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Syllabus for HIS 195/440: Latin American Civilization and Culture Summer Session I, 2008 - Cuernavaca, Mexico
Instructor: Antonio Ortega, antonioCGE@laneta.apc.org; U.S. Internet phone line: (612) 605-7230, Mexico phone numbers: (777) 312-3578 or 318-7799 Ext. 106
Teaching Assistant (T.A.): To be announced
Important Note Regarding the Location of the Course This version of the course will be taught as an integral part of the 5-week long Augsburg College Center for Global Education summer program entitled “Language, Culture, and Social Change” in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. Please note that this will be an academically challenging course due to the fact that it is being taught intensively in just five weeks. Students should be prepared to read extensively.
Purpose of the Course The primary purpose of this course is to explore the history of cultural inheritance of Latin American countries from pre-Columbian times to the present. Due to the fact that the course is taught in Mexico, we will focus primarily on Mexican history, although students will be exposed to common historical developments and cultural characteristics shared throughout Latin America.
Course Description This course will focus on the history of Latin American cultures and civilization from pre-Columbian times to the present, starting from the premise that we need to know where we come from in order to know where we are and where we are going. Particular emphasis will be placed on contemporary cultural issues and cultural media, including murals and other visual arts, theatre, dance, music, and film.
The course structure will follow the structure provided by Carlos Fuentes in his book The Buried Mirror: Reflections on Spain and the New World (1992), which will serve as the primary written text. Students may also watch video excerpts of the five-part television series “The Buried Mirror” and other relevant films.
Since the course will be taught in Mexico, we have many rich opportunities to enhance learning from text books and films by listening to guest lectures by Mexican historians and anthropologists and participating in excursions to museums, archeological sites, historical monuments, and local cultural events, as well as talking directly with many Mexicans and other Latin Americans from diverse backgrounds with regard to race, ethnicity, socio-economic class, religion, gender, and sexual orientation.
The first few days of the course will be taught in Mexico City and then the rest of the course will be taught in Cuernavaca, Morelos and the surrounding area.
Course-related excursions, cultural events, and guest lectures may include the following:
During this course, students will spend four weeks living with Mexican host families during this course and will be expected to conduct informal interviews with them about their perspectives regarding Mexican history and culture. Students will also be encouraged to reflect critically on their own culture and the cultural perspectives they bring to bear on course materials and content.
Students who are registered for HIS 440 (as opposed to HIS 195) will be expected to complete more supplementary reading assignments than the other students and to submit a 4-5 page research paper along with the final project and presentation.
Instructional Objectives/Learning Outcomes Learners will:
Teaching Methodology, Pedagogy, and Ethics CGE instructors use a student-centered methodology. Students are given a course interest survey and/or an ungraded quiz or “pre-test” to assess their prior knowledge, as well as their level of interest in specific course topics. The instructors will try to incorporate the students’ knowledge and interests into the course design to the extent possible. However, since students’ background knowledge, interests, and learning styles vary greatly within every group, it is impossible to satisfy every student. Moreover, part of education is being stretched outside one’s own comfort zone. Nonetheless, students should feel free to talk with the instructor about ways to conduct independent research and/or tailor some of the assignments to their own interests and/or learning styles. In addition, be sure to see the program manual for information regarding grading criteria and the point system. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk with the instructor as soon as possible.
Teaching strategies include lectures by the instructor; small and large group discussions of required readings and experiences; films; spontaneous journaling exercises; use of artwork and music which express course-related themes; field trips; guest lectures; dialogue with a wide range of people expressing diverse viewpoints; participant observation, and interviews. Particular attention is given to story-telling, particularly by members of groups whose voices have been silenced. In addition, when scheduling guest speakers and other encounters, priority is given to women and to other individuals and groups who have been marginalized and under-represented in academia.
Due to the fact that approximately half of class time is spent listening to guest speakers or participating in excursions, students are encouraged to develop their strategic questioning and listening skills. It is very important that students ask informed questions and share their own interests, opinions, and experiences with speakers so that they are not just educational consumers but partners in a common quest to learn more about important issues related to Latin American history and culture.
During internal class discussion sessions, the instructors try to apply principles of experiential pedagogies by encouraging students to reflect upon both cognitive and affective learning and to draw upon their own prior life experiences, as well as new experiences in Mexico.
Cultural Issues Lab Groups Students will be asked to consider their own group of co-learners as a “laboratory” for exploring cultural issues, as many of the same issues that we are studying in Latin American history and culture at large can be found within the smaller microcosms of learning groups. Therefore, during weekly “lab group” sessions, teaching assistant (T.A.) and/or Homestay Coordinator Lisanne Morgan will facilitate discussion of the following inter-related topics: Personal reactions to guest speakers, excursions, readings, and other experiences in Mexico, including both thoughts and feelings. Current events in Latin America and our relationship to them. Cross-cultural issues, including cultural values, norms, behaviors, and assumptions. Cultural issues that emerge while living with a Mexican host family and participating in the broader Cuernavaca community, and the global community.
