Introduction



HISTORY 2125

The History of Latin America Through Film

Autumn Semester 2020, Online Class

Instructor: Prof. Stephanie Smith

Professor, History

Office: Dulles Hall, Room 340

Phone: 292-6216

Email: smith.4858@osu.edu

Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday at 10:00 to 11:00am by zoom (please see more in the Office Hours section)

Course Description:

HIST 2125, the History of Latin America Through Film, explores the history of Latin America as represented through the media of film, as well as how film has portrayed the people, politics, and cultures of Latin America in return. The class considers how and why various historical topics have been depicted in movies, how the historical events were interpreted through the filmmaker’s imagination, and to what extent the film version reflected the reality of the historical episode. When used in conjunction with textbooks, primary sources, and articles, chapters, and/or monographs, films are a useful tool to analyze themes such as the constructed nature of history, and the interpretation and contextualization of historical sources.

Each week students will view a film that explores a variety of topics, including a brief discussion of Latin America’s colonial background, independence, society, women, social movements, resistance, dictatorships and military regimes, revolutions, neo-liberalism, politics, and contemporary matters in Latin America. Through their weekly response papers, discussions, and final paper, students will sharpen their analytical skills by comparing the lectures, textbook, primary sources, and articles with the films to uncover possible biases as presented in the films. An analysis of the historical events as depicted in the films also provides students with the opportunity to consider the origins of crucial contemporary issues and recognize how past events influence today’s world.

All students must be officially enrolled in the course by the end of the second full week of the semester. No requests to add the course will be approved by the Chair of the Department after that time. Enrolling officially and on time is solely the responsibility of each student.

Grader:

TBA

TBA.000@osu.edu

Course Learning Outcomes:

1. Students construct an integrated perspective on history and the factors that shape human activity.

-- This knowledge will furnish students with insights into the history of Latin America, and provide a foundation for future comparative understanding of other civilizations.

-- The course also will provide students with scholarly information and an analysis of the relationship of various Latin American countries to other countries, including the United States.

2. Students describe and analyze the origins and nature of contemporary issues.

-- For this class students will analyze the foundations of the enduring cultural and economic connections between Latin American countries and the Western world.

-- Students also will consider current events that affect Latin America today, such as immigration, poverty, and more.

3. Students speak and write critically about primary and secondary historical sources

by examining diverse interpretations of past events and ideas in their historical contexts.

-- Students will analyze historical primary sources in comparison with representations in historical and contemporary films.

-- Students will be required to write papers based on assigned texts, films, discussions, and to document their sources in their papers with proper citations.

-- Students also will analyze historical issues through their participation in weekly discussions.

4. Diversity: Global Studies. Students foster an understanding of the pluralistic nature of institutions, society, and culture across the world in order to help the student become an educated, productive, and principled citizen.

-- Students understand some of the political, economic, cultural, physical, social, and philosophical aspects of one or more of the world’s nations, peoples and cultures outside

the U.S.

-- Students recognize the role of national and international diversity in shaping their own attitudes and values as global citizens.

GE Course Information:

This course is designated in the History Major as a course from Group A, (Latin America),

post-1750. This course fulfills the GE Historical Study and GE Diversity: Global Studies requirements.

Course Goals:

1. History courses develop students’ knowledge of how past events influence today’s society and help them understand how humans view themselves.

Required Course Materials:

[pic]

1. John Charles Chasteen, Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of

Latin America, 4th Edition, W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2016.

2. John Charles Chasteen, Born in Blood and Fire: Latin American Voices,

A Reader. 2nd Edition, W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2016.

The textbook publisher also offers students additional materials online:



Course Technology:

For help with your password, university email, Carmen, or any other technology issues, questions, or requests, contact the Ohio State IT Service Desk. Standard support hours are available at ocio.osu.edu/help/hours, and support for urgent issues is available 24/7.

• Self-Service and Chat support: ocio.osu.edu/help

• Phone: 614-688-4357(HELP)

• Email: servicedesk@osu.edu

• TDD: 614-688-8743

Baseline technical skills necessary for Online Course:

• Basic computer and web-browsing skills

• Navigating Carmen

Necessary equipment:

• Computer: current Mac (OS X) or PC (Windows 7+) with high-speed internet

Necessary software:

• Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus All Ohio State students are now eligible for free Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus through Microsoft’s Student Advantage program. Each student can install Office on five PCs or Macs, five tablets (Windows, iPad® and Android™) and five phones.

o Students are able to access Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and other programs, depending on platform. Users will also receive 1 TB of OneDrive for Business storage.

o Office 365 is installed within your BuckeyeMail account. Full instructions for downloading and installation can be found .

Grading and Faculty Response:

Discussions: 22% (11 x 2% each)

Weekly Response Papers: 55% (11 x 5% each)

Final Paper Proposal and Sources: 3%

Final Paper: 20%

Late Assignments:

Students should turn in their papers at the scheduled date and time. Do not ask for exceptional treatment.

