Approved by Faculty Senate.

 

University Studies Course Approval Submission

Residential College Course Proposal

  1. Department of Program: Residential College
  2. Course Number: 232
  3. Semester Hours: 3
  4. Frequency of Offering: Every other semester
  5. Course Title: Interdisciplinary Approach to Peoples and Cultures in Latin America

6. Catalog Description: Latin America is one to the world’s most misunderstood regions. Geographically it is very complex, culturally diverse and historically it has been the scenario of constant abuse and violent changes. In this introductory course a global explanation of the processes that interrelate the three major cultural groups (indigenous peoples, Afro-Americans and Iberian or Portuguese settlers) will be explored. The interactions will be looked at within social, historical and ethnographic contexts. (Grade only. Recommended prerequisite: SOC 150)

  1. This is not an existing course previously approved by A2C2
    2.
  2. This is a new course proposal.
  3. University Studies Requirement this course would satisfy: Unity and Diversity/ Global Perspectives
  4. Department Contact Person: Linda D’Amico, 453-2517: ldamico@vax2.msus.edu
  5. General Course and Proposal Information:

    6. Interdisciplinary Approach to peoples and Cultures in Latin America RC 232 is being proposed as a Global Perspectives Course. The intent of RC 232 is to provide students with an anthropological perspective of different cultures in Latin America. It is designed to give students an overview of some of the distinct human adaptations to varied environments in Latin America. Their experiences represent their diverse interpretations, in addition to their interactions with outsiders. It is expected that approximately 30 students will participate in class discussions and presentations, and certain topics may vary contingent upon new data available.

    Specific Outcomes for USP Global Perspective Course

    This is a University Studies Course that satisfies 3 credits of you Global Perspective requirement. The outcomes specified for a USP Global Perspectives course specify that the course provide students the activities and opportunities to:

    1. Understand the role of the world citizen and the responsibility world citizens share for their common global future: The course, Peoples and Cultures in Latin America, will familiarize students with some of the social, cultural and environmental diversity (and similarities) in the Americas. Students will become cognizant of how the cultural, historic and economic trajectories of Latin America are interconnected on a global scale.
    2. Describe and analyze social, economic, political, spiritual, or environmental elements that influence the relations between living beings and their environments or between societies. Through a detailed holistic approach, students will become more aware of the interrelationships between groups of people in the Americas and how that affects the political economies and cultures of particular regions. Furthermore, the course will explore dimensions of human ecology in the Andes and Amazonia, and how biodiversity can be linked to poverty and geopolitics. The main objective is to debunk some of the more current misconceptions about the region, gain understanding of contemporary events and to search for the unexpected creative consequences that have occurred.

      3.  

    3. Identify and analyze specific global issues, illustrating the social, economic, political, spiritual or environmental differences that may affect their resolution. An anthropological perspective will provide students with an integrative view of some of the salient issues in Latin America, including; social and economic inequities that contribute to poverty and ethnic discrimination; development, gender and the environment; and how globalization affects and is affected by the third world.

      4.  

      Sample Syllabus

      Interdisciplinary Approach to Peoples and Cultures in Latin America

      University Studies

      Residential College 230

      Dr. Linda D’Amico

      453-2517

      e-mail: ldamico@winona.edu

      Latin America is one of the world's most misunderstood continents. Geographically it is very complex, culturally diverse and historically it has been the scenario of constant abuse and violence. In this introductory course a global explanation of the processes that interrelate the three major cultural groups (Indians, Afro-Americans and Iberian or

      Portuguese settlers) to each other is given. This violent clash will be looked at in a geographical, historical and ethnographic context. The main objective is to debunk some of the more current myths about the region, gain understanding of contemporary events and to search for the unexpected creative consequences that this violent confrontation has produced in society, religion, arts and culture.

      A word about the course beyond the syllabus. I intend to provide in a broad sweep a framework that will allow you, the student, to understand long and short term processes about any particular region or ethnic group, so you can in the future pursue your own particular interests. It is based on a geographical, historical and economic variables that shift peoples and cultures around. I will use three cases, the Andes, the Indians in the

      tropical forest in Amazonia and the African-Latin American populations, but the framework is applicable to other situations.

