Rice University
Department of Hispanic Studies
School of Humanities
FSEM157 Dangerous Liaisons / Relaciones Peligrosas. The Counterpoint of United States and Latin America Instructors: Dr. Matt Taylor, School of Humanities Dr. Luis Duno-­‐Gottberg, Hispanic Studies Department Days/Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays / 1:00 PM – 2:15 Classroom: HUM 120 Office Hours: Dr. Taylor, Allen Center, Provost’s Suite (430D), Fridays 3:00 PM-­‐ 4:00 PM Dr. Duno-­‐Gottberg, RZ316, Mondays 10 AM–12 PM A. Course Description. A counterpoint is a musical structure in which two or more independent voices happen at the same time. Inspired by this idea, this freshman seminar explores the history and the cultural representations of US and Latin American relations, one of the most fascinating, polemical, and important histories of our hemisphere. Team-­‐taught by a historian and a cultural critic, the class offers an overview of the exchanges and tensions between these territories, from the early nineteenth century to the present day. We aim at connecting diverse narratives and presenting opposing perspectives through the counterpoint of documents, paintings, cartoons, and movies from Latin America and the United States. The interdisciplinary and multinational perspective of the class will further enhance the learning process, as students will be lead through different and sometimes opposing readings of texts and events. •
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B. Course Objectives General Objectives •
Gain a historically grounded understanding of the relationship between the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean. •
Identify the key ideas and interests that have shaped the relationship between the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean. Specific objectives • To gain a first experience working with archival material. • To understand the notions of liberalism, nationalism, and imperialism. • To discuss and evaluate the role of (counter) revolutionary ideas in the hemisphere. • To understand the role of historically grounded cultural elements in the shaping of hemispheric relations. • To learn to apply critical thinking skills in the evaluation of multiple forms of evidence. • This is a writing-­‐intensive course. Students will write weekly and improve their ability to write clearly and concisely. C. Evaluation. 30% -­ Class participation/discussion: This class will follow a seminar format, with some brief lectures. Students are expected to attend all class meetings, complete reading assignments, and actively contribute to class discussions. 25% -­ Weekly response writing and other written activities: Students are required to write 5 “thought-­‐piece” responses. Responses must be typed, double-­‐spaced in 12-­‐
point font, with 1-­‐in. margins, and must not exceed 300 words. These are very brief, reaction pieces that will serve to organize ideas or present questions. Response assignments will be graded for completion and proper grammar. Other written activities might require longer responses to key questions posed by the instructors. 15% -­ Short essays: Students are required to write two short, critical essays (500 words each) on assigned documents and readings. Prompts are available on Owl-­‐
Space for weeks 11 and 14. These essays will be graded for style, grammar and content. Essays will be due at the beginning of the class period during which the assigned reading(s) will be discussed. Late papers will not be accepted. 