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HUM 341-DL : Revolution & Society in Cold War Latin America

Description

For much of the twentieth century, revolution was often seen as the answer to Latin America's chronic poverty and economic injustice. Yet, despite the fact that revolutionary movements emerged in almost all Latin American countries, very few of these movements came to power. Why did some revolutionary groups triumph, while others failed? Once in power, how successful were revolutionary governments at achieving their goals, and what challenges did these regimes face?

This course addresses these questions by examining revolutionary movements in Cold War Latin America. It pays particular attention to three nations in which leftist movements came to power: Cuba, Chile, and Nicaragua, examining the relationship between revolutionary leaders and their nations’ citizens, foreign influences on the trajectory of each nations’ politics, and the lived experience of revolutionary times. This course focuses as well on developing students' understanding of how historians construct arguments and how to evaluate competing historical interpretations of events.

The course is conducted completely online. It will be asynchronous; students can participate in discussions and complete assignments by working at their own pace, as long as deadlines are met.

A technology fee will be added to tuition.

Only SPS students, College Prep Program Students, and Visiting Students may register. Undergraduate students in other schools at Northwestern are not permitted to enroll in this course.