LATIN AMERICAN POLITICS (PE 346C) FALL 2001 Dr. WILLIAM R. NYLEN Department of Political Science Class Meeting: T & Th 11:00 - 12:15 in 320 Elizabeth Hall Office Hours: 315B Elizabeth Hall, T.B.A. or by appointment Latin American politics is more than simply ‘what goes on down there'. In many significant ways, what goes on down there affects what goes on here in our own country. To name but a few examples: the economic impact of the debt crisis and regional recession of the 1980s and the financial meltdowns of the 1990s, the consumption of drugs and the violence and crime that are associated with it, the flood of refugees from war, poverty and political repression, and the moral and political effects of U.S. government and business intervention in Latin American political struggles. There is yet another way that what goes on down there is relevant to us here. Max Weber defined politics as "organized domination", and throughout the histories of most Latin American countries, politics has been particularly repressive and frequently violent. But we should be aware that the dynamics of politics-as-domination exist in our own country as well (indeed, as Weber tells us, they exist in all societies). The naked domination so prominent in much of Latin American history allows us to see clearly the dark side of social life. It should force us to ask questions about our own dark past and present (e.g. the decimation of our Native American population, African-American slavery, monopoly capitalism, homelessness, racism, etc.), as well as what it is that has allowed our country to avoid or soften many of the effects of social domination (e.g. stable democratic government, continuous economic prosperity, public education, the Welfare State, the Civil Rights Movement, respect for democratic institutions, etc.). COURSE REQUIREMENTS -- Grades will be based on performance in the following: -- a map quiz: 5% -- one short paper, 5-8 pages w/ cited works attached: 10% -- a midterm exam of essays and short answer/identifications: 20% -- a final exam of essays and short answer/identifications: 30% -- a 15-20 page research paper (w/ cited works attached) due on the last scheduled day of class, following a series of scheduled meetings with Dr. Nylen (25%) -- Class attendance and active participation in classroom discussions (10%) -- Prof. Nylen reserves the right to give "pop quizzes" at any moment he deems necessary or appropriate (such quizzes will affect the final calculation of borderline grades) -- Prof. Nylen stands by Stetson's official statement on grades, which says: Grades ... represent the instructor's final estimate of the student's performance in a course. The grade of A (+ or -) may be interpreted to mean that the instructor recognizes exceptional capacity and exceptional performance. The grade of B (+ or -) signifies that the student has gained a significantly more effective command of material than is generally expected in that course. The grade or C or C+ is the instructor's certification that the student has demonstrated the required mastery of the material. A student is graded C- or D (+ or -) when his/her grasp of the course essentials is minimal. The F grade indicates failure to master the essentials and the necessity for repeating the course before credit may be earned. [Stetson University Bulletin, 1999-2000, P.43.] -- Any form of cheating, including plagiarism (look it up if you don't know what it means!) will result in an automatic F grade for the course. This is serious! -- Make-up exams or late papers may be allowed if Dr. Nylen is consulted prior to the exam/due date or following presentation of a valid medical excuse. BOOKS REQUIRED FOR PURCHASE (on order at the bookstore): Timothy P. Kessler. Global Capital and National Politics: Reforming Mexico's Financial System (Westport: Praeger, 1999). Peter R. Kingstone & Timothy J. Power. Democratic Brazil: Actors, Institutions & Processes (Pittsburgh: Univ. of Pittsburgh Press, 2000). Thomas E. Skidmore & Peter H. Smith. Modern Latin America, 5th Edition (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001). Global Studies: Latin America, 9th Edition (Guildford, CT: Dushkin/McGraw-Hill, 2000). RESERVE READING and LIBRARY RESOURCES: Some required readings are not available for purchase and will be placed on two-hour reserve in the library. In addition to required readings, useful information and analysis can also be found in the periodicals section of the library. The best include: Latin American Politics & Society (formerly Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs) Journal of Latin American Studies Latin American Research Review Journal of Comparative Politics NACLA Report on the Americas Journal of Democracy Current History (annual Latin America edition) Third World Quarterly COURSE OUTLINE, READING & WRITING ASSIGNMENTS, and EXAMS: I. Introduction: ==> Th, 8/23: This course will focus on unifying themes via comparisons and generalizations across countries: – Colonialism & Dependency – Political Culture: Patrimonialism, Patron-clientelism, etc. – Institutional Legacies: Centralization, Corporatism, Militarism, etc. – Democratization – The Politics of Economic Development – The