse, and will ground the discussions for each class meeting.  Accordingly,students should come to class having read, and reflected on, the assignedreadings for that week.  There are four assigned texts, which willbe read sequentially through the semester.  During the first halfof the course, the readings and the weekly topics will proceed on two slightlyindependent tracks – readings will focus on individual countries, whileweekly topics will emphasize general themes.  These two tracks willbe integrated in class.  The four books ordered for the course (inthe order in which they will be read) are:

• MacDonald, Scott B and Georges A. Fauriol(1999).  Fast Forward: Latin America on the Edge of the 21st Century,Transaction Publishers, New Brunswick, NJ.
• Peeler, John (1998).  BuildingDemocracy in Latin America, Lynne Rienner Publishers, Boulder, CO.
• Camp, Roderick Ai (1999).  Politicsin Mexico: The Decline of Authoritarianism, Oxford University Press, NewYork.
• Goertzel, Ted G. (1999).  FernandoHenrique Cardoso: Reinventing Democracy in Brazil, Lynne Rienner Publishers,Boulder, CO.

CourseAssignments

The major course assignment will be a term paper.  Each student,during the first few weeks of class, will select either a country or regionwithin Latin America to research in more depth.  Examples of suchtopics are: Argentina, Honduras, the ‘Southern Cone’ (South America exclusiveof the areas bordering on the Caribbean), the Andean Region, the Caribbeanor the Circumcaribbean (many other possibilities exist).  The termpaper will be researched and written in stages, with each stage comprisinga separate, independently graded, installment.  Accordingly, eachstudent will submit three shorter papers on his or her chosen country orregion.  Each of these papers should be from 4-6 pages in length,and will be on the following themes:

• The international relations ofthe chosen country or region – including relationships with the internationalsystem, with the United States, with other Latin American countries orregions, and within the chosen region (if applicable);
• The political economy of thechosen country or region – including domestic economic relationships, relationshipswithin the region (if applicable), and economic relationships with othercountries and regions within Latin America, with the United States, andwith the global political economy;
• The domestic (or comparative domestic)political culture and structure of the chosen country or region – includingthe form of government, the history of democracy & authoritarianism,and the direction and pace of change.

At the end of the semester, eachstudent will submit a term paper, which will consist largely of the threeearlier papers, with additional detail and contextualization about thecountry or region of choice.  It will be expected that major modificationor augmentation of the original three papers may be required in order tosatisfy expectations for the final paper; however, if done properly, themajority of the work for this term project should be spread out throughoutthe semester.  The final paper should be from 16-20 pages in length,and will receive its own grade.  This grade will be affected by boththe quality of the individual sub-topical sections and the overallelegance of the paper.  The final term paper will be worth 40% ofthe course grade.

Finally, it is not expectedthat students in this seminar will enter with a great amount of basic backgroundinformation on Latin America.  Such background information willbe important to fully appreciating the topics on which we will focus duringthe course of the semester, yet such information will not be formally presentedin class.  In order to increase our familiarity with the region, wewill spend some time on a weekly basis building our collective knowledge. To facilitate this activity, each student will be expected to do some regularreading and inquiry on his or her own.  This reading and inquiry couldconsist of reading about the region (or individual countries within it)in the press or other written material, attending a play or museum exhibitconnected in some way to the region, viewing films set in the region, orany number of other activities.  Time will be set aside each weekin which to share these experiences (and any insight gained) with the restof the class.  Each student will be expected to participate in thissharing, which will be an important component to the class participationgrade.  The class participation grade will make up the remaining 15%of the course grade.

All written work is to be turnedin on time (due dates are noted on the syllabus).  Work thatis late will lose 1/3 of a grade for each class meeting for which it islate.  Accordingly, an A- will be reduced to a B+, a B to a B-, andso on.  Plan your time accordingly.

There will be no final examination.
 

Academic Integrity

Students are reminded to observegeneral standards of academic honesty and integrity.  Briefly stated,all work submitted under a student's name should be solely and entirelyhis or her own.  Students are encouraged to discuss class subjects,readings and assignments amongst yourselves – you may also discuss theprogress and ideas associated with your research project.  However,all work submitted for a grade should be the work solely of the individualunder whose name it is written.  Outside sources used, referencedor cited in written work submitted for a grade should be acknowledged inthat work – it is acceptable, even encouraged, for you to use others’ ideas;however, you must accurately cite the sources of those ideas, and givecredit where it is due.  No credit will be given for work that isfound to violate these principles.  For further elaboration of Quinnipiac’sacademic honesty policy, students are encouraged to read the appropriatesection of the Student Handbook.
 

       Reading:  Mac Donald & Fauriol, chs. 1&2, pp. 1-26.

Section I: Contexts of InternationalRelations and International Political Economy

Week 2: Latin America in the InternationalSystem  (Sep 7, 9)

       Reading: Mac Donald & Fauriol, ch. 3 (Chile), & 4 (Argentina),pp. 27-88.

Week 3: The Latin America & CaribbeanSubsystem  (Sep 14, 16)

       Reading: Mac Donald & Fauriol, ch. 5 (Colombia), pp. 89-108.

Week 4: Interstate & TransnationalRelations  (Sep 21, 23)

       Reading: Mac Donald & Fauriol, ch. 6 (Mexico) & 7 (Brazil), pp.109-176.

       First paper due, September 23rd.

Week 5: Domestic Economic Policiesand Relationships  (Sep 28, 30)

       Reading: Mac Donald & Fauriol, ch. 8 (Venezuela) & 9 (Peru), pp.177-230.

Week 6: Intersocietal Relations (Oct 5, 7)

       Reading: Mac Donald & Fauriol, ch. 10 (Cuba), pp. 231-256.

Week 7: Globalization, Developmentand the Environment  (Oct 12, 14)

       Reading: Peeler, chs. 1&2 (Democratic Roots in Latin America), pp.25-73.

       Second paper due, October 14th.

Section II: Democratizationin Latin America

Week 8: Patterns of Democracy &Authoritarianism in Latin America  (Oct 19, 21)
 
       Reading: Peeler, chs. 3 & 4, pp. 75-139.

Week 9: Prospects for Democracy (Oct 26, 28)

       Reading: Peeler, chs. 5, 6 & 7, pp. 141-201.

Section III: Case Study, Mexico

Week 10: Background  (Nov 2,4)

       Reading: Camp, chs. 1&2, pp. 1-52.

       Third paper due, November 4th.

Week 11: Politics & Participation (Nov 9, 11)

       Reading: Camp, chs. 5, 6, & 7, pp. 103-178.

Week 12: (...continued) & ExternalRelations  (Nov 16, 18)

       Reading: Camp, chs. 8, 9, & 10, pp. 179-252.

Section IV: Case Study, Brazil

Week 13: Fernando Henrique Cardoso& Brazil  (Nov 30, Dec 2)

       Reading: Goertzel, entire.

Week 14: Summing up & Conclusion (Dec 7, 9)

       Reading: Mac Donald & Fauriol, ch. 11, pp. 257-273.

       Term Paper due, December 10th.