Programme

The course aims at providing students and students with tools for understanding the contemporary history of Latin America and current dynamics in the region.
Particular attention will be paid to the following topics:

Nationalism
Populisms and neo-populisms
Latin American Cold War
Cuban revolution and revolutionary cycle
Liberation theology
Counter-revolution, Doctrina de Seguridad Nacional
Military dictatorships and internal armed conflicts
Plan Condor and Transnational repression
Processes of internal "enemy" construction
Desaparición forzada
Democratic transitions and peace processes
Justicia transicional and politics of memory
Migration and exile
Violence, crime, drug trafficking
Native populations and environment
Latin America in the global scenario

Core Documentation

Attending students, in addition to the essays provided by the lecturer, will prepare the examination on the following text:

Massimo De Giuseppe, Gianni La Bella, Storia dell'America Latina Contemporanea, il Mulino, 2019



Non-attending students will have to study the following texts:

1) Massimo De Giuseppe, Gianni La Bella, Storia dell'America Latina Contemporanea, il Mulino, 2019

2) Francesca Lessa, I processi Condor. La repressione transnazionale e i diritti umani in America del Sud, 24marzo Onlus/Qudulibri 2023 (only Part I)

5) Raffale Nocera, Paolo Wulzer, L' America Latina nella politica internazionale. Dalla fine del sistema bipolare alla crisi dell'ordine liberale, Carocci, Roma 2020 (only part I - chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Type of delivery of the course

The course alternates between lectures aimed at providing students with the tools for understanding the Latin American historical processes of the contemporary age and seminar meetings, which include discussions on the readings assigned by the lecturer and on documentaries and films on relevant topics. During the last part of the course, students will prepare papers on a topic of their choice among those proposed by the lecturer. Hints, tips and useful teaching materials for the preparation of the papers will be provided by the lecturer during the course. At the end of the course the students will have acquired a knowledge of the main processes of Latin American history in the contemporary age and will be able to identify the origin and causes of the dynamics currently taking place in the area; through the seminar meetings they will also work to develop critical, argumentative and synthesis skills.

Attendance

Attendance is not compulsory

Type of evaluation

For attending students, the final assessment will be based on lecture attendance, on oral reports and on the final examination. The final examination will consist of a written test consisting of open-ended questions. For non-attending students, a written examination is scheduled during the examination sessions. The criteria to be used for the assessment of the examination will be, above all, knowledge of the content, clarity of presentation, critical judgement, ability to discuss and to synthesize. Non-attending students and those who attend occasionally are invited to arrange a meeting with the lecturer at the beginning of the course in order to receive more detailed information on the syllabus and how the examination will be conducted.