Pol 144: Latin American Politics: Democratic Development and Decay

BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICS

Pol 144: Latin American Politics: Democratic Development and Decay

Mon, Wed, Thu 10:00 - 10:50 AM

Location: Olin-Sang104

Fall 2018

(Wed, August 29 – Thu, December 20)

Professor: Alejandro Trelles

Office: Olin Sang 83-III

Phone: 781-736-2748

E-Mail:

Office Hours: Mon, Wed, and Thu from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM, and by appointment.

CourseOverview

This coursewill analyze how domestic movements and elites, as well as international events, have influenced and continue to influence democratic development in Latin America.We will discuss how political institutions were built and how they have shaped the different varieties of democracies found across the region. Most Latin Americancountrieshaveundergonearelativelyrecentdemocratictransition fromauthoritarian rule. Some, however, have had a troubled experiencewith democracy. Tounderstandthedevelopmentanddeepeningofdemocracyinthe region,thiscoursewillfocuson the roleof politicalinstitutions,economicdevelopment, the military,andUS-LatinAmericanrelations.WhilethislistdoesnotcomeclosetoexhaustingthepossiblecontributionstoLatinAmericandemocraticdevelopment,itismeanttoofferafoundationforfurtherstudyoftheregion.

Thecourseisdividedintofoursections.Thefirstsection providesanoverviewofLatinAmericanpoliticsandeconomics,while the last threeexamineLatinAmericabyregion,beginningwithNorth,CentralAmerica,andtheCaribbean,and continuingwithalookattheAndes,andendingwiththeSouthernCone.Nearlyallofthesesessionsusetheexperienceofasinglecountry(e.g.Venezuela)orsub-region(e.g.CentralAmerica)asatooltoexploreabroadertheoreticaltopic,suchastheroleof colonialism, the emergence ofpoliticalparties,ortheeffectsofU.S.foreignpolicy in the region.

Learning Goals:

This course has three specific learning goals for students: i) Evaluate the theoretical literature on democratic development in Latin America;ii) Survey the varying political settings and systems across the region; and iii) Asses the strength of democratic norms and institutions across the region. Additionally, this course also addresses the learning goals established by the Department of Politics (see departmental website for full statement). Specifically, it is designed to encourage and enable students: (a) tothink critically about arguments, based on the evaluation of evidence [reading responses and classroom discussions]; (b) to articulate reasoned arguments clearly, both orally and in written form [classroom discussions, written assignments, oral presentation]; (c) to become familiar with a variety of research methods [“case study” readings, “historical/analytical narrative” readings, and readings based on quantitative statistical analysis]; (d) to use the concepts and methods of political science in research and analysis [term paper].

Booksandotherreadings

Thereisonerequiredbookforthisclass, available for purchase at the bookstore and reserved at the library.Inadditiontotherequiredtext,alargenumberofbookchaptersandarticleswillbeassigned.All other readings on this syllabus are available on LATTE.Wewilluseaportionofeachclassfordiscussion,soitisessentialtokeepupwiththereadingassignments.[1]

• Skidmore,Thomas,PeterSmith,andJamesGreen.2013.ModernLatinAmerica[Eighthedition].Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress.

RequirementsandGrading

a)Participation
CurrentEventsReports / 20%
b)Researchpaper / 65%
c) Presentation / 15%

Participation(20%):Theparticipatorycomponentofthecourseiscomposedoftwoelements:

• Inclassdiscussion and analytical responses (10%):Students must complete the assigned readings in advance of each class and prepare a short “critical/analytical response” to at least one of the readingsassigned every week (each student will be assigned by the instructor to one of the three following class days M, W, or T). You are expected to write a short response (one or two paragraphs, definitely not more than one page) to the following question: What did you find most challenging, confusing or noteworthy about the reading(s)?