15% -­ Semester reflection essay: Students are required to compose a 4-­‐6 page critical essay, based on their readings, weekly thought pieces and/or short essays. This paper must develop one of the major themes of the course. Late papers will not be accepted. Due date is 6:00 PM on December 08th. 15% -­ Oral reports on documents: Students are required to research, identify and present one oral report (10 minutes) on one or more archival document that highlights class themes. Grading will be based on the precision, poise, and clarity of the oral presentation, as well as on how effectively the student uses the documents to illuminate course themes. Students must select topic and sign-­up for presentation date by September 1. E. Recommended Viewing Three documentary films will be screened outside of class (details below and in the syllabus). Viewing is not required but is strongly recommended. • The Panama Deception (US, Dir. Barbara Trent, 1992): Sept. 26, 8pm, at the Duncan College Masters’ house. • Drug Wars (Frontline, 1990): Nov. 15, 7pm, at the Duncan College Masters’ house. NOTES.-­‐ To make the most of this course and put yourself in a position to do well on assignments, you should develop several good habits as students: 1. Attendance is mandatory. The courtesy of alerting the professor to a scheduled absence or lateness is expected. In the event of an emergency absence and/or request for extension on papers (due to personal or family illness or appropriate extenuating circumstances only) documentation will be requested. Absences will significantly impact your final grade. You are allowed one unexcused absence. Each additional absence will lower your grade by half letter point: A would become A-­‐, B+ would become B-­‐, and so on. 2. Take notes during class; if you miss a class, arrange to get notes from one of your classmates. If you know you have to miss class for some reason, please let one of the instructors know in advance 3. Review your class and reading notes; look for connections, themes and unanswered questions. 4. Keep up with reading assignments by reading some everyday. Don’t leave reading to the last minute. Remember, 30% of your grade depends on contribution to discussions. 5. When non-­‐required films or readings are suggested, try to see/read them. 6. Become intimately familiar with the Honor Code and rules of proper attribution. Don’t cut/paste from Web sources; NEVER use Wikipedia for this class; do your own work; and, talk to one of the instructors if you ever have questions about how to use/quote from sources (thanks to Prof. Caleb McDaniel for many of these suggestions). (See: http://honor.rice.edu/) 7. We reserve the right to make changes to the syllabus to facilitate your learning process and to respond to the dynamics of the semester. Advanced notification will be given to the students in class, by e-­‐mail or through Owl-­‐Space postings. Students must consult e-­‐mail and Owl-­‐Space periodically for communication with the professor and other members of class. 8. Students with Disabilities/ Special Circumstances: Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments is requested to speak with me during the first two weeks of class. All discussions will remain confidential. Students with disabilities will also need to contact Disability Support Services in the Ley Student Center. F. Syllabus Week 1 Tuesday, Aug. 23 Introduction to the seminar • Discussion of syllabus • Visual Journey of the US/-­‐Latin American Counterpoint • Suggested reading: Skidmore & Smith, “Why Latin America”. In: Modern Latin America. • In Class Writing Response Assignment and Discussion: What do we know about the relationship between Latin America and the United States? Why should we care? Thursday, Aug. 25 Cultural Foundations of the United States and Latin America On Latin America’s Cultural Formation: • Chasteen, John C., “First Stop, The Present”. In: Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America. New York: Norton, 2001. • Chanady, Amaryll, “Identity, politics and mestizaje”. In: Hart, Stephen M., and Richard Young. Contemporary Latin American Cultural Studies. London: Arnold, 2003. • Suggested reading: Skidmore & Smith, “The Transformation of Modern Latin America 