      In addition to assigned readings and class discussions, a research and/or community service component is integrated into the course, and important for you to experience and interpret cultural diversity. We are fortunate to have Latino immigrants in and around Winona- who you will have the opportunity to interact with- through volunteer work and interviews- as a means to collect data and gain a deeper understanding of the contemporary Latin American experience. You are expected to dedicate 1-3 hours a week outside of class time to ‘field work’, taking detailed notes, which you will analyze, interpret and synthesize into a final paper.

       

      Class Expectations & Evaluation Criteria:

      Class participation: 10%

      3 short essays pertaining to topics relevant to the units being covered: 30%

      Midterm: 20%

      Final: 20%

      Field work notes and Final Paper: 20%

      Textbooks and Readings:

      Allen, Catherine. The Hold Life Has: Coca and Cultural Identity in an Andean Community. Smithsonian Institution Press. 1988.

      Lizot, Jacques. Tales of the Yanomamai: Daily Life in the Venezuelan Forest. Cambridge Studies in Social Anthropology, Cambridge 1985.

      Or

      Chagnon, Napoleon. The Yanomami: The Fierce People. Holt, Rhinehart 4th edition

      Randall, Margaret. Sandino’s Daughters: Testimonies of Nicaraguan Women in Struggle. Rutgers University Press.

      Expected Outcomes:

    4. Understand the role of the world citizen and the responsibility world citizens share for their common global future: The course, Peoples and Cultures in Latin America, will familiarize students with some of the social, cultural and environmental diversity (and similarities) in the Americas. Students will become cognizant of how the cultural, historic and economic trajectories of Latin America are interconnected on a global scale.
    5. Describe and analyze social, economic, political, spiritual, or environmental elements that influence the relations between living beings and their environments or between societies. Through a detailed holistic approach, students will become more aware of the interrelationships between groups of people in the Americas and how that affects the political economies and cultures of particular regions. Furthermore, the course will explore dimensions of human ecology in the Andes and Amazonia, and how biodiversity can be linked to poverty and geopolitics. The main objective is to debunk some of the more current misconceptions about the region, gain understanding of contemporary events and to search for the unexpected creative consequences that have occurred.

      6.  

    6. Identify and analyze specific global issues, illustrating the social, economic, political, spiritual or environmental differences that may affect their resolution. An anthropological perspective will provide students with an integrative view of some of the salient issues in Latin America, including; social and economic inequities that contribute to poverty and ethnic discrimination; development, gender and the environment; and how globalization affects and is affected by the third world.

 

 

For each topic area the salient USP outcomes addressed in that area is identified (A-C)

Week 1 Culture Areas and Diversity

 

Read article: Conquistador and Pestilencia (pp 35-61) from The Columbian Exchange: Biological and Cultural Consequences of 1492 Alfred W. Crosby. (A, B, C)

Begin Allen, The Hold Life Has: Introduction

Week 2 First Encounters- Core and periphery

Read article: Wolf, Eric and Edward Hansen: Chapter 2 "Indians and Europeans: in : The Human Condition in Latin America Oxford University Press (A, B, C)

Allen, The Hold Life Has: Chapter 1, 2

Week 3 Discussion on the Incas

Allen, The Hold Life Has: Chapters 3, 4, 5

Week 4: Traditional Andean culture

 

Allen, The Hold Life Has: Chapters 6-10

Assignment of essay topics (A, B, C)

Week 5 Essay due

Introduction to the Amazonia

Read: Chagnon Introduction and Chapter 1 (A, B, C)

Week 6 Cultural Ecology

Chagnon Chapters 2-3 (A, B, C)

Week 7 Shamanism

Chagnon, Chapters 4-5 MIDTERM

Week 8 Social Organization and Warfare

Chapters 6-7 ( B, C)

Week 9 Chapter 8 and Thierney’s article in the New Yorker (October 2000)

Assignment of Essay 2 (A, B, C)

Week 10 Essay 2 due

Introduction to Nicaragua

The Rainforest versus cattle ranching

Randall: Introduction (A, B, C)

Week 11 Mestizo or Ladino culture

Randall: Chapters 1-3

Week 12 Afro-Latin Americans

Randall: Chapters 4-6 ( B, C)

 

Week 13 Women and Poverty

Randall: Chapters 7-10

Assignment of Essay 3 ( B, C)

Week 14 Essay 3 due

Discussions of fieldwork in relation to theoretical implications. (A, B, C)

 

FINAL EXAM and Paper due