--Students will be allowed to turn in late work only for urgent reasons, such as a medical or legal emergency. In accordance with department policy, the student will be expected to present proof of the emergency, such as an official statement from the University Medical Center.

--The “Explanatory Statement for Absence from Class” that can be found on the Wilce Health Center website does not constitute an official statement. After a documented event, students also are required to make up missed work within three days of returning to school unless agreed upon differently by the student and the professor.

Late work will be downgraded by one-half letter grade for each day it is late. Work that is four or more days late will not be accepted.

Because you will not be able to submit late work to Carmen, you must email your grader to discuss your situation.

You will not be given credit for late discussions once the discussion board closes.

Incomplete Grade

I only will assign an incomplete grade if you have suffered a debilitating injury or a life altering loss, which must be documented, and you have completed a significant portion of the course work. If this is not the case, you will be assigned the grade earned.

Grade Reconsideration:

A student who wishes reconsideration of their grade for a discussion, response paper, or any other assignment should submit the assignment to the TA/grader, accompanied by a written exposition that explains why the grade is not an accurate appraisal of the work. Appeals must be initiated within 3 days after the grade was posted. In reviewing grade, the TA/grader may raise, confirm, or lower the grade.

Please note, however, that given the short turnaround for the final grades, there will be no exceptions for the final paper.

Grading Scale:

A: 93-100; A-: 90-92.9; B+: 87-89.9; B: 83-86.9; B-: 80-82.9; C+: 77-79.9; C: 73-76.9;

C-: 70-72.9; D+: 67-69.9; D: 60-66.9; E: 60 and below.

Since the University does not record D- grades, a student earning a course average of 62 and below will receive an E in this course.

Faculty Feedback and Response Time:

I am providing the following list to give you an idea of my intended availability throughout the course. (Remember that you can call 614-688-HELP at any time if you have a technical problem.)

• Grading and feedback: For large weekly assignments, you can generally expect feedback within 7 days.

• Email: I will reply to emails within 24 hours on days when class is in session at the university.

• Discussion board: I will check and reply to messages in the discussion boards every 24 hours on school days.

Attendance, Participation, and Discussions:

Student participation requirements:

Because this is an online course, your attendance is based on your online activity and participation. The following is a summary of everyone's expected participation:

• Logging in: AT LEAST TWICE PER WEEK

Be sure you are logging in to the course in Carmen each week, including weeks with holidays or weeks with minimal online course activity. (During most weeks you will probably log in many times.) If you have a situation that might cause you to miss an entire week of class, discuss it with me as soon as possible.

• Office hours: OPTIONAL

All live, scheduled events for the course, including my office hours, are optional.

• Participating in discussion forums: 2+ TIMES PER WEEK

As part of your participation, each week you can expect to post at least twice as part of our substantive class discussion on the week's topics.

Discussion and Communication Guidelines:

The following are my expectations of how we should communicate as a class. Above all, please remember to be respectful and thoughtful.

• Writing style: While there is no need to participate in class discussions as if you were writing a research paper, you should remember to write using good grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

• Tone and civility: Please maintain a supportive learning community where everyone feels safe and where people can disagree amicably. Remember that sarcasm doesn't always come across online.

• Citing your sources: When we have academic discussions, please cite your sources to back up what you say. (For the textbook or other course materials, list at least the title and page numbers. For online sources, include a link.)

• Backing up your work: Consider composing your academic posts in a word processor, where you can save your work, and then copying into the Canvas discussion. Please use accessible word processing software.

• Communication with Graders: You should feel free to communicate directly with your assigned grader concerning your grade, etc.

Other Course Policies:

Student academic services

Student academic services offered on the OSU main campus .

Student support services:

Student support services offered on the OSU main campus .

Academic Integrity Policy:

• Quizzes and exams: You must complete the film response papers, midterm paper, and final paper yourself, without any external help or communication.

• Written assignments: Your written assignments, including discussion posts, should be your own original work. You are encouraged to ask a trusted person to proofread your assignments before you turn them in—but no one else should revise or rewrite your work.

• Reusing past work: In general, you are prohibited in university courses from turning in work from a past class to your current class, even if you modify it. If you want to build on past research or revisit a topic you've explored in previous courses, please discuss the situation with me.

Ohio State’s Academic Integrity Policy:

“It is the responsibility of the Committee on Academic Misconduct to investigate or establish procedures for the investigation of all reported cases of student academic misconduct. The term “academic misconduct” includes all forms of student academic misconduct wherever committed; illustrated by, but not limited to, cases of plagiarism and dishonest practices in connection with examinations. Instructors shall report all instances of alleged academic misconduct to the committee (Faculty Rule 3335-5-487).” For additional information, see the Code of Student Conduct:

Plagiarism is the representation of another’s works or ideas as one’s own: it includes the unacknowledged word for word use and/or paraphrasing of another person’s work, and/or the inappropriate unacknowledged use of another person’s ideas. All cases of suspected plagiarism, in accordance with university rules, will be reported to the Committee on Academic Misconduct.

