POLITICAL SCIENCE 345

 

CONTEMPORARY UNITED STATES-LATIN AMERICAN RELATIONS

 

FALL 2002

Class Times: Tues/Thurs.  8:30-9:45am, Chambers 123

Instructor: Dr. Crandall

Office: Chambers 326

Office Hours: Tues 3:00-5:30pm; Wed 8:00-10:30am

Phone: (office) 894-2283

Email: rucrandall@davidson.edu

 

Background and Course Objectives

 

For the past 150 years the United States has maintained erratic relations with its southern neighbors. A strong reason for this is that the United States has tended to consider Latin America to be somewhat of a special case, one that can be treated differently (and often times with less respect and consultation) than other parts of the world. Indeed, Latin America and the Caribbean constitute the United States’ famous (or infamous) “backyard”.

 

This course will examine the evolution of US policy in Latin America from the middle of the 19th century to the present day. It will combine diplomatic history and contemporary analysis of foreign policy in order to reach conclusions that will enable the policy analyst to anticipate the future path of US hemispheric policy.

 

Course Requirements

 

In addition to regular class participation, students will be required to sit for a final examination and complete several assignments.  These assignments include: a 15 page research paper that draws upon some of the theories and concepts presented in the literature in order to address a current or past policy issue pertaining to Latin America (more specific guidelines will be provided in class); three 4-5 page papers that demonstrate a critical analysis of the literature.

 

A bibliography for the research paper is due on October 10. A thesis statement for the research paper is due October 31. The final research paper is due December 3.

 

Late papers will receive one lower grade for each day the paper is late. (e.g. a paper turned in one day late goes from A to A-).

 

The success of this course will be due in good part to the involvement and enthusiasm of the students and for this reason student participation is assumed.

 

In addition to the twice-weekly class meetings, we will meet periodically during the semester in order to view films.  This semester these films are: Thirteen Days, Traffic, and Panama Deception.  The dates for the viewing these films are noted on the class schedule.

 

Honor Code

 

Students will be expected to meet the requirements of this course while adhering to the tenets of the honor code. Unless otherwise stated, the individual student should complete the assignments without seeking assistance from others. Appropriate citation methods will be discussed during the course. Students should inquire with Dr. Crandall about sort of student collaboration.

 

 

Materials

 

Books are articles on reserve in the library are so noted in the course schedule. Students should purchase the following books; they are available in the college bookstore. All other readings are on reserve (most on e-reserve) in the library. Please notify Professor Crandall immediately if you are unable to locate a reserve reading.

 

Shoultz, Lars. Beneath the United States: A History of US Policy Toward Latin America. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1998.

Holden, Robert and Zolov, Eric, eds. Latin America and the United States: A Documentary History. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.

Rabe, Stephen. The Most Dangerous Area in the World: John F. Kennedy Confronts Communist Revolution in Latin America. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1999.

Vargas Llosa, Mario.  The Feast of the Goat.  New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2001.

Crandall, Russell. Driven by Drugs: US Policy Toward Colombia. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 2002.

Carothers, Thomas. In the Name of Democracy: US Policy Toward Latin America in the Reagan Years.

 

 

Grading Break-Down

 

Final Review                                                     25%

Research Paper                                                40%

Papers                                                              25%                                        

Participation                                                     10%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COURSE SCHEDULE

 

Introduction to United States involvement in Latin America

 

Tuesday August 27

Introduction. 

 

The 19th Century: Uncle Sam Consolidates and Expands

Thursday August 29

Shoultz, Lars. Beneath the United States: A History of US Policy Toward Latin America. Chs. 1,2

Holden, Robert and Zolov, Eric, eds. Latin America and the United States: A Documentary History. No. 1-7

 

The Splendid Little War and Emergence in the 20th Century

Tuesday September 3

Shoultz, Chs. 3-6

Holden and Zolov, 8-13

 

Thursday September 5

Holden and Zolov, No. 14-20

 

Tuesday September 10

Shoultz, Chs. 7-10

Holden and Zolov, No. 21-37

 

Thursday September 12

Schoultz, Chs. 11-13

Holden and Zolov, No. 38, 39, 40, 41, 44, 45, 49, 50, 51, 52

 

Tuesday September 17

Schoultz, Chs. 14-16

Holden and Zolov, No. 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63, 67

 

Thursday September 19

Schoultz, Chs. 17-19

Holden and Zolov. No. 64-77

PAPER DUE

 

JFK, Castro and Latin America

Tuesday September 24

Rabe, Stephen. The Most Dangerous Area in the World: John F. Kennedy Confronts Communist Revolution in Latin America. Chs. 1-4

Holden and Zolov. No. 78, 81, 82, 83, 84

 

Thursday September 26

Rabe. Chs. 5-9.

