AMER0074: History and Politics of Latin America c.1930 to the Present

***NOT RUNNING IN 2023/24***

Module leader: Dr Bill Booth

Credits: 30

Term: 1 & 2

Outline

Latin America confounds observers. It is familiar and yet alien, alluring and yet unsettling, dionysiac and yet dystopian. Once the ‘land of tomorrow’ now some view it as a ‘forgotten continent’. The great British Marxist historian Eric Hobsbawm called Latin America a ‘laboratory of historical change’, a place where processes familiar to him, such as the emergence of labour movements, the rise of fascism, the triumph and decline of revolutions, appeared tweaked by factors yet to be uncovered in ways yet to be explained. This survey is an introduction to the history of Latin America in the twentieth century. We will examine processes common to the region, the experiences of specific countries, and Latin America’s relations with the rest of the world. Beyond this, like Hobsbawm, we will consider how Latin America can help us think about the history of wider world.

Assessment pattern

75% Unseen three-hour written examination
25% One essay (2,500 words)

NOTE: Assessment forms may change from one academic year to another. Please consult with the Teaching Administration Team