Finn, Janet L.

Haber, Paul L.

English

University of Montana

University of MontanaScholarWorks at University of MontanaSyllabi Course SyllabiSpring 2-1-1998PSC 595.01: Cultures in Conflict - PoliticalChanges in the AmericasPaul L. HaberUniversity of Montana - Missoula, paul.haber@umontana.eduJanet L. FinnUniversity of Montana - MissoulaLet us know how access to this document benefits you.Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabiThis Syllabus is brought to you for free and open access by the Course Syllabi at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted forinclusion in Syllabi by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contactscholarworks@mso.umt.edu.Recommended CitationHaber, Paul L. and Finn, Janet L., "PSC 595.01: Cultures in Conflict - Political Changes in the Americas" (1998). Syllabi. 8605.https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabi/8605I Political Science/ Anthropology 595 Cultures in Conflict: Political Changes in the Americas Team Taught by Professors Paul Haber and Janet Finn Spring 1998 Overview: This graduate seminar critically examines social movements in the Americas from political, cultural and historical perspectives. The politics of social movements are addressed in the context of transnational capitalism, with particular attention given to the predominance ofa neoliberal economic model throughout the Americas. A combination of case studies and theoretical analyses will be used in developing a critical understanding of the common ground and important differences among social movements in South, Central and North America. The seminar will address: the definition and political implications of social movements; criteria for evaluating the impacts ofdiverse forms of social participation; the politics ofpoverty and inequality in transnational context; questions of agency, subjectivity and identity; the cultural politics ofgender, class, race, and nation in social change efforts; anP, current strategies for cross border organizing efforts on this complicated social and political terrain. Course Expectations and Assignments: The success of this seminar depends on members' careful attention to the readings and active participation in weekly discussions. An .internet discussion group will be set up to facilitate ongoing conversations about issues raised in the readings and the seminar. Participation in the internet discussion is optional. Critical Review Essay (Due Feb. 25): Each participant will write a brief (about five page),J essay critically reflecting on a theme raised in the course readings to date. This essay may provide the basis for your research paper, or it may offer the opportunity for more in depth engagement with particular topics or theoretical perspectives introduced in the readings. Seminar Facilitation: Each class member will take responsibility for facilitating discussion during one seminar meeting over the course of the semester. A discussion outline is to be submitted to the instructors at least one day prior to the assigned class meeting. Research Paper (Due May 13): Each class member will complete an independent research paper/project addressing an aspect ofpolitical change in the Americas. A one page proposal is due March 11. In lieu of a final exam, our finals week meeting will be a time for informal presentations on and discussions of the individual projects. Course Readings (Some ofthe course texts are on library reserve as noted) Books: Agger, Ben (1998) Critical Social Theories: An Introduction. Boulder: Westview Press. Escobar, Arturo (1995) Encountering Development: The Making and Unmaking ofthe Third World. Princeton: Princeton University Press. (On reserve) 2 Korten, David (1995) When Corporations Rule the World West Hartford, CT: Kumarian Press (On reserve) Hayek. Frederick. (1962) The Road to Serfdom. