History Seminar: Revolt and Revolution in America

DESCRIPTION

This seminar will focus on revolt and revolution in the history of Latin America since the late-nineteenth century. Our goal is to become familiar with the causes, process and results of revolutionary mobilizations, movements and states. As a seminar there will be no extended, formal lectures. Class time will focus on discussion and presentations by students. During the first six weeks of the semester we will review the literature on four major revolutionary processes (Mexico, El Salvador, Cuba and Nicaragua) and some secondary revolts.

 

GOALS

This course is designed to fulfill five School of Arts and Sciences Core Writing and Communication Goals. At the end of the semester the professor will assess whether students are able to:

• Communicate complex ideas effectively in standard written English
• Respond effectively to editorial feedback from peers and the instructor through successive drafts and revision
• Communicate effectively in modes appropriate to historical inquiry
• Evaluate and critically assess secondary sources and use the conventions of attribution and citation correctly
• Analyze and synthesize information and ideas from multiple primary sources to generate new insights

 

REQUIREMENTS

As part of this seminar students will produce preliminary products (response discussions, proposal, research plan, bibliography, draft, etc.) and a long research paper (20-25pp) that includes significant use of primary source materials. It’s critical that students understand that independent research is the goal and focus of this seminar.

Texting and other cell phone use in class are not allowed. Laptop or tablet used will be limited to note taking or in-class assignments. There will usually be a ten minute break halfway through the class. The course will have both a web site and a sakai site. Many readings will be posted to Sakai.

• Determination of Grades:
  • Participation and projects: 50%
  • Final paper: 50%
• Attendance:
  • Attendance is 100% mandatory and because of the seminar format, quantity of assigned material and frequent deadlines there will be no excused absences or extensions.
• Research Paper:
  • Student research papers will focus on one of these aspects of a single revolutionary process:
    • Context or causes
    • Participants
    • Outcomes and aftermaths
    • Process and experience
    • Micro narrative
  • Among the principal cases students may choose to study:
    • Nicaragua 1979-1992
    • El Salvador, 1931-1932, 1979-1992
    • Bolivia 1950s
    • Dominican Republic 1964-65
    • Guatemala 1955, 1977-1984
    • Cuba 1933, 1959
    • Mexico 1910, 1929, 1990
    • Chile 1973
    • Colombia
    • Peru 1973
    • Puerto Rico 1943
  • Students may also choose other major social upheavals or revolts for which there is a significant literature.

 

READINGS AND RESOURCES

Books to be purchased:

• John Tosh. The Pursuit of History. Routledge. 2009. 978-0-582-89412-9.
• Greg Grandin and Gilbert M. Joseph. A Century of Revolution: Insurgent and Counterinsurgent Violence during Latin America’s Long Cold War.
• Timothy P. Wickham-Crowley.  Guerrillas and Revolution in Latin America.
• Rene De La Pedraja. Wars of Latin America, 1948-1982: The Rise of the Guerrillas.
• Gilbert M. Joseph, Jurgen Buchenau. Mexico’s Once and Future Revolution: Social Upheaval and the Challenge of Rule since the Late Nineteenth Century.

Source pool:

• State Department Records
• Inter Library loan items
• Pamphlet collections on microfilm
• Center for Research Libraries
• Princeton/New York Public Library/Hispanic Society
• Robert Alexander Collection
• Newspapers on microfilm

 

COURSE ORGANIZATION AND SCHEDULE

Week 1 [1/23]: Introduction to the History of Revolt and Revolution in Latin America

• No readings
• Highly Recommended side reading: Cheryl E. Martin & Mark Wasserman. Latin America and Its People, Volume 2 (3rd Edition)

Week 2 [1/30]: NO MEETING

Week 3 [2/6]: 1932: El Salvador

• Aldo Lauria Santiago and Jeffrey Gould. To Rise in Darkness. [SAKAI]
• Greg Grandin and Gilbert M. Joseph. A Century of Revolution: Insurgent and Counterinsurgent Violence during Latin America’s Long Cold War. Chap. by Gould