Course Design This survey course is divided into the following units: Week 1: Orientation Week in Mexico City; Cuernavaca, Morelos, and the Surrounding Area Unit I: The Relationship between History and Culture Unit II: The Pre-Columbian Period, Spanish Conquest and Mesoamerican Civilization Today (Fuentes, Parts I and II) Reading Exercises # 1 and # 2 due in class.
Week 2: In Cuernavaca Unit III: The Colonial Period (Fuentes, Part III) Reading Exercise #3 and Paper #1 due in class on Wednesday and Friday.
Week 3: In Cuernavaca Unit IV: Independence and the Aftermath (Fuentes, Part IV) Unit V: The Porfiriato and Other Tyrants (Fuentes, Part IV) Reading Exercises # 4 and # 5 due in class on Tuesday and Friday.
Week 4: In Cuernavaca Unit VI: The Mexican Revolution (Fuentes, Part IV) Unit VII: Dictatorships, Revolutions, and the Search for Democracy (Fuentes, Part V) Reading Exercise #6 and Paper #2 due in class on Tuesday and Friday.
Week 5: In Cuernavaca Unit VIII: Key Issues in Contemporary Latin American History and Culture Research Project/Paper and Presentation due in class on Friday.
Required Readings (Please purchase these books!) Fuentes, Carlos. The Buried Mirror: Reflections on Spain and the New World. New York: First Mariner Books, 1992. (You can purchase used copies over the internet for discount prices.) You will also be given a supplementary reading packets upon arrival in Mexico.
Course Requirements: (100% = 100 points) 1. Class Participation (15% = 15 points): Effective class participation includes not only regular attendance but also active participation in guest lectures, experiential activities, internal class sessions, and lab group sessions. Students will be expected to demonstrate their comprehension of assigned readings by engaging in informed dialogue with speakers, asking probing questions, sharing their own thoughts and experiences; and making references to assigned readings to class discussion topics, as appropriate. Please note that class participation is required for a passing grade. Because participation is essential to the learning process, a student who misses class activities for any reason must speak to the instructor, preferably prior to class. Absences due to religious holidays and illness are considered excused absences. However, students still must inform the instructor of such absences in advance and talk to the instructor about how to make up the missed session/s. Students are also responsible for obtaining notes, handouts and information regarding announcements from other students if they arrive late to class or miss a class session. Absences for personal travel or visits from family or friends are not excused absences, and points will be deducted from students’ participation grade. Your class participation grade includes the following: Active Participation Class Sessions and Engagement with Guest Speakers and Excursions (10% = 10 points) Active Participation in the Social Change Lab Group (5% = 5 points)
2. Reading Exercises ( 25% = 25 points: 5% or 5 points each): Students must complete 5 out of a total of 6 short reading exercises which will vary in style and format. If a student completes all 7, then the instructor will only use the highest 6 grades. Reading Exercises will be due at the start of class and will not receive any credit if turned in after that time (unless prior arrangements have been made for an extension due to illness or other extenuating circumstances), as the purpose of these exercises is for students to be familiar enough with the required readings to be able to discuss or draw upon them during the class session. Reading Exercises must be completed individually rather than collectively and may not be written during class. Each Reading Exercise is worth 5 points (5% of the total course grade). They will be graded on the basis of ** (5 points), * (4.5 points), or *- (4 points). Deadlines: #1: Wed., May 28; #2: Fri., May 30; #3: Tues. June 3; #4: Tues., June 10; #5: Fri., June 13; #6: Tues., June 17.
3. Short Reflection and Analysis Papers (40% = 40 points; 20% or 20 points each): Students will write two short papers in which they will be expected to make connections between required readings and guest speakers, cultural events, excursions, and other experiences in Mexico. Assignments submitted after the due date and time will receive lower grades unless prior arrangements have been made for an extension. Papers should be approximately 1000-1250 words in length (4-5 typed pages) and must include proper citations, such as footnotes or endnotes. Students should number each page and use 11 or 12 font and 1” margins. Since access to computers is limited, students may choose to write with a dark pencil or pen on 8½ x 11” paper. More specific topic guidelines will be provided in class. Deadlines: Paper #1: Fri., June 6; Paper #2: Fri., June 27.
