GOV 328: Political Movements in Latin America
 
Dr. Lisa-Mari Centeno
LMCENTENO@adams.edu
http://faculty.adams.edu/~lmcenteno/luna3.htm
Office Hours: M,W,F: 1:00-3:00 and by appointment
ES 332, 719-587-7923
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This course examines recent trends in Latin American social/political movements including causes, strategies, outcomes, changes and effects on the larger political landscape.

 

 

Throughout the semester Students will:

• Recognize and critically assess historical, cultural, economic and political factors that give rise to Latin political movements.

• Analyze the ideologies, goals, techniques, successes and failures of specific Latin American political movements;

• Demonstrate in-depth research and compose individual scholarship on one of the topics presented throughout the semester.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
(Total = 100%)
Essays 30% (3 at 10% each)
Midterm Exam: 20%
Pamphlet: 10%
Speech: 5%
Design a Movement 5%
Political Art presentation: 10%
Final Paper: 20%

Essays (3 at 10% each): Students will craft three essays about the political movement of their choice and present them in class.


Essay 1: Introduce your movement. When did it begin? Where does it operate? How many members does it claim? From what segments of society does it draw its membership? (2-3 pages). Due on the day the movement is presented (see schedule).

Essay 2: Discuss the historical/political context of your movement. Explain its motivations and goals. (4-5 pages). Due on 3/9.

• Essay 3: Discuss the strategies, tactics, successes and failures of your
movement. (3-4 pages). Due on 4/4.

These essays will then be integrated into the final paper. Please see writing standards toward the end of the syllabus.

Midterm Exam (20%): Students will critically analyze the readings in an essay exam.

Pamphlet (10%): Students will create a pamphlet for their chosen political movement. Pamphlets must include a mission statement and actions.

Speech (10%): Students will give a 3-5 minute speech as if they were the leader of their chosen political movement.

Design a Political Movement (5%): Students will design their own political movement and attempt to persuade their fellow students to join them.

Political Art Presentation (10%): Students, working in groups, will present a 10 minute political analysis of Latin American art (visual, literary, or musical).

Final Paper (20%): Students will build upon the research conducted throughout the course and write a final analysis (not just a report) of their chosen political movement. Alternatively, students may research another subject from one of the themes from the course that captures their interest. Papers must contain a well-reasoned analysis of the subject at hand, contain at least 8 sources, and be 8-10 pages in length. Please see writing standards toward the end of this syllabus. Due on 4/25.

 


Required Readings:

Peasant Movements:
Petras, James. 2005. “The Centrality of Peasant Movements in Latin
America: Achievements and Limitations.” Synthesis/Regeneration v. 38. Online at http://www.greens.org/s-r/38/38-10.html

Edelman, Marc. 2005. “Bringing the Moral Economy back in . . . to the
Study of 21st-Century Transnational Peasant Movements.”
American Anthropologist, Vol 7:3.
Economic Freedom

 


Worker’s Movements:
Novelli, Mario. 2004. “Globalisations, Social Movements, Unionism and
New Internationalisms: the Role of Strategic Learning in the Transformation of the Municipal Workers Union of EMCALI 1.” Globalisation, Societies & Education, Vol. 2,2.
Workers Union


Liberation Theology:
Girardi, Girulio, 2000. “Liberation Theology: Cry of the Excluded.”
Available online at: http://movimientos.org/show_text.php3?key=195


Revolutionary Movements:
Karl, T.L. 1992. “El Salvador’s Negotiated Revolution.” Foreign
Affairs, Vol. 71,2.
salvador.htm

Eckstein, Susan Eva and Timothy P. Wickham-Crowley (eds.). 2003. What
Justice? Whose Justice? Fighting for Fairness in Latin America. Los
Angeles. University of California Press.

Eckstein, Susan Eva and Manuel A. Garreton Merino (eds.). 2001. Power and Popular
Protest: Latin American Social Movements. Los Angeles. University of California Press.

Additional readings are available online, or on EBSCO (library database), or on my website:

http://faculty.adams.edu/~lmcenteno/luna3.htm

 


Schedule
1/10-1/17: Introduction
To read and discuss:
Chapter 1“ Struggles for Justice in L.A.” in What Justice?
Chapter 1 “Power and Popular Protest in L.A.” in Power and
Popular Protest.
Chapter 2 “Social Inequality…” in What Justice?
Chapter 5 “Vicious Cycle of Inequality” in What Justice?

1/19: Paper 1 due, presentation of movements.

 

1/24-1/26: Rural movements
To read and discuss:
• Chapter 3 “Peasant Struggles” in Power and Popular Protest.
• Petras, James. 2005. “The Centrality of Peasant Movements in
Latin America: Achievements and Limitations.” Synthesis/Regeneration, v. 38. Online at http://www.greens.org/s-r/38/38-10.html
• Edelman, Marc. 2005. “Bringing the Moral Economy back in . . . to
The Study of 21st-Century Transnational Peasant Movements.” American Anthropologist, Vol. 7,3.

Students who have chosen a rural movement will present on 1/26.

 

 

1/31-2/2: Labor movements
To read and discuss:
• Chapter 5: “Cultural resistance and Class Consciousness” in Power
and Popular Protest text.
• Novelli, Mario. 2004. “Globalisations, Social Movements,
Unionism and New Internationalisms: the Role of Strategic Learning in the Transformation of the Municipal Workers Union of EMCALI 1.” Globalisation, Societies & Education, Vol. 2,2.