I expect thoughtful, well structured, and written responses (Note: If you want to refer to a specific part of the reading, please cite and include the page number in your response). Your responses should focus onthe nature and/or quality of the argument presented in the reading, including the evidence presented to support the argument. Students are encouraged to reflect on each reading in the context of prior readings and discussions, and especially on relative merit of varying arguments. Your response can include a though related to all the readings assigned for the day.[2]

These are to be turned inthe night before each class (10 PM deadline)through a google response form I will be sharing with you by email at the beginning of the term.Each session will begin with a student being asked to initiate discussion of the assigned readings(Note: multiple readings mean multiple students can be asked to do this). The critical/analytical responses are intended to provide a basis for this discussion. Well-informed classroom discussion is required of each student (although not necessarily in every class session). It is highly recommended that students annotate personal copies or make notes from the readings. The readings may include contending, competing and opposing perspectives and interpretations. One goal of seminar discussions will be to try to sort these out.

• Currenteventsandextra-curricular activity report(10%):Studentsarerequiredto write a one-pagecurrenteventreportonarelevant and recentpoliticalissuefromsomewhereinLatinAmerica.Each current event reportshouldincludearecapitulationofa recentnewsevent,aswellasabriefanalysistyingthenewsstorytoapoliticalsciencetopicfromthecourse.Alternatively, students can attendaLatinAmerican -orLatino-relatedeventduringthesemesterandturnina one-page activityreporttyingtheeventtoapoliticalsciencetopicfromthecourse.Thiscouldincludeattendingaculturalactivity,readingapieceofLatinAmericanliterature,orevenwatchingaLatinAmericanmovie.Furtherinformationconcerningqualifyingeventswillbeprovidedinclass.Therearenomake-upsformissedreports. All reports should be uploaded using the course LATTE system and are due on Thursday, October18 at 11:59 PM.

ResearchPaper(65%):Studentsarerequiredtowritea shortresearch paper(12-15 pages,TimesNewRoman,double-spaced)basedononeofthe coursetopics,countries, orthemes,subjecttomyapproval.Itshouldbestructuredasasocialscienceresearchpaperinthefollowingway:1)adescriptionoftheproblematic;2)abriefsynthesisoftheliterature;3)thedevelopmentofyourowntheory,includingitsrelationshiptoexistingwisdom,and4)ananalysisofyourtheoryusingdataoradetailedcasestudy,aswellasimplicationsofyourfindings.Iamnotinterestedinanop-edorsummaryoftheassignedreadings.[3]Therearefourcomponents:

• Researchquestion(10%):Drafttwo-threeparagraphs(nomorethanonedouble-spacedpage)todescribethetopicyouareinterestedinandtoidentifya focusedresearchquestionforwhichyouwillproposeastudy.Spendsometimeonthis.Iwillallowyou(andprobablyrecommend)thatyouamendoradjustyourquestion at least once,butIexpectyoutostickwiththistopicandstayclosetothequestionfortheremainderoftheclass.Researchpapertopicapproval is due(inLATTE) on Wednesday, October 24.
• Annotatedbibliographyandliteraturereview(10%): Systematically surveythescholarlyliteraturethatisrelevanttoyourresearchtopic.Tofigureoutwhatyouneedtoknowandidentifywhattostudy(andhowtostudyit),youmustlayacomprehensivefoundationforyourproject,basedonpreviousresearch.Thisassignmentwillconsistofanannotatedbibliographyof12 to 15sourcesandaliteraturereviewofatmost3double-spacedpages.[4]Researchpaperliteraturereview is due(inLATTE)on Wednesday, November 7.
• Theorydevelopment(10%):Hereyoumustdevelopatheoryaswellasacausalhypothesistoanswertheresearchquestionyouhaveasked. Thesestepswillbuilduponbothyourresearchquestionandtheliteraturereview youhavealreadycompletedforclass.Youwillwanttociteboththeworkfromyourliteraturereviewandreadingsthatprovideinformationaboutyourresearchdesign(thelaststep,below).Researchpaperdataplan is due(inLATTE)on Thursday, November15.
• FullPaper(35%):Thefinalpaperwillsewtogetherthepreviouselementsinacoherent essay,followedbyyouruseofdataoradetailedcasestudytoevaluatetherobustnessofyourtheory.Thisshouldincludenotjustthedataandyourfindings,butalsoimplicationsofthesefindings.The full paperisdue(inLATTE)onMonday, December10.

