Space remains in two undergraduate courses in Latin American and Caribbean Studies for Summer Session 2009. Our offering for Summer I is noteworthy insofar as it carries both Culture Studies “A” and A&H credit. The offering for Summer II is noteworthy in that it is an entire course on the social and political dimensions of none other than soccer in Latin America. The instructor for both – Alfio Saitta – is superb.
SUMMER I
LTAM-L211 – Contemporary Problems in Latin America / HIST-H212 – Latin American Culture and Civilization II
(Carries College A&H Distribution Credit and Culture Studies “A” Credit)
Monday through Friday, 2:35-3:50 p.m., BH 136
Instructor: Alfio Saitta (asaitta@indiana.edu)
Course Description and Objectives
This course will survey the history of Latin America from the early nineteenth century to the present. It will examine the region’s relationship to colonialism, modernization, race and ethnicity, nationalism, revolution, populism, and neoliberalism. The core elements of the course are framed by two competing perspectives. On the one hand we will concentrate on the political and cultural markers that define the various periods used to characterize broad changes and the history of the region writ large. On the other hand we will investigate everyday people and their lives in distinct parts of the regions at different moments in the past two hundred years. The first of these perspectives is geared towards following and making sense of the very complex and broad cultural, political, and economic changes that have transformed the region since the early nineteenth century. The second provides glimpses into the real world effects of those shifts, helps us understand their causes, and provides an opportunity to think about the ways in which the personal interacts with the political in diverse corners of the region.
Course Requirements
There are no prerequisites for this course. The course approaches the study of Latin America using methods drawn from history, anthropology, sociology, gender studies, and cultural studies. Throughout the course students will engage selected readings and investigate core themes by exploring a variety of sources, such as original documents, videos, photographs and other types of primary source material in order to compliment assigned readings. Further requirements include short response papers, critical media analysis, and active in-class participation.
Instructor
Alfio Saitta: asaitta@indiana.edu
SUMMER II
LTAM-L426 – Special Topics in Latin American and Caribbean Studies / HIST-H300 – Issues in Latin American History
TOPIC - POLITICS, CULTURE AND SPORT IN LATIN AMERICA: A HISTORY OF MODERN FOOTBALL
Monday through Thursday, 11:10 AM-12:20 p.m., Ballantine 236
Instructor: Alfio Saitta (asaitta@indiana.edu)
