HY 401 – Colloquium in History
Revolutions and Revolutionary Movements in Latin America
Dr. Mollie Lewis Nouwen
Email: mlewis@jaguar1.usouthal.edu
Phone: 460-6867
Office: HUMB 351
Office Hours: MWF 11:15-12:15, and by appointment
The history of twentieth-century Latin America is inextricably tied to that of revolutions and revolutionary movements. What is a revolution, and when is it judged to be “successful”? Why have conditions in Latin America lent themselves to so many movements for reform and revolution? By looking closely at the Mexican, Cuban, and Nicaraguan Revolutions, we will ask these and other questions about the nature of revolutions and the Latin American context.
Course Objectives:
Students will gain a broad understanding of the twentieth-century revolutions in Latin America, particularly the Mexican, Cuban, and Nicaraguan Revolutions. The readings will give students the background they need to discuss these important movements. Through debates, students will take a closer look at what kinds of changes these events did (or did not) make in the lives of their citizens. The two short papers will help prepare students for the analysis they must complete in their final paper. The final paper, on a topic chosen by the student, will include both primary and secondary sources on one of the many revolutions or revolutionary movements we have studied in class.
Required Work:
Attendance and Participation (20%)
This class is discussion-based. If you do not show up to class, or show up not having done the reading, you will receive little benefit from the course and no credit for attendance and participation.
Reading Quizzes (20%)
Each Wednesday we will have a reading quiz. The quiz is not designed to be difficult, but rather to make sure that you are keeping up with the reading. If you are not keeping up, discussion becomes almost impossible. Quizzes will be a question that can be answered in a short paragraph. I will give make-up quizzes only in emergencies, or if the student and I have come to an understanding before the class period that they have a legitimate reason for missing class.
Final Paper (40%)
This grade also includes your Proposal, Preliminary Bibliography, Annotated Bibliography, Outline, and Class Presentation of the paper. All papers must be at least 8 pages, single spaced in 12-point Times New Roman font. I expect you to use footnotes in the Chicago style in addition to the bibliography at the end. Please see attached sheet on Chicago format. The papers will be on a revolution or revolutionary movement in Latin America. All papers need to have a clear thesis statement in the introductory paragraph and a strong conclusion.
Paper proposals should be at least one paragraph in length and typed. Please include some background on your topic, and the kinds of questions you will be answering in the paper.
The bibliographies should include at least six sources, including two primary sources (this includes speeches, newspaper articles from the era, memos, etc.). The annotated bibliographies will also include at least two sentences about each source, and the important information you will be getting from each one.
The outline of the paper needs to be longer than one page in length, typed. The outline does not need to be in full sentences, but it should give the reader a sense of the narrative and argument you will be making in your final paper.
The class presentation of the paper is a way for your classmates to hear about the research that you have done during the semester. Presentations should be about ten minutes in length, and can include images and video, if you choose. They do not need to be polished, formal presentations – they should just give your classmates information on the project that you have done.
Class Debates (20%)
The class will have three debates, on the Mexican Revolution, the Cuban Revolution, and the Nicaraguan Revolution. The debates will center on the question “Did the Revolution bring positive change?” Half of the class will argue in favor and the other half will argue against. There will be some time in class to prepare, but most of the preparation will need to be done outside of class.
Each side of the debate needs to think about the political, economic, and social ramifications of the revolution in question. For example, how was the state structured before and after the revolution? Economically, did the state recover after the revolution, and if so, how? Was there social change following the revolution, or were social classes replicated in the post-revolutionary years? In the debates on the Cuban and Nicaraguan revolution, it would also be useful to compare those conflicts with the earlier revolutions and revolutionary movements.
Honor Code
At the University of South Alabama, the Office of Academic Affairs has stated that
Any dishonesty related to academic work or records constitutes academic misconduct including, but not limited to, activities such as giving or receiving unauthorized aid in tests and examinations, improperly obtaining a copy of an examination, plagiarism, misrepresentation of information, or altering transcripts or university records. Academic misconduct is incompatible with the standards of the academic community. Such acts are viewed as moral and intellectual offenses and are subject to investigation and disciplinary action through appropriate University procedures. Penalties may range from the loss of credit for a particular assignment to dismissal from the University. Note that dismissal from any University of South Alabama college or school for reasons of academic misconduct will also result in permanent dismissal from the university.
I also include in this misuse of computers during class – students must have their wireless capability turned off and only use the computer for note-taking. Please contact me if you have questions on these policies.
Special Needs
Please notify me if you have a disability that impacts your academic performance. I will need certification from Disability Services, connected to the Office of Special Student Services (Student Center, Room 270, 460-7212).
Required Readings:
Buchenau, Jürgen. Plutarco Elías Calles and the Mexican Revolution (Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2007)
Castro, Daniel ed. Revolution and Revolutionaries: Guerrilla Movements in Latin America (Lanham, MD: Scholarly Resources, 2006).