Presentation (15%): Twelve-minute in-class presentation (8-10-minute presentation, 2-4 minutes of Q&A). Each student will present his/her preliminary research findings in class using slides beginningNovember 19. I have reserved seven class sessions at the end of the semester for presentations. Dates of individual presentations to be determined by in-class lottery. If you have a day preference, please come and see me. Your presentation slides are due the night before the day you will be presenting (deadline 10:59 PM). NOTE: Attendance and attention to the presentations of peers is required, and a sign of mutual respect. There will be no excused absences from presentation sessions.

Wewilldiscussboth of theseassignments(theresearch paper and presentations)atlengthinclass.

Thestandardizedgradescaleapplies:

90-100 A

80-90 B

70-80 C

60-70 D

Below60 F

Expected workload for this course:

In addition to three hours of class time per week, success in this class is estimated to require students to spend, on average over the course of the semester, a minimum of 9-10 hours of study time per week in preparation for class (readings, reading responses) and completion of written assignments (short essays and research papers).

ScheduleofAssignments

Belowisascheduleofassignmentsfortheclass.Allreadingsnotfromthetextbookcanbefoundonthecourse’sLATTEpage.Notethatthesearesubjecttochangeatmydiscretion;whileIdonotanticipatemakingchanges,Iwillnotifyyouatleastoneweekinadvanceifitisnecessarytodoso.However,iftherearetobeanychangestothebelowassignments,Iwillletyouknowasfarinadvanceaspossible. Allreadingsaretobecompletedbythebeginningofeachclass. If you have any question related to the readings or assignments please feel free to contact me or Aimee Slater (Librarian of the Politics Department).

COURSE PROGRAM

INTRODUCTION

Wed, August 29: CLASS 1

Introduction to the course and course requirements

Requirements, expectations, goals of the course

Guidelines for discussion of sensitive issues, criticism, and mutual respect.

Handouts

(No assigned reading)

Thu, August30:NOCLASS(AmericanPoliticalScienceAssociationConference)

Mon, September 3: NOCLASS(MondayscheduleforLaborDay)

Wed, September 5: CLASS2

Democratic Development and Decay from a Comparative Perspective

**Tocqueville, Alexis de. "Democracy in America: historical-critical edition of de la démocratie en Amérique."Ed. Eduardo de Nolla, Translated by James Schleifer. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund(2009).Read Volume I, Part Two, Chapters 1 and 2 (pp. 278-286); and Volume I, Part Two, Chapter 9 (pp. 451-467).

** Levitsky, Steven, and Daniel Ziblatt.2018.How democracies die. Crown.Read Introduction (pp.1-10) and Chapter 9, Saving Democracy (pp.204-231).

Thu, September 6:CLASS3

WhyStudyLatinAmerica?Whatis“LatinAmerica”? Latin America Today

Skidmore,Smith,andGreen,ModernLatinAmerica

• Ch.1,“WhyLatinAmerica?”(pp.3-15)

**Colburn,ForrestD.2002.“LatinAmericaasaPlace”inLatinAmericaattheEndofPolitics. Princeton:PrincetonUniversityPress(pp.9-16).

SECTIONI:ECONOMICANDPOLITICALEVOLUTION

Mon, September 10: NOCLASS(Rosh Hashanah)

Wed, September 12:CLASS4

ABlueprintforFailure?TheColonialState

Skidmore,Smith,andGreen,ModernLatinAmerica

• Ch.2,“TheColonialFoundations”(pp.16-44)

**Acemoglu, Daron. 2003. “Root Causes. A historicalapproach to assessingthe role ofinstitutionsineconomicdevelopment.”FinanceandDevelopment(June):27-30.