See the OSU Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing for information on plagiarism and writing handouts:

Warning: Do not attempt to copy a paper or information off the Web and present it as your own work! This is plagiarism, and will result in an academic misconduct hearing.

Copyright disclaimer:

The materials used in connection with this course may be subject to copyright protection and are only for the use of students officially enrolled in the course for the educational purposes associated with the course. Copyright law must be considered before copying, retaining, or disseminating materials outside of the course.

Statement on Title IX:

All students and employees at Ohio State have the right to work and learn in an environment free from harassment and discrimination based on sex or gender, and the university can arrange interim measures, provide support resources, and explain investigation options, including referral to confidential resources.

If you or someone you know has been harassed or discriminated against based on your sex or gender, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, or sexual exploitation, you may find information about your rights and options at titleix.osu.edu or by contacting the Ohio State Title IX Coordinator at titleix@osu.edu. Title IX is part of the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) at Ohio State, which responds to all bias-motivated incidents of harassment and discrimination, such as race, religion, national origin and disability. For more information on OIE, visit equity.osu.edu or email equity@osu.edu.

Accessibility accommodations for students with disabilities:

Students with disabilities (including mental health, chronic or temporary medical conditions) that have been certified by the Office of Student Life Disability Services will be appropriately accommodated and should inform the instructor as soon as possible of their needs. The Office of Student Life Disability Services is located in 098 Baker Hall, 113 W. 12th Avenue; telephone 614- 292-3307, slds@osu.edu; slds.osu.edu.

Accessibility of course technology:

This online course requires use of Carmen (Ohio State's learning management system) and other online communication and multimedia tools. If you need additional services to use these technologies, please request accommodations with your instructor. 

• Carmen (Canvas) accessibility

• Streaming audio and video

• Synchronous course tools

PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF (Mental Health Statement):

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student’s ability to participate in daily activities. The Ohio State University offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you are or someone you know is suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus via the Office of Student Life’s Counseling and Consultation Service (CCS) by visiting ccs.osu.edu or calling 614--292--5766. CCS is located on the 4th Floor of the Younkin Success Center and 10th Floor of Lincoln Tower. You can reach an on-call counselor when CCS is closed at 614-292-5766.

If you are thinking of harming yourself or need a safe, non-judgmental place to talk, or if you are worried about someone else and need advice about what to do, 24 hour emergency help is also available through the Suicide Prevention Hotline (Columbus: 614-221-5445 / National: 800-273-8255); or text (4hope to 741741); or at

Diversity:

"The Ohio State University affirms the importance and value of diversity in the student body. Our programs and curricula reflect our multicultural society and global economy and seek to provide opportunities for students to learn more about persons who are different from them. We are committed to maintaining a community that recognizes and values the inherent worth and dignity of every person; fosters sensitivity, understanding, and mutual respect among each member of our community; and encourages each individual to strive to reach his or her own potential. Discrimination against any individual based upon protected status, which is defined as age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status, is prohibited."

Study and Paper Tips:

( Overall, keep up with the readings.

( When writing your paper, keep several things in mind.

1. Strive for good overall paper organization. Begin with an introduction, where you state your thesis, your sources, and briefly tell the reader about your paper. This is followed by the body of the paper, where you will present your evidence through the development of supporting arguments. Finally, your paper should have a conclusion where you once again explain the significance of your argument.

2. Strive for good paragraph organization. Begin with a clear topic sentence, which is usually short. Follow with material that either supports or elaborates upon the idea of the topic sentence.

3. Make sure that your paper has a clear progression of ideas from one paragraph to the next.

4. Avoid lengthy quotes. These take up space that is better spent on your own analysis.

5. Avoid contractions, such as don’t and isn’t, in your paper.

6. Minimize use of the passive voice. For example: “The war was begun by laborers” should be “Laborers began the war.” Passive voice makes your writing weak.

7. Once again, avoid plagiarism of any kind.

8. Double-check to make sure that your paper is free of spelling errors, improper grammar, or incorrect punctuation.

9. Make sure that you use citations properly.

OSU Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing:

Assignment Closing Time:

Carmen uses only Eastern Standard Time (EST) to record submission times. The instructor cannot adjust this preset time zone to accommodate other time zones.

As a result, the closing time for all assignments in this course is based exclusively on EST. If you are outside this time zone, it is your responsibility to adjust your schedules to ensure your assignments are submitted before the closing time of EST zone.

Technical Problems with Carmen

Occasionally students may experience general technical problems with Carmen. However, Carmen failures are not an excuse not to turn in a written assignment.

For individual problems, please contact Ohio State Tech Support at 614 688-HELP (4357).

For more information see:

For general, campus-wide Carmen issues, please look for instructions on our class’s Announcement Page for that week.

Overall Course Structure:

Materials and lessons for this course are offered in a weekly module format. In order for the class to work together as a cohesive community, you will be limited to the module for each week and not able to move ahead of the class schedule.