1880s-­‐2000s”, In: Modern Latin America, pp. 42-­‐68. • Suggested reading: Bolivar, Simón. “The Jamaica Letter” (1815). • Week 1 Writing Response Assignment: Students must read the excerpts from A. Matusow (on Owlspace, pp. 154-­‐55, 325-­‐335) and write a 200-­‐300 word analysis of his writing style. Due at 1:00am on Aug. 29. Week 2 Tuesday, Aug. 30 Cultural Foundations of the United States and Latin America On the Cultural Formation of United States: • Foner, Eric. The Story of American Freedom, pp. 3-­‐58. • Horsman, Race and Manifest Destiny, pp. 81-­97. Thursday, Sept. 1 Latin America Independence Movements • Graham, Richard, “Colonies in Flux” (1-­‐36) and “The Meaning of Independence” (136-­‐157). In: Independence in Latin America: A Comparative Approach. New York: McGraw-­‐Hill, 1994. • Burns, E B., “The Poverty of Progress. Chapter 7” (132-­‐154). In: The Poverty of Progress: Latin America in the Nineteenth Century. Berkeley: U.C. Press, 1980. • Week 2 Writing Response Assignment. See Owlspace. Due 1:00am, Sept. 6. Week 3 Tuesday, Sept. 6 The Monroe Doctrine and the Roosevelt Corollary United States Rationale • “The Monroe Doctrine, by James Monroe” (Doc. 4), In: Latin America and the United States. A Documentary History. Pp 13-­‐16. • The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, 1904. In, Viotti, American Foreign Policy & National Security, A Documentary Record, pp. 157-­‐161. • Philander Knox essay in Leiken and Rubin, Central American Crisis Reader, pp. 63-­72. • Melanson, J. “Congressional Debate over US Participation in the Congress of Panama, 1825-­‐26,” Diplomatic History (2006). Thursday, Sept. 8 The Monroe Doctrine and the Roosevelt Corollary Latin America’s Responses: • Bolívar, Simón, “The Congress of Panama 1824” (Doc. No.5) and “The United States: “Destined to Plague America with Torments 1829” (Doc No. 6) In: Latin America and the United States. A Documentary History. pp. 16-­‐20. • “The Calvo Clause 1896” (Doc 234), In: Latin America and the United States. A Documentary History. pp. 69-­‐70. • Rubén Darío, “To Roosevelt 1904” (Doc 34), In: Latin America and the United States. A Documentary History. pp. 91-­‐92 • List of US military interventions from Loveman, pp. 87-­‐90, 200-­‐205. • Week 3 Writing Response (See Owlspace) is due no later than 1:00am on Monday, September 12. Week 4 Tuesday, Sept. 13 Manifest Destiny, Slavery and Expansion: From Louisiana to Texas • “President Polk’s War Message to Congress 1846” (Doc. 9), In: Latin America and the United States. A Documentary History. pp. 26-­‐28 • “Vanity and Ambition on the Rio Grande 1902” (Doc. 31), In: Latin America and the United States. A Documentary History. pp. 84-­‐87. • F. Anderson, Dominion of War, pp. 246-­‐286 (on Santa Ana, Grant, and the US-­‐ Mexican War) • D. Weber, “’Scarce More than Apes’: Historical Roots of Anglo-­‐American Stereotypes of Mexicans” (9pp). • ORAL REPORT Option 1: Diplomatic correspondence US/ Mexico, Oct-­‐Nov 1844 Thursday, Sept. 15 The Isthmus, Santo Domingo and Cuba: Prelude to Empire • May, R. Manifest Destiny’s Underworld: Filibustering in Antebellum America, pp. 1-­‐18. • Sexton, J. “The US, the Cuban Rebellion, and the Multilateral Initiative of 1875,” Diplomatic History (2006). • “The Clayton-­‐Bulwer Treaty” (Doc.12), In: Latin America and the United States. A Documentary History. pp. 34-­‐35. (Doc. 10), In: Latin America and the United States. pp. 28-­‐29. • Week 4 Writing Response Assignment. See Owlspace. Due no later than 1:00am on Sept. 19th. Week 5 Tuesday, Sept. 20 Latin American Responses to US Expansion • Sarmiento, Domingo Faustino, “The United States: ‘An Inconceivable Extravaganza’ 1847” (Doc 11), In: Latin America and the United States. A Documentary History, pp. 30-­‐32. • Martí, José, “The Character of the United States 1894” (Doc. 22), In: Latin America and the United States. A Documentary