**DRAFT SYLLABUS** Geography 421: Geography of Latin America

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1 **DRAFT SYLLABUS** Geography 421: Geography of Latin America Class times Tuesday and Thursday, pm, Merrill Hall 348 Instructor Nicholas L. Padilla Office Bolton 442 Office hours Tuesday pm, by appointment, and virtual office hours via Skype. Introduction to the course Latin America is an incredibly diverse collection of peoples, places, and landscapes that has historically been defined by shared histories of colonial interventions, languages, and identities. In this upper-level course we will examine Latin America s diverse political, cultural, and social topographies from a variety of perspectives, utilizing key geographical concepts. We will explore case studies from throughout the Americas to make sense of the historical development of Latin America as a global region, its contemporary realities, and the future geographies of Latin@s across the continents as transnational identities (re)emerge, borders become simultaneously more closed and porous, and decolonial movements seek to reclaim livelihoods from the violence of the region s colonial and imperial histories. colonialism to the present day. Through an understanding of these global processes we will observe how Latin America is as much a product of its position in the world as it is of local factors. We will examine the challenges and opportunities of development in America Latina with ample case studies from across the Americas that emphasize Latin American perspectives. Course objectives 1) To become familiar with the cultural, political, economic, urban, and environmental geographies of Latin America; 2) To develop your geographic thinking by relating patterns and processes of various human activities throughout Latin America and beyond; 3) To develop your relational thinking by understanding other people in other parts of the world; 4) To develop your ability to synthesize material through research and writing about geographic issues through an original research project, and other coursework. Required textbook Jackiewicz, Edward L. & Bosco, Fernando J. (2012). Placing Latin America: Contemporary Themes in Geography. Second Edition. Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Tbe course textbook is available through UWM s bookstore, or through any number of internet vendors. Please be sure that you buy the fourth edition.

2 Recommended materials and books Galeano, Eduardo (1997). The Open Veins of Latin America. New York: Monthly Review Press. (or an earlier version is also fine). Mignolo, Walter (1991). The Idea of Latin America. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers. I will also provide you with all other course-related materials through our D2L website, or by handing them out during our scheduled meeting time. Course expectations We are all adults in this class and we must all respect each other in order to foster an atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable expressing his or her own views. I expect you all to comport yourselves in a manner consistent with creating an open and respectful space, and you can all expect me to do the same. We are going to run this course as a seminar, which means that you all are responsible to help make this a successful endeavor. I expect you to read all assigned readings before class AND to actively contribute to our discussions in meaningful ways as we work our way through Latin America. In this sense, we are all instructors in this course and each one of us is responsible to be prepared to fully explore the day s readings offering challenges and clarifications, when needed. Course evaluation! Article Outlines: These assignments are designed to help you read the assigned articles effectively. You are expected to summarize the article s research questions, key points, methods, and conclusions through these assignments, as well as share a few probing questions intended to generate a class discussion. You will complete 4 during the course of the semester.! Discussion leader: You will help to guide the class discussion of the assigned readings two times during the semester. You will compile your classmates article summaries and discussion questions in order to guide your classmates through the assigned readings.! Midterm Exam: Your knowledge of the physical geography of Latin America and your ability to relate key geographical concepts and processes to particular places will be tested through the map exam. This midterm evaluation is designed to measure your ability to apply your understanding of concept and process to place.! Final Essay Exam: The final exam will test your ability to critically analyze contemporary issues in Latin America through short essay responses. The final exam will require a comprehensive understanding of key geographical concepts and the analytical skills to apply those concepts to contemporary issues in Latin America. The final exam will consist of essay questions.

3 ! Attendance and participation: You are required to both attend class regularly and actively participate in class discussions. More than two unexcused absences during the course of the semester will result in a lower attendance and participation grade.! Research Paper and Presentation: Throughout the course you will be designing a paper on an issue of your choosing broadly related to the theme of development in Latin America. Thus you can choose to investigate an issue at the scale of your choosing, from a local grassroots initiative to a national policy, within the field that most interests you, whether it s social, economic, environmental, or cultural. You will find that the deadlines for the research paper and presentation are many and start early. This will encourage you to engage with your project throughout the semester. This portion of the class, accounting for 40% of your overall grade, will be scored as follows: Course assessment Description of paper topic 5 points Outline and annotated bibliography 10 points 1 st Draft 10 points Peer review 10 points 2 nd Draft 15 points Final Paper 40 points Paper Presentation 10 points TOTAL 100 points Article outlines 30 points 10% Discussion leader 30 points 10% Class participation and attendance 20 points 6.6% Research paper 100 points 33% Midterm exam 50 points 16.5% Cumulative final exam 70 points 23% TOTAL 300 points 100% Guide to grades % A 90-92% A % B % B 80-82% B % C % C 70-72% C % D % D 60-62% D- 0-59% F If you take the class pass-fail (S/U), you must get the equivalent of at least a C to earn an S in the course. University Policies Accessibility If you need certain accommodations for any reason please contact your instructor as soon as possible. We will assist you directly or help you find the services you need on the UWM campus.

4 Your instructors are happy to work with the Accessibility Resource Center with respect to your learning accommodations. See for the services provided by the ARC. Accommodations for Religious Observances After making the necessary arrangements ahead of time, students will be allowed to take examinations and submit assignments that cannot be completed on time because of religious observances. Please see this website for more details: Academic Misconduct Students are expected to complete and represent their work honestly, cite sources appropriately, and respect each other s academic endeavors. I follow the UWM Policies and Procedures for Academic Misconduct. For more details, please visit this website: Complaint Procedures Students may direct complaints to the Director of Undergraduate or Graduate Studies, the Chair, or to the offices responsible for enforcing specific University policies. Grade Appeals Students may appeal grades on the grounds that they are based on capricious or arbitrary decisions by instructors. Procedures are available in the departmental office and the Dean's office. For more details, please visit this website: Sexual Harassment Sexual Harassment is reprehensible and will not be tolerated by the University. It subverts the mission of the institution and threatens the careers, educational experience, and well being of students, faculty, and staff. The University will not tolerate behavior between or among members of the University community that creates an unacceptable working environment. For more details, please visit this website: Nondiscrimination The University does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, sex, color, creed, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, religion, ancestry, pregnancy, marital status, parental status, or any other protected status recognized by state or federal law. For further information on university policies, please follow this link: Changes to the syllabus or course schedule In the event of disruption of normal classroom activities due to severe weather events or other large-scale phenomena, the format for this course may be changed to enable completion of the course. In that event, I will provide you a revised course calendar. QUESTIONS?

5 If you have questions or concerns about the class, please contact me. I am available during my office hours, by , or by appointment. You can expect a response to any that you send me within 24 hours, though it will often be faster than that.