History 392E THE U.S. IN LATIN AMERICA Spring 2019 T/Th 1 – 2:15pm Bartlett Hall, room 206 Professor Kevin A. Young Office hours: T 2:30-4:30, Th 11:30-12:30
[email protected] Herter 624 The histories of the United States and Latin America have been closely intertwined. Why has the U.S. government intervened in the region, and with what consequences? How have Latin Americans responded? This course examines U.S. motives and actions in Latin America, which for our purposes includes the Caribbean as well. We will assess the role of the U.S. government and military but also that of corporations, international financial institutions, non-governmental organizations, and the U.S. public. While these foreign actors have wielded tremendous power in the region, they have always operated within contexts partially defined by Latin Americans – themselves an incredibly diverse population including presidents, dictators, militaries, landlords, clergy, industrialists, the middle class, wage workers, slaves, peasant farmers, women community leaders, LGBTQ activists, shantytown dwellers, migrants, and hundreds of ethnic groups. U.S. experiences with Latin America have often helped to shape both U.S. society and its interactions with the rest of the world, making this history of vital importance for understanding much of global history. The course places a special focus on close readings of primary source documents, including declassified government memos, speeches, newspaper reports, political cartoons, and the voices of some of the people who have opposed U.S. policies. 1 Course Goals and Key Questions The study of history is not about memorizing facts or trivia; it involves learning from the past so that we can understand the present and help to shape the future.