History. Pp. 63-­‐65. • Rodó, José Enrique, “Ariel 1900” (Doc. 29), In: Latin America and the United States. A Documentary History, pp. 79-­‐81. Thursday, Sept. 22 The Spanish-­Cuban-­American War • “The Decision to Act Against Spain 1898” (Doc 25), In: Latin America and the United States. A Documentary History. Pp. 71-­‐73. • “The Treaty of Paris. The Government of United States and Spain 1898” (Doc. 28), In: Latin America and the United States. A Documentary History. Pp. 77-­‐78. • L. Schoutz, Beneath the United States (pp. 125-­151) • Sen. John T. Morgan, “What Shall We Do With the Conquered Islands?” North American Review (June 1898, 9pp) • Week 5 Writing Response Assignment. See Owlspace. Due no later than 1:00am on Sept. 26th. • ORAL REPORT Option 2: Documents on US Foreign Policy in the Caribbean Week 6 Monday, Sept. 26: Recommended viewing: The Panama Deception (US, Dir. Barbara Trent, 1992). 8pm, Duncan Masters House Tuesday, Sept. 27 The Panama Canal • “Bidlack Treaty. The Government of New Granada and the United States 1846” (Doc. 10), In: Latin America and the United States. pp. 28-­‐29. • “The United States Invades Panama: ‘We Never Heard the Truth, 1990” (Doc. 116), In: Latin America and the United States. pp. 321-­‐324. • M. Hogan, The Panama Canal in American Politics, pp. 3-­‐37 Thursday, Sept 29 Woodrow Wilson, Mexico, and the Era of Revolution, 1910-­1923 • Wilson speeches on Owlspace: 4/20/1914 (Tampico Affair); 1/08/18 • Wilson draft of the Pan-­‐American Pact, 1/29/1915 • Gardner, L. “Woodrow Wilson and the Mexican Revolution,” in A. Link, ed. Woodrow Wilson and a Revolutionary World, 1913-­1921, pp. 3-­‐48. • Week 6 Writing Response Assignment. See Owlspace. Due no later than 1:00am on Oct. 3th. Week 7 Tuesday, Oct. 4 Send in the Marines: The Occupation of Haiti • Renda, Mary A. “Introduction”, (pp. 8-­‐36), Taking Haiti: Military Occupation and the Culture of U.S. Imperialism, 1915-­‐1940. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2001. • H. Stimson, The US and the other American Republics” (1931) • “The US accepts the non-­‐intervention principle”, (Doc. 55), In: Latin America and the United States. pp. 146-­‐147. • ORAL REPORT Option 3: “The U.S. Occupation of Haiti, 1915-1934” (CRS Report for Congress), and link to the US Navy Department Library, doc.: “US Government Documents Relating to Chaotic Conditions in Haiti and Subsequent Landing of US Naval Personnel”. See Owlspace. Thursday, Oct. 6 The Cold War: The Structure of Power and Ideas, 1946-­1954 • Kennan, G. “Latin America as a Problem in US Foreign Policy,” (1950, 11pp). • Kennan, G. The “Long telegram,” Feb 1946 (Both listed under Kennan, Perkins, Blaiser, LaRosa essays) • The Rio Treaty and the Charter of the Organization of American States, in Viotti, ed., pp. 371-­‐380. • M. Hogan, The American Ascendancy, pp. 188-­‐224. • ORAL REPORT Option 4: NSC policy papers on Latin America. Week 8 Tuesday, Oct. 11 MID TERM RECESS Thursday, Oct. 13 Guatemala • “Terminating a Revolution in Guatemala –A View from Guatemala 1954” (Doc. 74), In: Latin America and the United States. A Documentary History. pp. 194-­‐196. • “The Shark and the Sardines 1961” (Doc. 86), In: Latin America and the United States. A Documentary History. pp. 230-­‐232. • S. Rabe, Eisenhower and Latin America, pp. 42-­‐64. • ORAL REPORT Option 5: See link in Owlspace to National Security Archive and/or students will go to FRUS volumes for 1954. Week 9 Tuesday, Oct. 18 Cuba, Castro and the U.S • “The Teller Amendment, 1898” (DOC. 25), In: Latin America and the United States. A Documentary History. pp. 72-­‐73. • Skidmore & Smith, “Chapter 9. Cuba: Late Colony, First Socialist State”. In: Modern Latin America, pp. 296-­‐337 • Readings on the Bay of Pigs, Operation Mongoose, and missile crisis in A. Furchenko, One Hell of a Gamble: Khrushchev, Castro, and Kennedy: The Secret History of the Cuban Missile Crisis. ORAL REPORT Option 6: March 16, 1960 CIA record: “A Program of Covert Action Against the Castro Regime” •
