HISTORY OF THE IBERIAN AND IBERO-AMERICAN WORLD

This course is intended for second-year students in the "Politico Internazionale" track of the Bachelor’s program "Lingue, Civiltà e Scienze del Linguaggio". The course is particularly geared toward students of Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin American Spanish (though not exclusively), offering them an in-depth historical and political exploration of the linguistic region of their interest.

By the end of the course, students will have developed a thorough understanding of the political history of Latin America, with particular emphasis on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and the dictatorial regimes that have characterized recent history. Specifically, students will be able to: 1) gain a solid understanding of the general outline of Latin American history in the modern and contemporary eras; 2) discuss the main political and institutional issues related to the emergence and development of Latin American states, with a focus on their interactions and conflicts with other international political realities; 3) compare the various national experiences analyzed.

More generally, the course aims to: 1) strengthen the students’ learning skills; 2) enhance their ability to address complex historical and political issues; 3) strengthen their communication skills and their ability to work in groups.

No prior knowledge of the course subject is required.

The course will trace the political history of the Latin American continent from its “discovery” by European conquerors in the Modern era through the second half of the 20th century, with a particular focus on the developments of the past two centuries. Following two introductory lectures that will also address methodological issues, the course will be divided into three parts:

1) The first set of lectures will be devoted to analyzing the political dynamics that characterized the nineteenth century, addressing phenomena such as the struggles for independence from the mother country, the complex (and often fragile) construction of nation-states, caudillismo, and its legacy in Latin American political culture; there will also be a focus on the topic of constitutionalism.

2) A second set of lectures will be devoted to an analysis of Latin America throughout the twentieth century. While the initial focus will be on examining the macro-dynamics specific to the continent (from the breakdown of the nineteenth-century order, through World War I, and on to World War II and the dynamics triggered by the Cold War), we will then focus on the various national contexts, conducting a comparative analysis of the different political trajectories under examination, with a specific focus on the authoritarian tendencies at play. An overview of the political challenges facing Latin America in the 21st century will conclude this section.

3) The third part of the course will be devoted to student seminars. After forming groups, students will be asked to conduct a fictional interview with a Latin American dictator, thereby creatively reflecting on what they have learned in the previous parts of the course. The professor will help students identify the topics to cover and the format for conducting the interview, following the guidelines discussed in a dedicated class; the final class will be devoted to a group discussion of the students’ work.

The course will be delivered in a blended format and will therefore include both in-person and online classes; the online sessions will be conducted using teaching methods other than traditional lectures, in order to encourage student participation and active engagement in the course. Further details on the blended format and the course structure will be made available on the Moodle platform.

Loris Zanatta, "Storia dell’America Latina Contemporanea", Il Mulino, Bologna 2010 (and subsequent editions). The sections required for reading will be specified before the course begins. In addition, if the professor deems it appropriate, the textbook will be supplemented by additional readings, which will be indicated as needed (details on Moodle).

Students will be provided with the course slides.

Group work will account for 30% of the final grade. Participation in the other activities included in the blended learning format accounts for an additional 10%. The remaining 60% of the grade will be based on a brief oral exam (approximately 15–20 minutes, consisting of one or two questions designed to assess whether the expected learning outcomes have been achieved).

For students unable to attend in-person/online activities: an individual oral exam only (25–30 minutes). Each student will be asked to answer three questions designed to assess whether they have achieved the expected learning outcomes (see above).

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The lecturer has a duty to ensure that the rules regarding the authenticity and originality of exam tests and papers are respected. Therefore, if there is suspicion of irregular conduct, an additional assessment may be conducted, which could differ from the original exam description.

Grades are expressed on a scale of 30 – the exam is considered passed if a score of at least 18/30 is obtained.
The grade is determined by:

a) knowledge and understanding of the exam syllabus (max 14 points)
b) ability to process information and formulate independent judgments (max 8 points)
c) use of appropriate terminology; ability to provide definitions of the concepts used (max 5 points)
d) clarity and confidence in oral presentation (max 3 points)

Honors may be awarded for outstanding performance in all evaluated categories.

Lectures; seminars; case studies; PowerPoint presentations; online activities