976501 Contemporary Latin America

This subject introduces students to the countries of Latin America in their sociocultural, political and economic dimensions. It begins with an overview of the periods of colonisation, independence and nation-state formation as stages vital to an understanding of Latin America's problematic insertion into Western modernity during the 20th century. Students gain knowledge of important sociocultural and historical processes as well as current theories, concepts and debates in relation to patterns of change in Latin America. This is a core subject for students doing the International Studies program with a focus on Chile or Mexico. Other students may take this subject as an elective and the subject requires no prior knowledge of Latin America or the Spanish language.

Assessment: Assessment tasks involve the writing of essays and a class presentation.

Typical availability

Spring semester, City campus