School of Politics and International Relations

Latin America in the Modern World

 

This module will examine the historical and contemporary place of Latin America in the world system through issues of political economy, cultural identity and international relations. The module will explore dependency, modernization and marxist theories, the legacy of European empires, and the independence movements of the 19th century. It will then consider the more contemporary phenomena of a contested Pan-Americanism, exceptionalist theses for Cuba and Brazil, the evolving role of indigenous American societies and that of Latinos in the USA. The module will conclude with appraisal of the regional experience of neo-liberalism and the reactions to it on continental and international planes.