1. HOW TO READ MODERN LATIN AMERICA
Introduction to Latin America

2. … and learn to love it!

3. CASE STUDIES Mexico: The Taming of a Revolution
Central America and the Caribbean: Within the U.S. Orbit
Cuba: Key Colony, Socialist State
The Andes: Soldiers, Oligarchs, and Indians
Colombia: Civility and Violence
Venezuela: The Perils of Prosperity
Argentina: Progress and Stalemate
Chile: Repression and Democracy
Brazil: The Awakening Giant

4. ANALYTICAL THEMES
economic transformations induce social changes which, in turn, lead to political consequences
shifting alliances among social class groups give shape to patterns of political conflict over time
a country’s place in the international division of labor defines the shape of available paths to economic growth
differences in economic processes have produced different forms of social structure and patterns of social change

5. SOCIAL STRUCTURE Upper Class: Middle Class: Popular/Lower Class:
Urban (industrialists, bankers)
Rural (landowners)
Middle Class:
Urban (merchants, lawyers, etc.)
Rural (small farmers)
Popular/Lower Class:
Urban (workers)
Rural (peasants, campesinos)
National Institutions:
State (including military)
Church
External Sector:
Economic (investors, merchants)
Political (foreign governments)

6. CHRONOLOGY OF CHANGE Liberal Era (1880s-1920s)
Export-import development
Oligarchs and strong men
Import-Substitution Industrialization (1930s-1970s)
Industrialization
Populism and dictatorship
Socialist Alternative (1950s-1980s)
Revolutionary movements
State-controlled economies
Neoliberalism (1980s-present)
Pro-market policies
Democracy (of sorts)

7. COMPARING POLITICS Mexico: Revolution of 1910 + dominant-party system
Central America and Caribbean: plantation society, U.S. influence, dictatorship and protest
Cuba: plantation society, socialist revolution, resistance to United States
Question A: Compare Mexican and Cuban revolutions
Question B: Trace colonial legacies in Mexico and CA + Caribbean
Question C: Why not more revolution ferment in CA + Caribbean?

8. THE MLA WEBSITE Address: <www.oup.com/us/skidmore>
Overall structure
Documents 3 and 6 (#10 optional)