INTL 2000 - Introduction to Latin America

Credit Hours: 4.00

Prerequisites: None

(Humanities credit) This multidisciplinary course will draw on the arts, humanities, social science, history, and geography to examine significant questions using Latin America as the basis. These questions relate to the encounter of cultures, of forging community, notions of rights, revolution, and dependence and change in a globalizing world. The course will also explore an understanding of the roots of Latin America civilization with its ethnic diversity, including a profile on the Latin Americans descendants in the United States and an analysis of the role of military and US policies toward Latin America, the impact of the external debt, free trade agreements and their effects on the environment.

Billable Contact Hours: 4

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OUTCOMES AND OBJECTIVES
Outcome 1: Upon completion of this course, students will gain understanding of Latin American people and their culture.

Objectives:

Identify and discuss significant topics of Latin American geography and history.
Identify and discuss significant topics of Latin American politics and economics.
Identify and discuss different art expressions in Latin America.
Recognize the contribution of Latin American culture to the depths and breadths of humanities and social sciences.

Outcome 2: Upon the completion of this course, students will gain better understanding of the diverse ethnic groups and cultures of the world and the special challenges of developing regions of the globe.

Objectives:

Identify ethnic and cultural differences in the world in general.
Identify ethnic and cultural related challenges of developing regions.

Outcome 3: Upon the completion of this course, students will recognize some of the rights and responsibilities of citizens in a democratic society and interconnected world, focusing on Latin Americans in the United States.

Objectives:

Identify some of the rights of Latin Americans in the United States.
Identify some of the responsibilities of Latin Americans in the United States.

Outcome 4: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to apply critical thinking and writing skills to Latin American related topics and issues.

Objectives:

Discuss Analytical methods and processes.
Write essays presenting critical analysis.

COMMON DEGREE OUTCOMES (CDO)
• Communication: The graduate can communicate effectively for the intended purpose and audience.
• Critical Thinking: The graduate can make informed decisions after analyzing information or evidence related to the issue.
• Global Literacy: The graduate can analyze human behavior or experiences through cultural, social, political, or economic perspectives.
• Information Literacy: The graduate can responsibly use information gathered from a variety of formats in order to complete a task.
• Quantitative Reasoning: The graduate can apply quantitative methods or evidence to solve problems or make judgments.
• Scientific Literacy: The graduate can produce or interpret scientific information presented in a variety of formats.

CDO marked YES apply to this course:
Communication: YES
Critical Thinking: YES
Global Literacy: YES
Information Literacy: YES
Quantitative Reasoning: YES
COURSE CONTENT OUTLINE

Orientation: Syllabus and course overview
Present situation of Latin America (statistical portrait)
Geography of the Land: Regional overview (map assignments) - North and Central America, Caribbean and South America
Pre-Columbian Civilizations: The Mayas, the Aztecs, the Inca Empire
Indigenous Groups and Iberian Invasions: Understanding cultural and ethnic background of the Iberia peninsula and its impact on the new World
African Slavery: The African contribution to Latin America civilization; the race mixing
Independence: Rebellion, the Spanish American patriotism and the unfinished revolution
The Postcolonial Blues: The liberal disappointment, the Caudillo leadership, the difference of Brazil; Journals due
Nationalism and Revolutions: The new immigrants, Populist leaders
Cuban revolution - Zapatistas in Mexico
The Reaction: The church in Latin America - Argentinean dictatorship, Development and Decay - The war in the Falklands
Military Rule: The Chilean coup. Cold wars in Central America - The “Ethnic cleansing” in Guatemala
Environment: Deforestation, pesticides and pollution - the vanishing rain forest
Women’s work: From homemakers to presidents - women writers Latin American fiction
Industrialization and Department Crisis: NAFTA - The politics of corruption
Latinos in the United States: Migration and the quest for identity

Primary Faculty
Ramos, Maria
Secondary Faculty
Williams, Susanna
Associate Dean
Ternullo, Annette
Dean
Pritchett, Marie

Official Course Syllabus - Macomb Community College, 14500 E 12 Mile Road, Warren, MI 48088