Syllabi

Introduction to Latin America (LAST 1010): This semester-length course provides a cursory introduction to both Latin America and relevant themes that students must become familiar with in order to pursue a major in area studies. It encompasses the broad history of Latin America, from indigenous pre-contact cultures to the people occupying the area today.

Approaches to Latin America: Indigenous Identity and Resistance (LAST 2000): This semester-length course introduces students to the interdisciplinary field of Latin American Studies through the study of contemporary social, political, and cultural issues in the region and trains them to be producers, not just consumers, of knowledge. This section focuses primarily on the indigenous communities of Latin America. Throughout the course, students read about the different indigenous groups of the region in order to understand who they are, their history in Latin America, and how they have negotiated existence in a colonial world.

Maya Myth and Art: In this eight-week summer course (taught through the Save Ancient Studies Alliance), students gain an understanding of ancient and modern Maya myths and their representation in art of the ancient world. The course presents a critical approach to readings of the Popol Vuh and draws comparisons with representations of mythical scenes on ancient ceramic pottery as well as colonial and 20th-century literature.