Thursday, Oct. 20 The Cold War: The Structure of Power and Ideas, 1960-­1972 • Decolonization timeline • “Counterinsurgency” in Rabe, The Most Dangerous Area of the World (22pp) • ORAL REPORT Option 7: N. Khruschev, “Wars of National Liberation” speech (1961) vs. JFK’s Inaugural Address. See OwlSpace. Week 10 Tuesday, Oct. 25 Cuba, Castro and Third Word Revolution • Ernesto Ché Guevara, “The Foco Theory 1963” (Doc 90), In: In: Latin America and The United States. A Documentary History. Pp. 244-­‐246 • J. Groenbeck-­‐Tedesco, “The Left in Transition: The Cuban Revolution in US Third World Politics”(22pp) • ORAL REPORT Option 8: Fidel Castro, “History Will Absolve Me” (1953); “A Call to Arms” (1967) Thursday, Oct. 27 Right-­wing Dictatorships in Latin America: Chile • Kornbluh, P. The Pinochet File, pp. 1-­‐37, 45-­‐48, 62-­‐67 (1970 documents) • Rabe, The Killing Zone, pp. 114-­‐120, 130-­‐133 • Oral Report Option 9: National Security Archive and FRUS documents (links and documents in Owlspace) Week 11 Tuesday, Nov. 1 Right-­wing Dictatorships in Latin America • Armory, “Transnationalizing the Dirty War,” in Joseph and Spenser, eds., In from the Cold War (24pp) • Kornbluh, The Pinochet File, pp. 369-­‐70, 381-­‐392 • J. Kirkpatrick, “Dictatorships and Double-­‐Standards” (1979, 23pp) • Short Essay #1: Students will assess Amb. Kirkpatrick’s argument in light of Latin America. Specific prompt will be provided in class. • Oral Report Option 10: on archival documents (Owlspace) Thursday, Nov. 3 Nicaragua and Iran Contra Affair • Grow, M. “Nicaragua 1981,” in US Presidents and Latin American Interventions (22pp) or Becker, Ch 9 (27pp). • The Tower Commission Report, pages TBA • Cold War International History Project, 1979 Document on Cuba’s relations with Nicaragua (2pp). • Oral Report Options 11/12: In Leiken and Rubin, eds., The Central American Crisis Reader Week 12 Tuesday, Nov. 8 Terrorism • See Armory (from Nov. 01). • Article on Posada Carriles • Article on “Operación Cóndor” • Walzer, M. Just and Unjust Wars (chs. 11 and 12 on guerrillas and terror, 28pp) • Oral Report Option 13: on archival documents Thursday, Nov. 10 Theoretical Approaches to Empire • Chilcote, Ronald H. Development in Theory and Practice: Latin American
Perspectives. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield, 2003. (Selected chapters)
• Wright Ed., The New Imperialism (Lenin & Langer).
Week 13 Tuesday, Nov. 15 Theoretical Approaches to Empire • Williams, William A. Empire As a Way of Life. New York: O. U. Press, 1980. • Recommended film screened outside of class: “Drug Wars” (PBS, 2000). November 15, 7pm, at Duncan Masters’ house Thursday, Nov. 17 The “War on Drugs” •
Solaún, Mauricio. “U.S. Interventions in Latin America: Plan Colombia”, at: http://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/30/SolaunOP.pdf?sequence=1 • Oral Report Option 14: DEA history On-­‐Line Week 14 Tuesday, Nov. 22 Immigration/Mexico • Carlos Fuentes, The Cristal Border. • LaRosa, M. and L. Ingwersen, “US Immigration Policies in Historical Context,” in LaRosa, ed., Neighborly Adversaries (13pp) (Listed under Kennan, Perkins, Blaiser, LaRosa essays) • Maps/Graphs in Ochoa, Atlas of Hispanic American History (see the first 10 pages of the collection in Owlspace) • Oral Report Option 15 Thursday, Nov. 24 THANKSGIVING Week 15 Tuesday, Nov. 29 The Debt Crisis in Latin America, 1970s-­90s • D. Yergin, The Commanding Heights, pp. 231-­‐269 Thursday, Dec. 1 Closing session • Skidmore & Smith, “Chapter 12. Latin America, The United States, and the World”. In: Modern Latin America, pp. 396-­‐439. • F. Fukuyama, “The End of History?” (28pp) •
Final essays due electronically, 12/08th, 6:00 PM. Email [email protected] and [email protected]