4. Research Project or Paper and Oral Presentation (20% = 20 points): Near the end of the course, students will be asked to conduct research on an issue of interest regarding contemporary Latin American history and/or culture. During week #5, students will design and complete a creative project that will teach others what they have learned about the topic. Topics may include the Mexican muralist movement, Mexican music or film, the letters and communiqués of EZLN Subcomandante Marcos, cultural similarities and differences between the U.S. and Mexico, or any other issue of interest regarding contemporary Latin American history and/or culture. Students who are registered for HIS 440 (as opposed to HIS 195) must supplement their project and oral presentation with a 4-5 page typd paper in which they articulate their research findings. Project/Paper Proposal deadline: Fri., June 13. Due date: Fri., June 27: Presentations all afternoon!
Augsburg Honesty Policy: All students are expected to follow the Augsburg Honesty Policy which is printed in the program manual. It is assumed that all students have read the honesty policy, understand it, and are following it. Except when the assignment expressly encourages group work, it is assumed that all course work will be one’s own. Students are not to copy the work of others. The first occurrence of plagiarism will result in the failure of the assignment. A student who commits plagiarism a second time will fail the course.
Students’ Rights and Responsibilities: Students with formally diagnosed learning or physical differences have legal rights to course modifications. Those who qualify should identify themselves to the instructor as soon as possible in order to obtain extra assistance.
Note on Late Assignments: Assignments must be completed by the start of class on the day that they are due. If an extension is needed for any reason, it is the student’s responsibility to request one prior to the due date. S/he may discuss call the professor at home to make such arrangements. Unless prior arrangements have been made with the instructor for an extension, all assignments that are submitted within 24 hours after the due date will be graded down a ½ letter grade, or 5% (From a 4.0 to 3.5 or 3.5 to 3.0, etc.). Assignments submitted more 24 hours late will be graded down an entire letter grade, or 10%. (From a 4.0 to 3.0, etc.). If you think you might need an extension for any reason, do not hesitate to contact the instructor immediately. Grading: Normal Augsburg College grading policies apply to this course. Students may select either traditional grading on a 4.0 to 0.0 scale or the P/N option, although they are strongly encouraged to take the course P/N due to the rigorous nature of the academic program and the added stress of cultural adjustment.
*A 2. or higher is required for a passing grade for courses designated with the “Pass/No Credit” grade option.
The Point System: Each assignment offers a certain maximum number of points to be earned corresponding to a given percentage of the total course grade. In other words, an assignment which is worth 10% of the total course grade will offer a maximum of 10 points. For each individual assignment, students will be given a detailed assignment description which will break down the number of points given for the quality with which specific criteria are met. As a result, once each assignment is returned to you, you will know exactly how many total points you have and how many more points you need to achieve the grade for which you are striving in the course.
For example, a student who is striving for a “3.0,” must achieve a minimum of 83 points, whereas someone who is striving for a “Pass” or a “2.0” need only achieve 73 points. Many students have found that this system gives them a great amount of freedom and reduces their stress about grades, allowing them to focus more on accomplishing their learning goals. For example, depending upon the number of total points you are seeking, you may choose to skip one or more of the 5-point reading exercises. Students who have questions about the point system should be sure to ask the course instructor.
Grading Criteria: While criteria will vary slightly from assignment to assignment, most work will be graded on the following four criteria: 1) Form (10%), 2) Content (30%) 3) Interpretation and Analysis (30%), and 4) Connections (30). The instructor considers superior work to be work which fulfills the following criteria.
1) Form (10%): - extremely well organized - articulates ideas clearly and concisely - correct grammar and spelling - legible - typed or handwritten on 8 ½ x 11” paper - accurate citation of readings and speakers (using footnotes or endnotes and bibliography)
2) Content (30%): - demonstrates accurate and profound knowledge of the subject - includes an articulate statement of your thesis and/or questions for further exploration - scales down information to what is most important - exhibits a profound understanding of the main points expressed by guest speakers and in required readings - employs solid logic and well-documented data - supports arguments with concrete examples from readings, speakers, class sessions, and other experiences
3) Interpretation and Analysis (30%): - presents more than just a summary of information - analyzes issues from different viewpoints, including views opposite one’s own - recognizes interrelationships among issues - draws upon assigned texts, class sessions and guest speakers to support own thesis - makes logical arguments - articulates complexities of the issues - generates critical questions not addressed fully by authors or speakers - applies principles and generalizations already learned to new information
4) Connections (30%): - demonstrates an understanding of the ways in which issues interrelate with each other - integrates knowledge from diverse sources, including authors and speakers - compares ideas of authors of required readings with each other - makes connections between ideas raised in required readings with those of guest speakers - takes new information acquired in Mexico and effectively integrates it with prior knowledge and experiences - synthesizes and integrates information and ideas
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