This graduate course is divided into three modules. The first module lays the foundations for the understanding of Latin American colonial history as part of world-history from different perspectives. It clarifies basic concepts, such as class, racialization, power, hegemony, colonial system, coloniality, core, periphery, and semi-periphery, social stratification, among others, and focuses on alternative theories useful for the study of this period. The second module deals with population, socioeconomic, political, and cultural processes in colonial societies, principally former colonies of Spain and Portugal, and focuses on case studies. The last part deals with the collapse of the Spanish colonial system in the Americas and the relationship between the United States and Latin American societies throughout the nineteenth century. We will study major doctrines and events that framed such relation, such as the Monroe Doctrine, the Manifest Destiny doctrine, the war with Mexico (1846-1848), and the Spanish-American War (1898).

1. To lay historical and analytical foundations on which to build a more advanced understanding of the Latin American and Caribbean peoples and societies.
2. To understand common features and qualitative differences of the societies of Latin America and the Caribbean.
3. To improve the students' public presentation abilities and writing skills.
4. To improve the students' cultural background, analytical rigor, and intellectual engagement through systematic analysis of and discussions on the topics listed below.

Attendance is mandatory by definition. The final grade depends substantially on systematic (and well informed) participation in class discussions. The mid-term evaluates the students' familiarity with the readings discussed.

The grade will depend on a mid-term (30% of the final grade), class participation (20%) and a final exam (50%). The mid-term will test familiarity with basic concepts, assumptions, debates, major historical events, and arguments covered in the readings discussed. Class participation refers to the students' well-informed participation in our weekly discussion of the materials. The final exam consists of a final take home essay (between 15 and 25 pages, double spaced (including references)). Each student will choose a topic for the final paper based on the topics covered in the class. He/she will write a one-page proposal, which will be submitted to the professor at least two days before October 30, day in which it will be formally presented in class. Extra-credit exercises may be assigned throughout the course at the discretion of the professor.

The points corresponding to each evaluation exercise will be automatically deducted from the student's final grade if he/she does not attend the evaluation day. No exceptions will be made. Only written, official papers documenting illness or an extremely critical situation will be considered for extension/incompletes purposes.

Module I Colonization and Coloniality (August 28, September 4, 11)

• Readings

  • Kennedy, Paul. The Rise and Fall of Great Powers: Economic Change and Military Conflict from 1500 to 2000. New York: Vintage Books, 1984 (Chapter 1 and 2) (in the reading package (RP).
  • Quijano Anibal and Wallerstein Immanuel 1992. Americanity as a Concept, or The Americas in the Modern World- System (to be distributed in class).
  • Wallerstein Immanuel. 1980. The Modern World-System II: Mercantilism and the Consolidation of the European Economy, 1600-1750. New York: Academic Press. (Chapter 4). In the reading package (=RP).
  • Mignolo Walter. 2000. Local Histories/Global designs: Essays on the Coloniality of Power, Subaltern Knowledges, and Border Thinking. Princeton: Princeton University Press. (Chapter 3)(RP).
  • Bethell, Leslie (editor). The Cambridge History of Latin America (Vol. II). London: Cambridge University Press, 1985. (Chapter 8) (RP).

Module II. Immigration, Slavery, Socioeconomic and Political Structures (Sep 25, October 2, 9, 16, 23, 30)

• *** Mid-term (October 23) ***

• *** Discussion of Class Project (October 30) ***

• Readings

  Part (I)

  • Sánchez-Albornoz. The Population of Latin America: A History. Berkeley: University of California Press. 1974 (Chapters 1,2, 3) (RP)
  • Moreno Fraginals, Manuel, Frank Moya Pons and Stanley L. Engerman (editors) Between Slavery and Free Labor: The Spanish-speaking Caribbean in the Nineteenth Century. Johns Hopkins University Press. 1985. (Chapter 1) (RP).
  • MacLeod, Murdo. Spanish Central America: A Socioeconomic History, 1520-1720. Berkeley: University of California Press. 1973 (Chapters 1, 2, 3) (RP).
  • Ortiz, Fernando. Cuban Counterpoint, Tobacco and Sugar. Durham: Duke University Press. 1995. (pp.: 97-110).
  • Vázquez, Mario. "Immigration and Mestizaje in Nineteenth Century Peru." In Magnus (editor). "Race and Class in Latin America." NY: Colombia University Press. 1970. (chapter 4).
  • Le Riverend, Julio. Economic History of Cuba. Havana: Book Institute, 1967. (pp. 77-106) (RP).

  Part (II)

  • Look Lai, Wally. "Chinese Indentured Labor: Migrations to the British West Indies." Ameriasia 15:2 (1989), 117- 138. (RP).
  • Conrad, Robert. "The Planter Class and the Debate over Chinese Immigration to Brazil, 1850-1993." International Migration Review. Vol. 9 (Spring 1975): 41-55.
  • Scott, Rebecca. "Explaining Abolition: Contradiction, Adaptation, and Challenge in Cuban Slave Society, 1860- 1886. In Moreno Fraginals, Manuel, Frank Moya Pons and Stanley L. Engerman (editors:)… (RP).
  • Nistal-Moret, Benjamín. "Problems in the Social Structure of Slavery in Puerto Rico during the Process of Abolition, 1872." In Moreno Fraginals, Manuel, Frank Moya Pons and Stanley L. Engerman (editors:)… (RP)

Module III. Collapse of the Spanish Colonial System & The United States and Latin America in the Nineteenth Century (November 6, 13, 20, 27, Dec 4)

• Readings

  • Rodríguez, Mario. The Cadiz Experiment in Central America, 1808 to 1826. Berkeley. University of California Press. 1978. (Chapters 1, 2) (RP).
  • Leonard, Thomas. United States-Latin American Relations, 1850-1903. Alabama: The University of Alabama Press, 1999. (Mexico, Central America, Cuba, Brazil, Venezuela). (RP).
  • Kennedy, Paul. The Rise and Fall of Great Powers: Economic Change and Military Conflict from 1500 to 2000. New York: Vintage Books, 1984 (Chapter 2: review) (RP).
  • Wallerstein Immanuel. 1980. The Modern World-System II: Mercantilism and the Consolidation of the European Economy, 1600-1750. New York: Academic Press. (Chapter 4: review). (RP).
  • Mignolo Walter. 2000. Local Histories/Global designs: Essays on the Coloniality of Power, Subaltern Knowledges, and Border Thinking. University Press. (Chapter 3: review) (RP).

• ***Take-home essays due: December 12-14***