Thu, September13:CLASS5

PatternsofEconomicDevelopment

Skidmore,Smith,andGreen,ModernLatinAmerica

• Ch.12,“StrategiesforEconomicDevelopment”(pp.343-369)

Mon, September 17: CLASS 6

InequalityandPolicyInnovation

**Lustig,Nora.2015."MostUnequalonEarth."FinanceandDevelopment(September):14-16.

**Hellinger,D.(2014).“TheFewandtheMany:InequalityinLatinAmericanPolitics”inComparativePoliticsofLatinAmerica:DemocracyatLastNewYork:Routledge(readonly“RaceandEthnicInequality”and“Women,Gender,andExclusion”,pp 54-62).

**Díaz-Cayeros,Alberto,andBeatrizMagaloni. 2009. "AidingLatinAmerica'sPoor." JournalofDemocracy20:36-49.

Thu and Tues, September 20 and 25: CLASSES 7 and 8

PatternsofPoliticalDevelopment and Democratic Consolidation

Skidmore,Smith,andGreen,ModernLatinAmerica

• Ch.13,“DynamicsofPoliticalTransformation”(pp.370-395)

**Pérez-Liñán, Aníbal,& Mainwaring, Scott. (2013). Regime Legacies and Levelsof Democracy:EvidencefromLatinAmerica.ComparativePolitics,45(4),379-397.

Wed, September 19: NOCLASS(Yom Kippur)

Mon, September 24: NOCLASS(Sukkot)

Tues, September 25: CLASS 8 (Brandeis Monday)

PatternsofPoliticalDevelopment and Democratic Consolidation (Continued)

Wed, September26:CLASS9

Populism

**Hellinger,D.(2014).“Populism,Development,andDemocracyintheTwentiethCentury”inComparativePoliticsofLatinAmerica:DemocracyatLastNewYork:Routledge(pp127-154).

**Weyland,Kurt. 2013. "LatinAmerica’sAuthoritarianDrift:TheThreatfromthePopulistLeft." JournalofDemocracy24:18-32.

Thu, September27:CLASS10

TheMilitaryandPolitics

**Pion-Berlin, David. 2016.MilitaryMissionsinDemocraticLatinAmerica. New York:Palgrave,Chapters12

Mon, October 1: NOCLASS(Shmini Atzeret)

Wed, October 3:CLASS11

Institutions:TheExecutive, Legislative and Judicial Branches

**Arceneaux,Craig.(2013).“TheExecutiveBranch:LatinAmericanStyle”inDemocraticLatinAmerica,NewYork:Routledge(pp.113-143).

**Arceneaux, Craig. (2013). “The Legislative Branch: The Centerpieceof DemocracyUnderFire”,inDemocraticLatinAmerica,NewYork:Routledge(149-181).

**Arceneaux, Craig. (2013). “The Judiciary in Latin America: Separate but Unequal” in Democratic Latin America, New York: Routledge (187-218).

SECTIONII:NORTH ANDCENTRALAMERICA,ANDTHECARIBBEAN

Thu and Mon, October 4 and8:CLASSES12 and 13

Mexico:Revolution,RiseandFallofthePRI

Skidmore,Smith,andGreen,ModernLatinAmerica

• Ch.3,“Mexico:TheTamingofaRevolution”(pp.47-78)

**Guillermo Prieto, Alma. 2001. “Mexico: Elections 2000” in LookingforHistory. NewYork:VintageBooks(pp.286-303).

**Guillermo Prieto, Alma. 2001. “Mexico: Losing the Future” in Looking for History. New York: Vintage Books (pp. 178-184)

Wed and Thu, October10and11:CLASSES14and15

Narco-Violence and Elections in Mexico

**Rios,Viridiana.2015.“HowGovernmentCoordinationControlledOrganizedCrime:TheCaseofMexico’sCocaineMarkets”.JournalofConflictResolution.

