Global Studies (GLST) 308

Overview

GLST 308 provides a focus on several countries—as well as an overview of the development of the region as a whole—to provide the historical context that underlies the region’s cultures, contradictions, and uniqueness.  Course materials will stimulate critical thinking and focus insight into the political discourse of the region, the political actors in it, and its rapidly changing social and political dynamic. Future directions are briefly discussed, inviting a debate on the place for Latin America and the Caribbean in a globalized world.

Topics explored include authoritarianism and democracy, growth and poverty, race and class, the changing role of women, indigenous peoples, movements for social change, and the foreign policy of the United States toward the region. Together, these topics present a comprehensive picture of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Outline

Unit 1: Introduction and Overview

Unit 2: From Colonialism to Independence

Unit 3: Dilemmas of National Development

Unit 4: Reform: the Market vs the State

Unit 5: Authoritarianism and Democratization

Unit 6: Indigenous Struggles: Ethnicity, Colour, and Class

Unit 7: The Changing Roles of Women

Unit 8: Social Change and New Social Actors

Unit 9: The ‘Pink Tide’ and the Problem of Sovereignty

Unit 10: North America and Latin America in the 21st Century

Evaluation

To receive credit for GLST 308, you must achieve a minimum of 50 per cent on the final examination and a minimum composite course grade of 50 per cent. The chart below summarizes the course activities and the credit weight associated with each.

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Course Materials

Textbooks

Video

Solanas, F. (2004). Social Genocide (DVD). Mongrel Media.

Other Materials

The course materials include a reading file. All other materials are available online.

Challenge for Credit Course Overview

The Challenge for Credit process allows students to demonstrate that they have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university level course.

Full information for the Challenge for Credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.

• Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Policy
• Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Procedures

Challenge Evaluation

For more information please contact the course coordinator.

Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Course Registration Form

• Challenge for Credit Form