Afro-Latin America (345-0-20)
Topic
Politics of Afro-Latin America
Instructors
Sherwin K Bryant
8474913756
1860 Campus Dr Crowe 5-125
Meeting Info
Kresge Centennial Hall 2-435: Tues, Thurs 12:30PM - 1:50PM
Overview of class
What does it mean to be "Black" in Latin America? What happens to our notions of "blackness," black experiences, and race when we imagine Africans and their descendants as political subjects? How do scholars identify and/or define `race' and `racism' in Latin America? When can we locate and examine `race' and `racism' in the history of Latin America? How has `race' mattered in the history of the region? Has `race' always constituted an organizational category throughout Latin America? And, how have the politics of race and sexuality converged in the making of Latin American Nations? For much of the twentieth century, Latin American nations worked to construct the identities of "racial democracies"¿countries where the scourge of racism and prejudice could not take root due to processes of whitening via mestizaje (racial mixing) and Catholic education. Yet, in recent decades, several of these countries have come to recognize the failure of such "projects" even as a growing number of studies have come to highlight the persistent and insidious patterns of racial discrimination and inequality found throughout the region and its history. In this course, students will grapple with these ideas, histories, and themes, developing a deeper understand of the social and political implications of race in Latin America. They will showcase their deepening understanding of these themes in their own words at various points in the course. Students will also be expected to pay close attention to current events affecting African-descended populations in Latin America.
Class Attributes
Historical Studies Distro Area
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: PRE-REG: Reserved for African American Studies majors & minors.