**Trejo, Guillermo and Sandra Ley. 2017. “Why Did Drug Cartels Go to War in Mexico? Subnational Party Alternation, the Breakdown of Criminal Protection, and the Onset of Large-Scale Violence.”Comparative Political Studies.

**Trelles, Alejandro, and Miguel Carreras. "Bullets and votes: Violence and electoral participation in Mexico."Journal of Politics in Latin America4.2 (2012): 89-123.

Mon, October15:CLASS16

CentralAmerica:U.S.Interventionism,CivilWar,andDemocratization

Skidmore,Smith,andGreen,ModernLatinAmerica

• Ch.4,“CentralAmericaandtheCaribbean:WithintheU.S.Orbit”(pp.79-111)

**Butler,MajGenSmedley.1935.“WarisaRacket.”(speech)

Wed, October17:CLASS 17

Cuba: Socialism, the Cold War, and US Policy

Skidmore, Smith, and Green, Modern Latin America

• Ch. 5, “Cuba: Key Colony, Socialist State” (pp.112-141)

**Bustamante, Michael J. 2014. “Cuban Comrades: The Truth About Washington and Havana's New Détente." Foreign Affairs

Thu, October 18: CLASS 18 Due: Currenteventorextra-curricular activity report

Research Paper and Presentations

**Zigerell, L.J., 2013. Rookie mistakes: Preemptive comments on graduate student empirical research manuscripts.PS: Political Science & Politics,46(1), pp.142-146.

** Trelles, Alejandro. 2018.De Jure and De Facto Autonomy of Electoral Management Bodies in Latin America and Africa. Working Paper.

**Visit the Ignite Talk site and watchthe following video:

Mon, October22: CLASS19

Review of Research Paper and Presentation

SECTION III: THE ANDES

Wed, October24:CLASS20 Due:Researchpapertopicapproval

Colombia:Guerillas,Narco-trafficking,andDemobilization

Skidmore,Smith,andGreen,ModernLatinAmerica

• Ch.7,“Colombia:CivilityandViolence”(pp.184-211)

**Levin,Jamie.2016.“ForColombia’speaceprocess,disarmamentwasastickingpoint.Here’swhy.” The Washington Post cage/wp/2016/06/28/for-colombias-peace-process-disarmament-was-a-sticking-point-heres-why/

**Guillermo Prieto, Alma. 1994. “Medellín, 1991” in The Heart that Bleeds: Latin America Now. New York: Vintage Books (pp.92-118)

**Wilkinson, Daniel. 2011. “Death and Drugs in Colombia”, The New York Review of Books (June 23):

Thu, October25:CLASS21

Venezuela:ExplainingChavismo

Skidmore, Smith, and Green, Modern Latin America

• Ch. 8, “Venezuela: The Perils of Prosperity” (pp.212-235)

**Polga-Hecimovich,John. 2017. “The Roots of Venezuela's Failing State” Origins 10(9):

**Anderson,John Lee. 2001. “The Revolutionary” in The New Yorker (September 10)

**Anderson,JohnLee.2013.“Postscript:HugoChávez,1954-2013”inTheNewYorker(March 5).

Mon, October 29:CLASS22

Peru:TerrorismandNeopopulism(Fujimorismo)

Skidmore,Smith,andGreen,ModernLatinAmerica

• Ch.6,“TheAndes:Soldiers,Indians,andOligarchs”(pp.142-183)

**Guillermo Prieto, Alma. 1994.“Lima, 1993” in TheHeartthatBleeds:LatinAmericaNow.NewYork:VintageBooks(pp.68-91 and 259-286)

