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Theoretical Approaches to Modernities in Latin America

Vak
2024-2025

Admission requirements

Be enrolled as a student of the Master's Program in Research in Latin American Studies. This course can be followed by students who have a good command of the Spanish language, or a passive domain of Spanish with active Portuguese proficiency.

Description

In this course specially designed for the research master the student will be introduced to Latin American critical thinking. The form that Latin American modernity has acquired historically is linked on the one hand to the transformations that European colonialism and neocolonialism were imposing on it, even violently. On the other hand, this modernity has been linked to the insertion of the area in the world market in its different phases, and has had a dependent development modality and, therefore, an uneven impact. Culturally, modernity has also been an ideal for Latin American elites and many state processes are linked to the various interpretations of this ideal. There is no single model of modernity, and even less of 'modernization'. In this course we will study the Latin American particularity of living the modern, emphasizing the current debates that try to define it.

We will study theoretical approaches on different Latin American social, cultural and political practices based on critical Latin American essays that are fundamental to the field of study. These were intertwined with certain thematic axes from which the following fundamental concerns can be distilled: the question of the national and the continental, tradition versus modernity, the state and revolution, memory and identity, subjects and civil society. This course offers the theoretical tools necessary to understand the socio-political and ethical aspects of the debate around Latin American modernities, so that in the next steps of the research master you will be able to study particular cases (especially in the Resistance and Revival course that will be given in block 2) from a broader and interdisciplinary approach.

Course objectives

  • The ability to analyse and engage in the international academic debate on Latin America and Modernity.

  • A thorough knowledge and understanding of the interdisciplinary aspects of Latin American studies.

  • A thorough knowledge and understanding of central research questions and debates in the field of Latin American studies.

  • Build an argument that leads to its conclusion in a clear, coherent, and verifiable manner

  • Reflect on theoretical, social and ethical aspects in the debate on Latin American modernity

  • The ability to give persuasive presentations;

  • To write a well-founded written report of the state of the art in their research field of Latin American modernities.

Timetable

The timetables are available through My Timetable.

Mode of instruction

Seminar/Research/Lecture

Assessment method

Assessment

Two written tasks (40%)
One presentation (20%)
A final work (40%)

Weighing

The final grade is the final average of the sum of the previous ones and must be equal to or greater than 6.0 to be considered approved.

Resit

The resit takes places if the final grade is lower than 6.0. This resit consists of an improved version of the final work within a predetermined period.

Inspection and feedback

How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.

Reading list

Literature for the course will appear on Brightspace.

Registration

Enrolment through My Studymap is mandatory.

General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.

Registration À la carte education, Contract teaching and Exchange

Information for those interested in taking this course in context of À la carte education (without taking examinations), eg. about costs, registration and conditions.

Information for those interested in taking this course in context of Contract teaching (with taking examinations), eg. about costs, registration and conditions.

For the registration of exchange students contact Humanities International Office. #### Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs

Contact

  • For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.

  • For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office Reuvensplaats