In addition to the assigned readings found in your textbook and primary source reader, the materials for each week will be available around 9:00 am Monday morning and students must complete studying the materials by midnight on Sundays. Remember that you must post your initial discussion post by Friday at noon to receive full credit.

Each week students will:

1. Read the appropriate material from the textbook and primary sources reader (page numbers listed in your syllabus and Readings Module).

2. View the online lecture video(s) to introduce the week’s materials and offer historical background to the film the students will view.

3. View the film(s) posted in the Secured Media Library or the OSU library. All films either will be in English or have English subtitles.

4. Participate in the online discussions. I will provide discussion prompts.

5. Upload a 1-page response paper to the film and primary sources. I will offer specific questions for the students to address.

Announcement Page

You will begin the week’s activities by reading the appropriate announcements. Here you will find any relevant information and/or updates for that week.

The Modules

After reading the Announcement Page, you should proceed to the Modules, where you will find the Overview Page that discusses the weekly film, and also provides the MPAA rating.

From Modules you also can find the Readings Page, where will see a list of the weekly readings from the textbook and primary source reader. You also will find the readings listed in your syllabus.

Next, from Modules you will find the Lecture Video(s) and any other additional videos.

On Modules you also will see the Response Paper link, which provides a guide and questions for your response papers.

Additionally, on Modules you will see the Discussion Page, which will provide question prompts to help start your weekly group discussions.

Lastly, you also will see Final Paper Proposal and Final Paper links on Modules.

Weekly Assignments:

1. Discussions: 22% (11 x 2% each), DUE BY FRIDAY NOON

Discussions will analyze material from the primary sources and lectures. Online discussion is a requirement for this course, and each student is expected to take an active role. All discussions will take place in Carmen/Discussions. Although your conversations can be lively, I will not tolerate personal attacks or other inappropriate forms of communication.

Student will be assigned groups for their discussions.

Students are required to respond to the posted discussion prompts for each discussion session. If you want to earn the highest grade for each of the discussions, you must do the following:

• Watch the weekly film and lecture, and read the text and primary sources.

• Answer each of the prompts for the weekly discussion. Remember that the questions will address the primary sources and lectures. A couple of words is NOT sufficient. You must write at least a paragraph (5-7 sentences) to get credit. Retroactive credit WILL NOT be given after the module closes.

• You must post before seeing your colleagues’ replies.

• Post your answers to the prompts by noon on Friday to give your colleagues the opportunity to read and respond to your comments on time.

• After submitting your initial post by noon on Friday, you should return to the discussion board to read and comment on your colleagues’ posts before the discussion board closes at 11:59 PM on Sunday.

• You should post at least two responses to your colleagues’ posts (although you may add more, of course).

• Make sure your responses are clear and thoughtful to stimulate discussion among your group. Stating simply that you agree with someone’s statement without explaining why you agree is not enough. Your posts and responses should be lively and creative, but also thoughtful and analytical.

• Remember that the purpose of this exercise is to encourage intellectual exchange between you and your peers, and to learn from them as they learn from you.

• Your grade for initial posts submitted after noon on Friday (but before the discussion board closes at 11:59 PM on Sunday) will be reduced by 50%.

How to initiate discussion

If you are not familiar with the Carmen/Canvas Discussion Board, follow these instructions.

Go to the weekly “Discussion” module. The group you are assigned to should appear. Scroll down to the bottom and click REPLY. Paste or compose your comments or responses into the place-holder and click POST REPLY.

Subscribe to the Discussion

You may subscribe to each discussion to be notified when new comments are posted. The Subscribe button is located on the bar above the Reply button.

2. Response Papers: 55% (11 x 5% each), DUE BY SUNDAY AT 11:59 PM

Weekly response papers should be 1 page in length, typed, double-spaced, 12-point type, with one-inch margins. Please make sure your name is on your response paper. Please upload your papers using the Submit button for the assignment. You will need to create your document first and then upload it.

To earn the highest grade on your film papers, your papers should be close to the one page limit. Occasionally you may slightly exceed the page limit by 3 or 4 lines--for example, if you need to finish your sentence from the previous page. However, an important writing skill is to be able to answer the prompts concisely and succinctly, with focused and precise answers. As a hint to writing focused papers, my suggestion is to first write out your paper and not worry too much about the length. Then start cutting, rewriting, and rereading until you have the appropriate one-page length. I've also offered the rubric as a guide. Additionally, your paper should have short, topic sentences that guide the reader through your paper, and also reflect the different rubric sections.

Besides an analysis of the films, your response papers should incorporate relevant material from your textbook and your primary source reader.

On the Response Module, you will find specific prompts and questions for you to address in your paper. You also will find response paper rubric, which provides the criteria for grading.

Rubric for writing your response papers

Although only 1 page long, your response papers should include the following:

Introduction (20 pts)

1) Your introduction should provide the title of the film and its country of origin, and readings you will discuss.

2) The introduction should describe the type of film you viewed; for example, documentary, animated feature, fictional narrative.