Students who have chosen a labor movement will present on 2/2.

 

 

2/7-2/9: Liberation Theology
To read and discuss:
? Chapter 6: “Religion and Popular Protest….” In Power and Popular
Protest.
? Girardi, Girulio, 2000. “Liberation Theology: Cry of the Excluded.”
Available online at: http://movimientos.org/show_text.php3?key=195

 

2/14-2/21: Revolutionary Movements
To read and discuss:
• Chapter 2: “Sendero Luminoso…” in Power
and Popular Protest text.
• Chapter 4: “Winners, Losers and Also Rans….” in Power
and Popular Protest text.
• Karl, T.L. 1992. “El Salvador’s Negotiated Revolution.” Foreign
Affairs, Vol. 71,2.
• Cusicanqui, Silvia Rivera. 2004. “The Roots of Rebellion II.”
NACLA Report on the Americas, Vol. 38, 3.

Students who have chosen a revolutionary movement will present on 2/21.

 

2/23-2/28: Women’s Movements
To read and discuss:
• Chapter 7: “The Personal is Political” in Power
and Popular Protest text.
• Burton, Barbara. 2004. “The Transmigration of Rights: Women,
Movement, and the Grassroots in Latin American and Caribbean Communities.” Development and Change, 35,4.
• Moser, Annalise. “Happy Heterogeneity? Feminism, Development
and the Grassroots Women’s Movement in Peru.” 2004. Feminist Studies, 30,1.

Students who have chosen a women’s movement will present on 2/28.


3/2-3/9: The Politics of Difference; Ethnic movements
To read and discuss:
• Chapters 10 and 12 in What Justice?
• Houghton, Juan and Beverly Bell. 2004. “Latin American
Indigenous Movements in the Context of Globalization.” Available online at:
http://iiyc.resist.ca/la_globalization


• Loperena, Gabriel. 2004. “Marginal Power Latin American
Indigenous Revival.” Harvard International Review. Available online at:
http://hir.harvard.edu/articles/1242/


• Thorne, Eva T. 2001. “Ethnic and Race-Based Political Organization and
Mobilization in Latin America:Lessons for Public Policy.” Submitted at the Dialogue on Race, Ethnicity and Inclusion. Washington DC. InterAmerican Development Bank. Available online at:
http://www.thedialogue.org/iac/eng/pubs/documents/EthnicandRaceBasedPoliticalOrganization.pdf


• Wade, Peter. “Cimarron: Afro-Colombian Mobilization.” Available
online at: http://diaspora.northwestern.edu/mbin/WebObjects/DiasporaX.woa/wa/displayArticle?at omid=689

• Sanchez, Margarita. “Best Practices in Afro-Latin Community
Development: Available online at: http://www.iadb.org/sds/doc/SOC_MargaritaSanchez.pdf

Students who have chose an Indigenous or Afro-Latin movement will present on 3/9.

 

Essay 2 due 3/9

3/13 – 3/17: Spring Break.

3/21 –3/23: I am Cuba documentary.
Midterm exam due on 3/23.

3/28 –3/30: Speech and brochures.

4/4 – 4/6: Design your own movement.
Essay 3 due on 4/4.

4/11—4/13: Romero.

4/18—4/20: Political art group projects.

4/25—4/27: Political art presentations.
Final paper due on 4/25.

5/2—5/5: Finals:
To read and discuss: “Where have all the social movements gone?” In
Power and Popular Protest text.

 

 


Writing Standards

Please see the HGP Writing Assessment Rubric at: http://faculty.adams.edu/~ercrowth/hgprubric.htm

All papers must be typed in a 12-point font and double-spaced with one-inch margins.

Do not let the computer’s spellcheck do your proofreading for you. Points will be deducted for sloppy writing.

Non-scholarly sources, with the exception of newspaper articles, will not be accepted. Never use the dictionary or encyclopedia (including Wikipedia) as a source.

 

All papers must be submitted to http://www.turnitin.com. The reference number for this course is: 1424929, and the enrollment password is centeno.

Citation format:
I require the citation format used by the American Political Science Association (APSA) which can be found at:

http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/DocAPSA.html

Plagiarism is a serious offense. According to the College Handbook: “All students are expected to practice academic honesty. They should refrain from any form of cheating, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to the College” (42). Therefore:

• Any phrases, paraphrases, terms, concepts, facts and/or figures applied from other sources must be cited correctly. All phrases or sentences that are not in your own words must be in quotation marks. Note that no more than 15% of your papers should be quotes.
• Sources must be cited within the text and included in a reference page at the end of your work.
• Plagiarism will result in a failing grade for the assignment in question or for the class based on the seriousness of the infraction.

All papers must be submitted to turnitin.com. The reference number for this course is: 1424930, and the enrollment password is centeno.

Additional Information:

Tardiness: DON’T BE LATE!! If some unavoidable situation (alien abduction, etc.) forces you to be late please do not disturb the rest of the class as you enter.

Late Assignments: I will not accept late assignments without written excuses regarding medical or family emergencies.

Disrespect: Constructive discussion in an academic setting requires respectful conduct. Please turn off cell phones and beepers while in class (see me for exceptions). Please do not engage in private conversations, read the newspaper, or study for another class while I or another student has the floor.

Students are advised to keep copies of all their graded work in the event of calculation errors. Grades cannot be changed without proof of error.

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