Holden and Zolov. No. 90, 91, 92

Film: Thirteen Days (8pm, Ch 307)

 

Nixon, Kissinger, and the Coup in Chile

Tuesday October 1

Hersh, Seymour. “The Price of Power” Atlantic Monthly. December 1982.

(http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/82dec/hersh.htm)

Holden and Zolov.  No. 102

Coup video

 

Thursday October 3

Research Methods Overview

 

Tuesday October 8

Vargas Llosa, Mario.  The Feast of the Goat.

Book Discussion

PAPER DUE

 

Carter and Reagan in Central America

Thursday October 10

Carothers, Thomas. “Democracy by Transition: El Salvador” in In the Name of Democracy: US Policy Toward Latin America in the Reagan Years.

Video: America’s Backyard (in class)

Holden and Zolov. No. 106, 107

Kinzer, Stephen. “US and Central America: Too Close for Comfort?”  New York Times. July 28, 2002.

Bibliography Due

 

Thursday October 17

Carothers. “Democracy by Force: Nicaragua” in In the Name of Democracy: US Policy Toward Latin America in the Reagan Years.

Carothers, Thomas.  In the Name of Democracy.  Chapter on Chile.

Holden and Zolov. No. 108, 109,

 

Thursday October 24

Holden and Zolov. No. 110, 111.112.

Kinzer, Stephen. “Country without Heroes” New York Review of Books (on-line, http://www.nybooks.com/articles/14352)

Kinzer, Stephen. “Our Man in Honduras” New York Review of Books. September 20, 2001.

“An Exchange on John Negroponte” New York Review of Books. October 18, 2001.

 

Tuesday October 29

Case Study: “A Sea of Troubles: Honduras and the Contra Demobilization”

 

 

1989 Invasion of Panama

Thursday October 31

Holden and Zolov. No. 116

Film: Panama Deception

Thesis Statement Due

PAPER DUE

 

The Cold War Ends: From Security to Democracy

Tuesday November 5

Holden and Zolov. No. 113, 114, 115

Discussion of Panama Deception

Transfer of Panama Canal video

 

The United States and Cuba

Thursday November 7

Gilderhus, Mark. “Castro, Cuba, and Containment”, The Second Century: US-Latin American Relations Since 1889.

Guillermoprieto, Alma. Looking for History: Dispatches From Latin America. 87-152.

 

Tuesday November 12

Rodgers, William. “Cuba on the Morning After” New York Times. August 16, 2001.

Johnson, Stephen.“How to Help the People of Cuba, Not the Regime” Policy Report. July 6, 2001.

Cuba video presentation (in class)

 

Driven by Drugs: The United States in Colombia and the Andes

Thursday November 14

Case Study: “Democratic Dilemmas in the US War on Drugs in Latin America”

Faiola, Anthony. “US Role in Coca War Draws Fire” Washington Post. June 23, 2002.

Crandall, Russell. “In the War on Drugs Colombians Dies, Americans are Pardoned” The Wall Street Journal. April 21, 2001.

 

Tuesday November 19

Crandall, Russell. Driven By Drugs.  Chs. 1-3.

 

Thursday November 21

Crandall, Russell. Driven by Drugs.  Finish.

Crandall, Russell. “Debating Plan Colombia” (Rejoinder) Survival. 43:5 Summer 2001-2002.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Democracy Promotion, Free Trade, Human Rights, and the New Agenda

 

Tuesday November  26

Case Study: “Certifying Mexico in the War on Drugs”

Crandall, Russell. Review of Jaqueline Mazza’s Don’t Disturb the Neighbors: The United States and Democracy in Mexico, 1980-1995.

 

Tuesday December 3

“Between Here and There” Special Report by The Economist.

Pastor, Robert. “Bush’s North American Agenda” Washington Post. September 4, 2001.

Thompson, Ginger. “Migrants are a Major Resource for Mexico” New York Times. March 25, 2002.

Holden and Zolov. No. 118, 119, 120.

Film: “Traffic” (8pm, Ch 307)

RESEARCH             PAPER DUE

 

Thursday December 5

Munoz, Heraldo. “Toward a Regime for Advancing Democracy in the Americas” in The Future of Inter-American Relations. Edited by Jorge Dominguez.

Isaacs, Anita. “International Assistance for Democracy” in The Future of Inter-American Relations. Edited by Jorge Dominguez.

Holden and Zolov. No. 117

 

Tuesday December 10

Lowenthal, Abraham. “US-Latin American Relations at Century’s Turn: Managing the ‘Intermestic’ Agenda” in The United States and the Americas. Edited by Albert Fishlow and James Jones.

Holden and Zolov. No. 121, 122, 123, 124.