Spanish 309: History and Politics of Latin America
Surveys Latin American history focusing on the development of political and social structures since the independence movements of the 19th century. Emphasizes Latin phenomenon as caudillismo, indigenismo, the Church and liberation theology, and the revolutionary movements in the 20th century.
Course Reflective Narrative
Out of my entire Upper Division courses, I will have to denominate Span 309: History and Politics of Latin America as the course which expanded my mind through an immense journey of the Latin American nations and their cultures; it served as an eye opener to that region of the world. The course, which I enrolled in during the spring of 2013, had as its main purpose to study Latin America by focusing on its social and political development since the acquisition of the several nations’ independence. With its criteria, it met the prerequisites for one of my four MLO 4 (Literary and Cultural Knowledge) courses. Through this class I was able to gain plenty of knowledge of the cultural backgrounds of every single one of the country the falls in the denomination of Latin America. One by one, we examine every country, its politics, its society, their issues, music, people, etc. It allowed us, as students, to discover the main points of every country, to recognize what each of them has to offer, to point out what makes them unique from one another, and at the same time what are the similarities that they share as Latin American Nations. As I previously mentioned, I value what I was able to learn from this class, because it allowed me gain more interest in discovering Latin America and it was exceptional to be able to engage a long conversations and discussion of issues and cultural aspects that are relevant to that section of the world. I will like to incorporate the concepts of this course in my work as a secondary teacher. I will love to promote cultural knowledge through my future students and as a Spanish teacher, encourage them to find out more of the nations were the language is spoken and how aside from sharing a single language each nation has its own uniqueness.