3) Your introduction also will include the thesis—or main argument—of the film.

Body of Paper (40 pts)

1) You should address each of the response paper prompts in the body of your paper.

2) This section also will utilize the primary source(s).

Conclusion (20 pts)

1) In your conclusion you will provide your analysis of the film as an historical source.

2) You also will sum up your paper.

Overall Guidelines (20 pts)

1) Your paper should be well-written, with topic sentences and free from misspellings

and other grammar issues.

How to access the films

Films are available online through the OSU library, or on the OSU’s Secured Media Library at . You will need to log in with your OSU username and password to the Secured Media Library home. There you will see anything assigned to you on the Overview page or on the Assigned Playlists page.

You may need to download the appropriate software to view the videos, also made available through the media library: . Please contact their help desk if you have any problems streaming the movies. From their website you can access a “Help” tab, and/or their phone number is 614 688-4357.

For issues with films through the OSU library, please contact them directly at 614 292-6785.

Film MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) ratings

To help provide guidance for the films you will view, all film ratings, as well as additional notes concerning content, are included on the weekly Overview Page. Although I have chosen the films carefully, a few of the films are rated R. Because this is an online class, please feel free to fast forward or skip sections that contain images you may find difficult. Please also feel free to contact me with any questions in this respect.

3. Final Paper Proposal, Sources: 3%, DUE BY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22 BY 11:59 PM

Your proposal should be 1 page in length, typed, double-spaced, 12-point type, with one-inch margins. You will upload your proposal via the “Final Paper Proposal” link in Week 14, or go to “Assignments.”

The proposal briefly will summarize your final paper, including any sources you will use. Your proposal should include your thesis, and will specify your final paper’s main points. Your proposal will include an introduction, body, and conclusion.

4. Final Paper: 20% DUE ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 7 BY 11:59 PM

For your 5-page final paper you will create and write a film treatment, or short summary of a film, based on a Latin American historical event of your choice. Keep in mind that this is your film, as you would imagine it, and not a discussion of a film that already exists. For example, how would you conceive of a historical film based on the Cuban Missile Crisis? Would you create a documentary? A fictional narrative? A dark comedy or a drama? In addition to our text and primary sources, your film treatment should be based on at least two primary and/or secondary sources on the subject; these could be newspapers, books, and articles.

Guide for writing your final paper

Your final paper should include the following:

1. A working title of the film on your title page (which also does not count towards your total pages—please do NOT number your title page). Your title also will include your name as well.

2. An introduction that includes the main thesis of your film, the historical event (including the years), the type of film you will create, and its key characters. This is the “who, what, when, why, and where” of your film. Your introduction should be 1 paragraph.

3. The body of your paper will present your film divided into three acts:

A. Act 1 sets the scene and the main issues at play. This is the set-up, or the introduction to the historical event. For example, what were the events that led to the Cuban Missile crisis in the United States and Cuba?

B. Act 2 discusses the actual historical event itself. What occurred during the crisis?

C. Act 3 resolves the movie. For example, what happened at the resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

4. Your paper should have a conclusion (1 or 2 paragraphs) that analyzes the potential and limitations of the medium of film to interpret history as portrayed in your film. What were the strengths and the shortcomings in being able to communicate the crucial historical concepts?

5. And lastly, you will need to include a bibliography that lists your sources with full publication dates on a final page (which does not count towards your total pages).

You will upload your final paper via the “Final Paper” Module. Your paper should be 5 pages long, typed, double-spaced, 12 point type, with one inch margins. Overall, your paper should be well-written, with topic sentences and free from misspellings and other grammar issues.

When you quote or paraphrase any publications, you should properly cite the material. This can be done either with a foot- or endnote or with an in-text citation. However, you should avoid lengthy quotes. For citation help from the Ohio State library on proper footnotes and bibliographies, see

General Course Guidelines

Submission of work

All assignments for this class will be submitted online, but you should note the following important information as well:

• All assignments are due at the time/date indicated in the syllabus and the module on Carmen.

• All written assignments should be typed, double-spaced, with 1-inch margin on each side, and the font-size must be 12-point. Your name should be on all pages.

• All assignments MUST BE in a standard software, preferably MS Office (.doc, .docx). Students are responsible for submitting their assignments in a format we can read.

• In fairness to other students, any assignment submitted in an unreadable format will be penalized for lateness (see the section on penalty for lateness).

• You may not send us assignments by email without our permission because email submissions may affect accurate records of your grades.

Email and Office Hours

Offices Hours are Monday and Wednesday at 10:00 to 11:00am by zoom. If these times don’t work for you, please email me to set up an appointment for another time.

In the Discussion section, you also will find “Discussion: Course Q&A” for you to post your questions or concerns. Anyone can respond to the questions, and I will intervene if/when my help is needed.