Politics of Inequality: Class, Gender, Ethnicity, Region, etc. II. Basic Geography & Political Culture: ==> T, 8/28: In-Class Map Quiz: On a blank map, identify all Spanish & Portuguese speaking countries and identify the following features for each one: Capital city & two largest cities (may or may not coincide) Major rivers Major mountain ranges Major bodies of water (lakes, oceans/seas, bays) Class Discussion on the Following Readings: Skidmore & Smith, Prologue [12 pages] Global Studies, Pp.3-6 (Latin America) [4 pages] III. General Historical Background & Contemporary Issues: A. Identification of Historical Patterns and Trends in Politics, like: Centralism vs. Regionalism/Localism Militarism (Positivism, interventionism, etc.) Populism Corporatism Patron-Clientelism/Paternalism Economic Dependency Legal-Institutional fragility Social & Economic Inequality Elitism, Racism & Cultural Intolerance Recent Democratization. ==> Th, 8/30: Class Discussion on the Following Readings: Skidmore & Smith, Chapter 1 (Colonial Foundations) [29 pages] ==> T, 9/4: Class Discussion on the Following Readings: Skidmore & Smith, Chapter 2 (Transformations) [26 pages] ==> Th, 9/6: Video Presentation: "Garden of Forking Paths" (Series: The Americas) ==> T, 9/11: Class Discussion on the Following Readings: Global Studies, Pp.7-16 (Mexico), 17-24 (Central America), 48-55 (South America), 98- 105 (Caribbean) [34 pages] ==> Th, 9/13: Class Discussion on the Following Readings: Global Studies, Pp.138-140 (C.Ball), 141-143 (F.Colburn), 144-148 (J.Mahon,Jr.), 148- 152 (M.Htun), 153-155 (F.Colburn) & 189-96 (R.Potter & S.Lloyd-Evans). [26 pages] Receive Paper #1 Topics (Historical Roots of Contemporary Issues of L.A. Politics) ==> T, 9/18: Short Paper Due Class Discussion on Completed Papers IV. Focus on Specific Issues and Case Studies (countries): A. Economic Development: 1. General Latin America (International Context): ==> Th, 9/20: Class Discussion on the Following Readings: * Eduardo Galeano. "The Contemporary Structure of Plunder" in The Open Veins of Latin America (New York: Monthly Review Press, 1973): 225-283 [59 pages] ==> T, 9/25: Class Discussion on the Following Readings: Skidmore & Smith, Chapter 11 [44 pages] 2. Brazil: ==> Th, 9/27: Class Discussion on the Following Readings: Skidmore & Smith, Chapter 5 [40 pages] ==> T, 10/2: Class Discussion on the Following Readings: 1) * Paulo-Tarso Flecha de Lima. "Liberalism versus Nationalism: The Prodevelopment Ideology in Recent Brazilian Political History (1930-1997)" Presidential Studies Quarterly 29 no2 370-88 (June 1999) [available full-text on Wilson Web] 2) Peter R. Kingstone & Timothy J. Power. Democratic Brazil: Actors, Institutions & Processes (Pittsburge: Univ. of Pittsburgh Press, 2000): chapter 10 (J.Cason) [13 pages] ==> Th, 10/4: Video Presentation: "Capital Sins" 3. Mexico: ==> Th, 10/11, T 10/16 & Th 10/18:Class Discussion on the Following Readings: Timothy P. Kessler. Global Capital and National Politics: Reforming Mexico's Financial System (Westport: Praeger, 1999). ==> T 10/23: MIDTERM EXAM (in-class, essay format) B. Democratization (‘Political Development'): 1. General Latin America: ==> Th.10/25: Class Discussion on the Following Readings: * Jorge Castañeda "Democracy and Inequality in Latin America: A Tension of the Times" in J.I. Dominguez & A.F. Lowenthal [eds.] Constructing Democratic Governance: Latin America and the Caribbean in the 1990s — Themes and Issues (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins, 1996):42-63 [22 pages] 2. Brazil: ==> T.10/30: Class Discussion on the Following Readings: 1) * Thomas Bruneau "Brazil's Political Transition" in Higley & Gunther [eds] Elites and Democratic Consolidation in Latin America ... (1992): 257-81 [25 pages] 2) Global Studies, Pp.171-176 (K.Maxwell) [5 pages] 3) Peter R. Kingstone & Timothy J. Power. Democratic Brazil: Actors, Institutions & Processes (Pittsburge: Univ. of Pittsburgh Press, 2000): Foreward & Chapter 1 [18 pages] ==> Th.11/1: Class Discussion on the Following Readings: * Scott Mainwaring. "Patronage, Clientelism, and Patrimonialism", Chapter 6 from Rethinking Party Systems in the Third Wave of Democratization: The Case of Brazil (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1999): 175-218 [44 pages] ==> T.11/6, Th.11/8, T.11/13, Th.11/15 & T.11/20: Class Discussion on the Following Readings: Kingstone & Power, Chapters 2-8 & 11-12. 3. Mexico: ==> T.11/27: Class Discussion on the Following Readings: Skidmore & Smith, Chapter 7 [43 pages] ==> Th.11/29: Class Discussion on the Following Readings: 1) * Susan Eckstein "Formal Versus Substantive Democracy: Poor People's Politics in Mexico City" (1990). 2) Global Studies, Pp.160-164 (M.Mazarr) [5 pages] 3) * Judith Adler Hellman "Opting for Fox" in NACLA Report on the Americas, Vol.34,#2 (9-10/2000:6-10) [5 pages] 4) * Lucy Conger. "Mexico's Long March to Democracy" in Current History, Vol.100, #643 (2/2001:58-64) [7 pages] V. Conclusions (Latin America in the 21st Century) & Course Review ==> T.12/4: Class Discussion on the Following Readings: Skidmore & Smith, Epilogue [24 pages] ==> Th.12/6: Final Review Session VI. Final Exam (Tuesday, Dec. 11, 1:00-3:00 p.m.)