History of United States-Latin American Relations

Course number: JMB180; JTB306

Instructor: doc. PhDr. Francis D. Raška, PhD.

E-mail: francisraska@gmail.com

Office hours: Tuesdays from 3:30 PM until 4:30 PM on ZOOM

Wednesdays from 3:30 PM until 4:30 PM on ZOOM

PURPOSE OF THE COURSE

The relationship between the United States and its Latin American neighbors has always proved complex. At times, it has been rather turbulent. This topic has been largely neglected in the Czech Republic and deserves to be studied. The purpose of this B.A. course is to help provide interested students with an historical background that should help them understand the fundamental political, economic, and cultural differences between the United States and Latin American societies and, in turn, how these differences have resulted in various United States policies towards Latin America in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. I expect students to do the readings and be prepared to participate in online class discussions. The readings will be provided electronically.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION PROCEDURES

Each student will receive a final mark at the end of the semester based on the following criteria:

Class participation 30%

Term paper 50%

Oral exam 20%

Grading is based on the Dean's Measure no. 20/2019: https://fsv.cuni.cz/deans-measure-no-20/2019

91% and more => A
81-90% => B
71-80% => C
61-70% => D
51-60% => E
0-50% => F

Students will be expected to read the assigned materials. Attendance and participation in online discussions are expected and each student will be required to write an essay containing 8 to 10 double-spaced pages. In order to avoid any problems, essay topics will need to be approved by me beforehand. During the first weeks of the course, we will agree as a group on the submission dates for the topics and the essays themselves. If a given student does not demonstrate significant progress on his/her term paper research/writing, he/she may be asked to withdraw from the course. In addition, if a student repeatedly fails to read the assigned materials and does not attend the course regularly, I reserve the right not to accept his/her essay at the end of the term. This translates into “No work, no credit.” In addition, all absences must be excused by e-mail. Family and medical emergencies constitute legitimate grounds for absence. I will insist that students let me know how they are getting on with their work throughout the course of the semester. Some time will be spent during the first session(s) discussing how to write essays. All students can expect to be examined orally on the topic of their essay at the end of the term. Please note that students are expected to disclose all sources cited in the form of footnotes. Failure to do so constitutes plagiarism. Plagiarism will be punished by the disciplinary committee of the Faculty of Social Sciences. Questions asked during individual examination sessions may involve the given topic as well as the research methods employed. Finally, in order for the course to be a success, we need to work together as a group of dedicated, mature scholars whose members communicate constructively with one another. Good luck!

TEXTS

Holden, Robert H. and Zolov, Eric (eds.), Latin America and the United States: A Documentary History, Oxford, 2000.

Kryzanek, Michael J., U.S.-Latin American Relations, Westport, CT., 2008.

LaRosa, Michael J. and Mora, Frank O. (eds.), Neighborly Adversaries: Readings in U.S.-Latin American Relations, Lanham, MD, 2015.

Long, Tom, Latin America Confronts the United States: Asymmetry and Influence, Cambridge (UK), 2017.

COURSE TOPICS AND ASSIGNED READINGS

Background and Relations until the 1930s

1. LaRosa, Michael J. and Mora, Frank O. (eds.), Neighborly Adversaries: Readings in U.S.-Latin American Relations, pp. 61-91.

2. Holden, Robert H. and Zolov, Eric, Latin America and the United States: A Documentary History, pp. 50-137.

The Good Neighbor Policy

3. LaRosa, Michael J. and Mora, Frank O. (eds.), Neighborly Adversaries: Readings in U.S.-Latin American Relations, pp. 93-123.

4. Holden, Robert H. and Zolov, Eric, Latin America and the United States: A Documentary History, pp. 141-181.

The Early Cold War

5. Long, Tom, Latin America Confronts the United States: Asymmetry and Influence, pp. 25-73.

6. Holden, Robert H. and Zolov, Eric, Latin America and the United States: A Documentary History, pp. 185-228.

The 1960s and 1970s

7. Long, Tom, Latin America Confronts the United States: Asymmetry and Influence, pp. 74-128

8. Holden, Robert H. and Zolov, Eric, Latin America and the United States: A Documentary History, pp. 229-288.

From Reagan to the New World Order

9. Kryzanek, Michael J., U.S.-Latin American Relations, pp. 85-121.

10. Holden, Robert H. and Zolov, Eric, Latin America and the United States: A Documentary History, pp. 289-318.

Post-Cold War Perspectives

11. Long, Tom, Latin America Confronts the United States: Asymmetry and Influence, pp. 129-216.

12. Holden, Robert H. and Zolov, Eric, Latin America and the United States: A Documentary History, pp. 321-350.