Course Schedule

Week 1 August 25-August 30, Discussion closes at 11:59 PM on Sunday, 8/30

Lecture: General discussion of Latin American History and Introduction to the Course

Film: None

Textbook: Timeline, XII-XIII; Chapter 1 (pp. 1-16)

Primary Source Reader:

1) “Preface” (pp. ix-x)

2) “Chronicles of the Encounter” (pp. 1-3)

No Response Paper

Discussion: Please introduce yourself to your group (see Carmen for instructions)

For a map of Latin America see:



Week 2 August 31-September 6, Discussions and responses close at 11:59 PM on Sunday, 9/6

Lecture: Colonial Encounters

Film: “The Mission” (OSU Library)



Textbook: Chapter 2 (pp. 17-53)

Primary Source Reader:

1) “A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies” (pp. 12-17)

2) “An Account of The Guaraní Missions,” (pp. 56-59)

Response Paper 1

Discussion 1

Week 3 September 7-September 13, Discussions and responses close at 11:59 PM on Sunday, 9/13

Lecture: Colonialism and its Legacies

Film: “I, The Worst of All” (Yo, la peor de todas) (OSU Library)

 

Textbook: Chapter 3 (pp. 54-93)

Primary Source Reader:

1) “The First New Chronicle” (pp. 44-51)

Response Paper 2

Discussion 2

Week 4 September 14-September 20, Discussions and responses close at 11:59 PM on Sunday, 9/20

Lecture: Independence into the Nineteenth-Century

Film: “Like Water for Chocolate” (Como agua para chocolate) (OSU Library)



Textbook: Chapters 4 and 5 (pp. 94-159)

Primary Source Reader:

1) “A Taste of Independence” (pp. 69-72)

2) “Life in Mexico: Frances Calderón de la Barca” (pp. 103-107)

3) “A Mexican Self-Portrait” (pp. 122-128)

Response Paper 3

Discussion 3

Week 5 September 21-September 27, Discussions and responses close at 11:59 PM on Sunday, 9/27

Lecture: Mexico and the Mexican Revolution

Film: “The Frozen Revolution” (México, la revolución congelada)

(Secured Media Library)

Textbook: Chapters 6 and 7 (pp. 160-231)

Primary Source Reader:

1) “The Perils of Progress” (pp. 146-148)

2) “Inauguration of the Railway from Mexico City to Texcoco”

(pp. 148-152)

Response Paper 4

Discussion 4

Week 6 September 28-Ocotber 4, Discussions and responses close at 11:59 PM on Sunday, 10/4

Lecture: Art in Latin America, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera

Film: “Frida” (OSU Library)



Textbook: Chapter 8 (pp. 232-265)

Primary Source Reader:

1) “Reactions Against Neocolonialism” (pp. 184-186)

Response Paper 5

Discussion 5

Week 7 October 5-October 11, Discussions and responses close at 11:59 PM on Sunday, 10/11

Lecture: U.S.-Latin American Relations and the Good Neighbor Policy

Films: “Good Neighbor Policy Shorts”

Textbook: Chapter 9 (pp. 266-275)

Primary Source Reader:

1) “Facing the Barbarians” (pp. 190-193)

2) “Cold War Visions” (pp. 250-252)

Response Paper 6

Discussion 6

Week 8 October 12-October 18, Discussions and responses close at 11:59 PM on Sunday, 10/18

Lecture: The Cuban Revolution

Film: “I Am Cuba” (Soy Cuba) (Secured Media Library)

Textbook: Chapter 9 (pp. 282-292)

Primary Source Reader:

1) “The African Roots of Cuban Music” (pp. 247-249)

2) “Guerrilla Warfare” (pp. 284-286)

3) “Diary of a Guerrilla” (pp. 292-297)

Response Paper 7

Discussion 7

Week 9 October 19-October 25, Discussions and responses close at 11:59 PM on Sunday, 10/25

Lecture: Guatemala and Central America

Film: “When The Mountains Tremble” (OSU Library)



Textbook: Chapter 9 (pp. 275-282; 293-295); Chapter 10 (314-327)

Primary Source Reader:

1) “Declassified Message: CIA” (pp. 257-262)

2) “Memory of Fire” (pp. 277-283)

Response Paper 8

Discussion 8

Week 10 October 26-November 1, Discussions and responses close at 11:59 PM on Sunday, 11/1

Lecture: Chile, Allende, and the Democratic Socialist Alternative

Film: “The Battle of Chile” (La batalla de Chile) (OSU Library)



Textbook: Chapter 10 (pp. 309-314)

Primary Source Reader:

1) “Confessions of a Torturer” (pp. 306-311)

Response Paper 9

Discussion 9

Week 11 November 2-November 8, Discussions and responses close at 11:59 PM on Sunday, 11/8

Lecture: Argentina’s Dirty War

Film: “Messenger on a White Horse” (OSU Library)



Textbook: Chapter 10 (pp. 296-309)

Primary Source Reader:

1) “History of Peronism” (pp. 255-257)

Response Paper 10

Discussion 10

Week 12 November 9-November 15, Discussions and responses close at 11:59 PM on Sunday, 11/15