Week 4 [2/13]: 1910: The Mexican Revolution

• Jurgen Buchenau and Gilbert Joseph. Mexico’s Once and Future Revolution: Social Upheaval and the Challenge of Rule since the Late Nineteenth Century. Entire.
• Greg Grandin and Gilbert M. Joseph. A Century of Revolution: Insurgent and Counterinsurgent Violence during Latin America’s Long Cold War. Chap. TBA
• Visit to campus by Joseph; meeting place will be announced.

Week 5 [2/20]: 1952: Bolivia

• Laura Gotkowitz. A Revolution for Our Rights: Indigenous Struggles for Land and Justice in Bolivia, 1880-1952 . Entire. ON RESERVE
• Preliminary Proposal due

Week 6 [2/27]: 1959: Cuba

• Final proposal due
• Lillian Guerra. Visions of Power in Cuba: Revolution, Redemption, and Resistance, 1959-1971.
• Greg Grandin and Gilbert M. Joseph. A Century of Revolution: Insurgent and Counterinsurgent Violence during Latin America’s Long Cold War. Chap. TBA.

Week 7 [3/6]: 1979: Nicaragua

• Preliminary Bibliography and Research Plan due
• Greg Grandin and Gilbert M. Joseph. A Century of Revolution: Insurgent and Counterinsurgent Violence during Latin America’s Long Cold War. Chap. TBA.
• Pick one:
  • LEADERSHIP BIOGRAPHY: Matilde Zimmermann. Sandinista: Carlos Fonseca and the Nicaraguan Revolution.
  • PERSONAL MEMOIR: Sergio Ramírez. Adios Muchachos: A Memoir of the Sandinista Revolution.
  • LIVE JOURNALISM: Stephen Kinzer. Blood of Brothers: Life and War in Nicaragua
  • COUNTERREVOLUTION: Lynn Horton. Peasants In Arms: War & Peace in the Mountains of Nicaragua, 1979-1994.
  • GENDER: SELECTED CHAPTERS IN:
    • Julie D. Shayne. The Revolution Question: Feminisms in El Salvador, Chile, and Cuba.
    • Babb, Florence E. After Revolution: Mapping Gender and Cultural Politics in Neoliberal Nicaragua.
    • Bickham Mendez.  From the Revolution to the Maquiladoras: Gender, Labor, and Globalization in Nicaragua.
    • Ilja A Luciak. After the Revolution: Gender and Democracy in El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala.
    • Victoria Gonzalez-Rivera. Before the Revolution: Women’s Rights and Right-Wing Politics in Nicaragua, 1821-1979.
• Archival research resources

Week 8 [3/13]: Comparative and Theoretical Perspectives on Revolution and Revolt

• Article research resources
• Documents due Thursday after break (3/27):
  • Updated Proposal, perhaps not final yet but far more specific and focused than first draft
  • Initial Bibliography including section on primary sources
  • Draft Research Plan/Calendar—A dated plan of steps you will take to complete your project.  Update live as work changes. May be separted into completed and not completed sections as you move along your work
  • Notice that first draft of reserach paper is DUE APRIL 17

Spring Break

Week 9 [3/27]: Individual Meetings

Weeks 10 [4/3]: Individual Meetings

Week 11: [4/10]: Revisiting Theory and Concepts of revolutions

• Timothy P. Wickham-Crowley. Guerrillas and Revolution in Latin America.
• Rene De La Pedraja. Wars of Latin America, 1948-1982: The Rise of the Guerrillas

Week 12 [4/17]: Individual meetings

• FIRST DRAFT DUE—NO EXCEPTIONS

Week 13 [4/24]: Presentations and final review

Week 14 [5/1]: Presentations and final review

Final drafts due May 5—NO EXCEPTIONS