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul. Friedman, M and Friedman, R. (1980) Free to Choose: A Personal Statement. New York: Penguin. (On reserve) Castaneda, Jorge. (1993) Utopia Unarmed. New York: Vintage Books. (On reserve) Jelip, E. and Hersberg. (1996) Constructing Democracy. Boulder: Westview Press. (On reserve) Alvarez, S., Dagnino, E. and Escobar, A ( 1998) Cultures ofPolitics and Politics ofCultures: Revisioning Latin American Social Movements. Boulder: Westview Press. (Available 2/98) Levine, Daniel (1993). Constructing Culture andPower in Latin America. Ann Arbor: University ofMichigan Press. (Excerpts only, will be placed on reserve) Guzman Bouvard, Marguerite. (1993). RevolutionizingMotherhood: The Mothers ofthe Plaza de Mayo. Wilmington, Delaware: Scholarly Resources Articles and Chapters: The following are available on 2 hour reserve at Mansfield Library Lowe, L. and Lloyd, D. (Eds.) (1997) The Politics ofCulture in the Shadow ofCapital. Durham: Duke University Press. (Select chapters) Escobar, A and Alvarez, S. (Eds.) (1992) The Making ofSocial Movements in Latin America: Idefltity, Strategy and Democracy. Boulder: Westview Press. (Select chapters) Rouse, Roger (1995). "Thinking Through Transnationalism: Notes on the Cultural Politics of Class Relations in the Contemporary United States. Public Culture 7: 353-402. Broad, Dave (1995). "Globalization and the Casual Labor Problem: History and Prospects. Social Justice 22: 67-91. Green, Linda (1994). "Fear as a Way ofLife. 11 Cultural Anthropology 9:227-256 Nash, June (1994) "Global Integration and Subsistence Insecurity. American Anthropologist, 96: 7-30. Coronil, Fernando (1996) "Beyond Occidentalism: Toward Nonimperial Geohistorical Categories. Cultural Anthropology. 11: 51-87. 3 Armbruster, Ralph (1995) "Cross-National Labor Organizing Strategies." Critical Sociology, 21: 75-90. · Conklin, Beth (1997). "Body Paint, Feathers and VCRS: Aesthetics and Authenticity in Amazonian Activism. American Ethnologist 24: 711-737. Hale, Charles (1994) "Between Che Guevara and the Pachamama: Mestizos, Indians and Identity Politics in the Anti-Quincentenary Campaign." Critique ofAnthropology 14: 9-39. Stam, Orin (1995) "To Revolt against the Revolution: War and Resistance in Peru's Andes," Cultural Anthropology 10: 547-580. There are also three folders, entitled Neoliberalism I, II, and III. Each contains a collection of readings. There are also a two folders pertaining to Mexico and Chile, entitled Mexico Readings and Chile Readings. Each contains a collection of articles. Schedule of Class Meetings and Reading Assignments: Note, reading assignments are subject to change and new items may be added as our discussions evolve over the course of the semester. Jan 28: Introduction and Overview. Feb 4: Setting the Theoretical Stage. Discuss Agger (1997) and Conklin (1997) Feb 11: Encountering Development. Discuss Escobar (1995) and Coronil (1996) ' Feb 18: Cultural and Political Implications of Corporate Transnationalism. Discuss Korten (1995) and Rouse (1995) Feb 25: Road to Serfdom. Discuss Hayek (1962) and Neoliberalism Readings I (on reserve) Mar. 4: Free to Choose: Discuss Friedman (1980) and Neoliberalism Readings II (on reserve) Mar 11 : Whither Utopia. Discuss Castaneda ( 1993) and Neoliberalism Readings III (on reserve) Mar 18: Spring Break Mar 25: (Re)contructing Democracy: Discuss Jelin and Hersberg (1996) and Green (1994) Apr 1: Cultures ofPolitics. Discuss Alvarez et al (1998) and Hale (1994) Apr 8: And Politics of Cultures: Alvarez et al (1998) cont. and Stam (1995) 4 ,. ) Apr 15: Gender and Social Movements. Guzman Bouvard (1993) and Nash (1994) Apr 22: Case Studies: Mexico and Chile. Mexico Readings and Chile Readings (on reserve) The Rocky Mountain Council on Latin American Studies will hold a conference here in Missoula on April 23, 24, and 25. The conference location is the Double Tree Hotel, 100 Madison. There is a cost to attend the conference. Information will be forthcoming about ways to reduce or eliminate these costs for seminar participants. Apr 29: Social Movements: Problems and Possibilities: Broad (1995) and Armbruster (1995) May 6: Reflections on the journey and where we go from here. Readings TBA May 13: Americas Potluck Dinner and presentation offinal papers (informal presentations and discussion but firm deadline for papers) 

PSC 595.01: Cultures in Conflict - Political Changes in the Americas

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PSC 595.01: Cultures in Conflict - Political Changes in the Americas

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