Lecture: Resisting Dictatorship

Film: “No” (Secured Media Library)

Textbook: Chapter 11 (pp. 328-336)

Primary Source Reader:

1) “They Won’t Take Me Alive” (pp. 301-306)

Response Paper 11

Discussion 11

Week 13 November 16-November 22, Film and Final Paper Proposal closes at

11:59 PM on Sunday, 11/22

Lecture: Brazil, Poverty, and Social Conditions in Latin America

Film: “The Second Mother” (Que horas ela volta) (OSU Library)



Textbook: Chapter 11 (pp. 336-356)

Primary Source Reader:

1) “Arid Lives” (pp. 230-234)

2) “Message to the Workers” (pp. 252-254)

No Response Paper (Please work on your final paper proposal and sources)

No Discussion (Please work on your final paper proposal and sources)

Final Paper Proposal and Sources Due

Week 14 November 23-November 29

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Textbook: None

Primary Source Reader: None

No Response Paper (Please work on your final paper instead)

No Discussion (Please work on your final paper instead)

Week 15 November 30-December 6, Film closes at 11:59 PM on Sunday, 12/6

Lecture: Latin America Today and Into the Future

Film: “Which Way Home” (OSU Library)



Textbook: None

Primary Source Reader: None

No Response Paper (Please finish your final paper)

No Discussion (Please finish your final paper)

FINAL PAPER: DUE ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 7 BY 11:59 PM

Additional films on Latin America:

1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992). The film chronicles the first two voyages of Columbus and takes us to the brink of his third and last.

And Starring Pancho Villa As Himself (2003). A made-for-HBO movie that examines Hollywood and politics. Based on a true event from 1913.

Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972). A band of Spanish conquistadors, led by Aguirre, self-styled "Wrath of God," travel up the Amazon in search of gold, but Aguirre's megalomania turns the expedition into a death trip.

The Alamo (1960). Battle at the Alamo.

Amores Perros (2000). Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu’s exploration of passion, loss, and the fragility of lives.

At Play in the Fields of the Lord (1992). Missionaries try to contact and convert a group of indigenous peoples in the Brazilian rainforest.

Black Orpheus (1959). Brings the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice to the twentieth-century Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.

Blood of the Condor (Yawar Mallku, 1969). A dramatization of an incident which involved charges of sterilization of Quechua women without their consent as part of a birth control program administered by the Peace Corps.

La Boca Del Lobo (The Lion's Den, 1988). A study of a violent encounter between the Peruvian Army and the Maoist Shining Path in Chuspi, a small isolated village in the Andes.

The Burning Season: the Chico Mendes Story (1994). Environmental and labor struggles to save the Amazonian rainforest.

Cabeza De Vaca (1990). Account of the Spanish explorer's capture, escape, and journey from Texas to Mexico City (1527-1537).

Camila (1984). Recounts the true story of a young Catholic socialite from Buenos Aires who falls in love and runs away with a young Jesuit priest.

Central Station (1998). Depicts a little boy's search for his father and an woman's emotional reawakening in Brazil.

Che (2008). Steven Soderbergh's chronicle of different phases in the revolutionary career of Che Guevara.

Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (1992). Depicts Columbus’ first trans-Atlantic voyage as an epic and heroic adventure.

City of Gods (2002). A story of crime and redemption Rio de Janeiro's favelas.

La Ciudad y Los Perros (The City and the Dogs, 1985). A portrayal of life in the Colegio Militar de Lima.

Como Agua Para Chocolate (Like Water for Chocolate, 1992). Food, passion, and magic during the early years of the Mexican Revolution.

Como Era Gostoso o Meu Frances (How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman (1971). Set in the coastal wilds of 16th-century Brazil.

Coraje del Pueblo, El (Courage of the People, The, 1971). Re-enactment of a miner's strike in Bolivia.

Courage (Coraje, 1998). Account of the last months in the life of Maria Elena Moyano, a leader of a women's organization in a barrio outside of Lima, who was killed by the Shining Path for her resistance.

Desperado (1995). A remake of El Mariachi.

The Emerald Forest (1985). Bill Markham, an engineer, returns to the Amazon year after year searching for his son who disappeared.

Entre Marx y Una Mujer Desnuda (1995). A young writer in Ecuador is torn between an impossible love and the love for his country, in the midst of a dictatorship and the rebellion of the Communist party.

Evita (1997). Madonna stars as Eva Peron.

Fitzcarraldo (1982). Story of a man obsessed with the ambition to make his fortune and build his own personal opera house in Peru.

The Frozen Revolution (1970) Documentary filmmaker Raymundo Gleyzer’s critical examination of the Mexican Revolution.

Four Days in September (1998). Guerrillas kidnap the U.S. ambassador in Brazil in September, 1969 to obtain the freeing of political prisoners.

Fresa y Chocolate (Strawberry & Chocolat, 1993). A young Cuban college student finds friendship and love.