Wed, October 31:CLASS23

Bolivia:IndigenousPoliticsandthePinkTide

**Finnegan, William. 2002. “Leasing the Rain,” The New Yorker, New York: Condé Nast(

**Madrid, Raúl. 2008. “The Rise of Ethno populism in Latin America,” WorldPolitics 60(3):475-508.

**Castañeda, Jorege. “Pink Tide Article”

Thu, November 1:CLASS24

Ecuador:LandofPopulists

**delaTorre,Carlos.2013."TechnocraticPopulisminEcuador."JournalofDemocracy24(3):33-46.

SECTIONIV:THESOUTHERNCONE

Mon and Wed, November5and7:CLASSES25and26 Due:Researchpaperliteraturereview (Wed, Nov 7)

Argentina:DevelopmentReversal

Skidmore,Smith,andGreen,ModernLatinAmerica

• Ch.9,“Argentina:ProgressandStalemate”(pp.236-267)

**Guillermo Prieto,Alma.2001.“LittleEva”inLookingforHistory.NewYork: VintageBooks(pp.3-17).

**Anderson,JohnLee.2016.“DoesHenryKissingerHaveaConscience?”inTheNewYorker

(August 20)

**Levitsky,Steven,andMaríaVictoriaMurillo.2003.“ArgentinaWeatherstheStorm”JournalofDemocracy,14(4):152-166

Thu and Mon, November8and12:CLASSES27and28

Chile:RegimeLegacy

Skidmore,Smith,andGreen,ModernLatinAmerica

• Ch.10,“Chile:RepressionandDemocracy”(pp.268-295)

**DeYoung,Karen,DavidMontgomery,MissyRyan,IshaanTharoor,andJiaLynnYang.2016.“This was not an accident. This was a bomb.” The Washington Post.

**Carey,JohnM.,andPeterSiavelis. 2005. "InsuranceforGoodLosersandtheSurvivalofChile'sConcertación." LatinAmericanPoliticsandSociety47:1-22.

Wed and Thu, November14and15:CLASSES29and30 Due:Researchpaperdataplan(Nov15)

Brazil:GreatExpectations

Skidmore,Smith,andGreen,ModernLatinAmerica

• Ch.11,“Brazil:TheAwakeningGiant”(pp.296-340)

**Jacobs,Andrew,andSimonRomero. 2016. “Brazil’s Senate Votes to Begin ImpeachmentTrial of Dilma Rousseff”, The New York Times,

**Romero,Simon.2016.“Insider’sAccount of How Graft Fed Brazil’s Political Crisis”, TheNewYorkTimes(April3)

Mon, November 19: CLASS 31

Student Presentations

Wed and Thu, November21 and 22:NOCLASS(HappyThanksgiving!)

Mon and Wed, November 26 and 28: CLASSES 32 and 33

Student Presentations

Thu and Mon, November 29 and Dec 3: CLASSES 34 and 35

Student Presentations

Wed and Thu, December5 and 6:CLASSES36and 37

Student Presentations

Mon, December10:CLASS38 Due:Researchpaper

Closingthoughts

**Ocampo,José Antonio.2015."Uncertain Times."FinanceandDevelopment(September):6-11.

Final Day for Student Presentations (3-hours): TBD (12/13-12/20)

Additional Considerations

Behavioralexpectations

Students areexpectedtoberespectfulofothers at all time. Beyondthegradingcomponent,thiscourseisinteractive,andstudents arerequiredto actively participate in a meaningful and respectfulway.

The use of cellphones, tablets and laptop computers is notallowedduringclasssessions,unlessotherwisedesignated.Violatorswillfacegradepenaltiesdecidedbytheinstructor and if you use your phone in class (e.g., texting), you will be asked to leave. If you wish to leave your phone on, in “silent” mode, because of an ongoing emergency situation to which you may need to respond, please speak to me at the start of class to let me know.

AcademicHonesty

Students areexpectedtoexhibitthehighestintegrityinalloftheiractivitiesconcerningthiscourse.Academicdishonesty,includingplagiarismandcheatingofanytype,willnotbetoleratedandwillbecausefortheinitiationofanhonorproceeding.Studentsshouldbecarefultoattributematerialproperlywheneverthereisanydoubt.