Guevara, Ernesto “Che”. The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey (New York: Ocean Books, 2003)
Randall, Margaret. Sandino’s Daughters: Testimonies of Nicaraguan Women in Struggle (Rutgers, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1995).
Wright, Thomas C. Latin America in the Era of the Cuban Revolution. Revised Edition. (Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 2001).
Week 1:
August 17: Introduction to the Course
August 19: Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, Selection from The Communist Manifesto
August 21: Daniel Castro, Revolution and Revolutionaries, pp. xv-xxxiv
Week 2:
August 24: Castro, Chapter 3, pp. 23-40
August 26: Jürgen Buchenau, Plutarco Elías Calles, Introduction and Chapter 1, pp. xxi-28
August 28: Buchenau, Chapter 2, pp. 29-54
Week 3
August 31: Buchenau, Chapter 3, pp. 55-80
September 2: Buchenau, Chapter 4, pp. 81-110
September 4: Buchenau, Chapter 5, pp. 111-142
Week 4
Labor Day – September 7: No Class
September 9: Proposal and Preliminary Bibliography Due
September 11: Buchenau, Chapter 6, pp. 143-172
Week 5
September 14: Buchenau, Chapter 7, pp. 173-200
September 16: Buchenau, Epilogue, pp. 200-208
September 18: Debate on the Mexican Revolution
Week 6
September 21: Castro, Chapter 7, pp.93-103
September 23: Castro, Chapter 4, pp. 43-64
September 25: Ernesto Guevara, The Motorcycle Diaries, pp. 31-72
Week 7
September 28: Guevara, Motorcycle Diaries, pp. 73-110
September 30: Guevara, Motorcycle Diaries, 111-165
October 2: Annotated Bibliography Due
Week 8
October 5: Thomas C. Wright, Latin America in the Era of the Cuban Revolution, Chapter 1, 1-19.
October 7: Wright, Cuban Revolution, Chapter 2, pp. 21-38
October 9: Castro, Revolution and Revolutionaries, Chapter 5, pp. 65-86
Week 9
October 12: Castro, Revolution and Revolutionaries, Chapter 6, pp. 87-92
October 14: Wright, Cuban Revolution, pp. 39-56
October 16: Debate on the Cuban Revolution
Week 10
October 19: Wright, Cuban Revolution, “U.S. Responses to Revolution,” pp. 57-72
October 21: Wright, Cuban Revolution, “The Peruvian Military Revolution” pp. 111-127
October 23: Wright, Cuban Revolution, “Chile Under Allende” pp. 129-147
Week 11
October 26: Wright, Cuban Revolution, “Nicaraguan Revolution” pp. 165-185
October 28: Margaret Randall, Sandino’s Daughters: Testimonies of Nicaraguan Women in Struggle, Chapter 1, pp. 1-39
October 30: Final Paper Outline Due
Week 12
November 2: Randall, Sandino’s Daughters, Chapter 2, pp. 40-80
November 4: Randall, Sandino’s Daughters, Chapters 2 and 3, pp. 80-93
November 6: Randall, Sandino’s Daughters, Chapters 4 and 5, pp. 94-128
Week 13
November 9: Randall, Sandino’s Daughters, Chapters 6 and 7, pp. 129-162
November 11: Randall, Sandino’s Daughters, Chapter 8, pp. 163-183
November 13: Randall, Sandino’s Daughters, Chapters 9 and 10, pp. 184-220
Week 14
November 16: Debate on the Nicaraguan Revolution
November 18: Class Presentations on Final Papers
November 20: Class Presentations on Final Papers
Week 15
November 23: Class Presentations on Final Papers
November 25, 27: Thanksgiving Break
Week 16
November 30: Class Presentations on Final Papers
Chicago Style Footnotes
These are going to be the most common types of footnotes you will use. If you are citing another kind of source, please use http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html
as a guide.
Book: Jürgen Buchenau, Plutarco Elías Calles and the Mexican Revolution (Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2007), 65.
Edited book: Donald Castro, ed., Revolution and Revolutionaries: Guerrilla Movements in Latin America (Lanham, MD: Scholarly Resources, 2006), xxi.
Article accessed online: Matt Childs, “An Historical Critique of the Emergence and Evolution of Ernesto Che Guevara’s Foco Theory” Journal of Latin American Studies Vol. 27, No. 3 (Oct., 1995) http://www.jstor.org.libproxy2.usouthal.edu/stable/158485?&Search=yes&term=guevara&term=che&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dche%2Bguevara%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26wc%3Don&item=2&ttl=1712&returnArticleService=showArticle
Chapter of an edited volume originally published elsewhere (including primary sources): Ernesto “Che” Guevara, “General Principles of Guerrilla Warfare” in Donald Castro, ed., Revolution and Revolutionaries: Guerrilla Movements in Latin America (Lanham, MD: Scholarly Resources, 2006), 65-66.
Please note that if you are uncomfortable speaking in public, we can try and work out an alternative assignment.