Gabriela (1983). Set in Brazil, story of a middle-aged bar owner whose passionate romance with young Gabriela sends sparks flying in a town.

Guantanamera (1995). In a satirical look at the Cuban economic crisis, an undertaker proposes a plan to save gas coupons by pooling the resources of the funeral parlors across the island.

The House of the Spirits (1993). Based on Isabel Allende's novel, this film examines political, social, and economic changes in Chile.

I, the Worst of All (Yo, la peor de todas, 1990). This historical drama tells the story of Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, one of the greatest poets during the colonial era.

IA-- Kuba (I Am Cuba, 1964). Four main stories show the rise of the Communist revolution in Cuba, including Batista's Havana and the grinding poverty and oppression of the Cuban people. In Russian, Spanish, and English.

Juarez (1939). Benito Juarez's fight against the French occupation of Mexico.

Latino (1985). A Chicano Green Beret begins to question the morality of the secret war he is fighting in Nicaragua.

Love in the times of cholera (2007). Based on a Gabriel García Márquez novel.

Lucía (1968). Follows the lives of three different women named Lucía during three different revolutionary periods of Cuba's history, the Cuban War of Independence in 1895, the Machado era in the 1930's, and post-revolutionary Cuba of the 1960's.

El Mariachi (1993). A mariachi player in Mexico is mistaken for a gangster.

Memorias del Subdesarrollo (Inconsolable Memorias. Memories of Underdevelopment, 1968). A study of Cuban society before and after the revolution as seen through the eyes of a man who is a landlord and self-styled writer.

Men With Guns (1997). John Sayles on villagers caught between guerrilla and military violence in a struggle for survival.

Miss Mary (1986). Set in 1930s Buenos Aires, this is the story of a cultured English governess whose display of compassion disrupts the tradition-bound existence of the wealthy household in which she works.

Missing (1982). True story of the disappearance of Charles Horman after the 1973 military coup in Chile.)

The Mission (1986). Jesuit struggle to protect Guaraní Indians in Paraguay in the 1750s.

The Mosquito Coast (1986). Angered by the decline of American society, an inventor leads his family into the remote Central American jungles to carve out a new society.

The Motorcycle Diaries (2004). A portrait of the young Che Guevara.

El Norte (The North, 1983). A drama about a Guatemalan brother and sister who seek better lives in the United States.

The Hour of the Furnaces (La hora de los hornos: Notas y testimonios sobre el neocolonialismo, la violencia y la liberación, 1968).

The Official Story (1985). An account of the sheltered wife who is forced to confront the legacy of Argentina’s Dirty Wars.

Los Olvidados (1950). Luis Buñuel’s study of street gangs set in the outskirts of Mexico City.

Pixote (1981). Depicts the brutal existence of street children in Brazil.

Que Viva México (released in 1979) Russian film pioneer Sergei Eisenstein’s unfinished documentary on Mexico.

Romero (1989). True story of the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero in El Salvador in 1980.

Salvador (1986). Oliver Stone critiques the violence of a civil war in El Salvador in the 1980s through the eyes of a journalist.

Scarface (1983). A Cuban exile of the 1980 Mariel Boatlift emerges as the leader of a Miami mob that traffics in cocaine.

El Silencio De Neto (The Silence of Neto, 1994). Discusses the 1954 coup in Guatemala from the point of view of a young boy.

Sin Nombre (2009). California filmmaker Cary Fukunaga tracks two immigrants from Mexico whose narratives converge.

State of Siege (1973). Costa Gavras' controversial film about an American technical expert in police procedures who the Tupamaro guerrillas abduct and assassinate in Uruguay in 1970.

Thirteen Days (2001). About the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Traffic (2000). About corruption and drug trafficking in Mexico.

Under Fire (1983). A photo-journalist helps the Sandinistas overthrow Somoza in Nicaragua.

Under the Same Moon (2007). Examines the dilemma of undocumented Mexican workers living and working in the United States and the loved ones they are supporting.

Viva Villa! (1934). Story of Poncho Villa in the Mexican Revolution.

Viva Zapata! (1952). Marlon Brando stars as Emiliano Zapata in the Mexican Revolution.

Additional sources.

 

University Libraries at the University at Albany, SUNY, Latin American & Spanish videos available on the internet.

  The Hemisphere Institute Digital Video Library.

Brown University Library, Latin America at the Movies.

provides web sites on a series of countries.

 

The LANIC database is one of the most comprehensive databases on all aspects of Latin America.

   

has text articles on various Latin American topics. There is also a special site for Argentina, Peru, etc. There also are e books on this site.

 

- pub is another database with links to interesting sites about Latin America.

  

The Hispanic Division of the Library of Congress has been annotating books and articles on Latin American Studies since the 1930s.  Now you can get it online.

   

provides information on the life of Argentine Evita Perón.

  

provides information and documents for 20th century Latin America.

 

For those interested in cultural history, this source offers full text articles on cultural topics in Latin America.

  

has lots of links for most countries.

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