Plagiarismistheactofpresentingsomeoneelse’swords,ideasorwork–whetheraccidentallyordeliberately–asyourown,withoutacknowledgmentofsources.Plagiarismisaformofcheatingandisanhonorviolation,andallplagiaristswillbetreatedashonoroffenders,inadditiontoreceivingagradeofzerofortheplagiarizedwork.Plagiarismmayinclude:

• Copyingwrittenwork fromanothersource, publishedorunpublished, withoutproperacknowledgmentoftheoriginal;
• Buyingpapersonlineorfromapapermill;
• Resubmittingordoublesubmittingworktotwodifferentclasses;
• Usinggougeorcompanyfiles;
• Submittingsomeoneelse’sworkasyourown.

Theabovelistshouldnotbetreatedasexhaustive.Ifyouarenotsurewhatplagiarismis,findout.Students areresponsibleforknowingandunderstandingwhatconstitutesplagiarism.Ifindoubt,documentyoursources,orseemetoaskfurther questions.[5]

Late Policy/Make-Ups

Allassignments and/or examsaretobetakenatthescheduledtime.Theonlyexceptiontothisisforanacademy-approvedabsencewithproperdocumentation.Failureto show up to anexamatthescheduledtimewillresultinagradeofzero(0).Beforewarned:themake-upexamwillbetougherthantheoriginal.Iwillnotacceptlatepapers(sodonotwaittothelastminutetowriteit).

Course Attendance

All students are required to attend every class, except in case of a dispensation granted in advance by me. This includes all student presentation sessions. If you miss three class sessions (one week worth of class time) without prior dispensation, you can expect your term grade to be lowered by a full letter grade (i.e., a “B” will become a “C”).

Varsity athletes, debaters, performers, and others with conflicting extra-curricular obligations must seek dispensation from me in advance and are responsible for making up the work missed (including responses to assigned readings).

Accommodation of Disabilities

If you are a student who needs academic accommodations because of a documented disability, please contact me and present your letter of accommodation as soon as possible. If you have questions about documenting a disability or requesting academic accommodations, you should contact Academic Services. Letters of accommodation should be presented at the start of the semester to ensure provision of accommodations. Letters must be presented in advance of any exam or test.Accommodations cannot be granted retroactively. Please see: <

1

[1] For additional references and information sources you can contact me or Aimee Slater (), Reference Librarian for the Politics Department. She has created a guide for students to access databases and literature about different issues in Latin America:

[2] Critical/analytical responses will be graded on a pass/fail basis (e.g., if you were responsible of turning in 14 responses during the term and only turned in 7 that received a pass grade, you will receive 5%). Note: I expect thoughtful responses (e.g., “I did not find anything interesting in the reading(s)” is not a thoughtful response).

[3]Note: If you have not been exposed to academic articles in the past, I highly recommend LJ Zigrell´s (2013) article entitled “Rookie Mistakes: Preemptive Comments on Graduate Student Empirical Research Manuscripts” (Available on LATTE). This article explains clearly how academic articles are structured and what you can expect to find in each section. This will help you to read and get the main ideas in every section of the assigned articles for this course. Remember that when you read an academic article, it is not necessary that you remember every single word. However, you should be able to identify: a) the research question, b) the theory, c) the main hypotheses, d) the DV and IV variables and how they are measured, e) the method used to test the theory, and f) the findings and conclusions of the study. This will also help you to structure your own research paper!

[4] See footnote 1.

[5] The following is a statement of university policy: Students are expected to be honest in all academic work. All written work for this course must include appropriate citation of the sources used. See section 56c ("Avoid Plagiarism") of the Concise English Handbook for guidance. The university policy on academic honesty is distributed annually as part of the Rights and Responsibilities handbook. Instances of suspected dishonesty will, without exception, be forwarded to the Office of Student Affairs for possible referral to the Student Judicial System. Potential sanctions include failure in the course and suspension from the university.