Ethnic and Multicultural Contributions to America
Subject code: AN3016MA 06
Drug Culture in Latin America. The origins of violence
Agustín Cadena
agustincadena@yahoo.com
Tel. +36204090081
Format: seminar, 2 hours; graded.
Place: Room 55
Time: Wednesday 12:00 -13:50
Office Hours: Thursday 16:00 - 18:00 hrs.
Description of course
The aim of the course is to introduce students to the main topics of the Latin American
culture of drugs and drug trafficking, from Native American traditional /ritual and
therapeutic use to recreational use in the present day, including cultural icons and
stereotypes, economic and political aspects, culture of violence, religion, literature,
cinema and pop culture.
Course Requirements
The reading assignments are kept as reasonable as possible. Students will be expected
to attend class faithfully, to keep up with the readings, and to come to class prepared
with questions and comments for discussion. The classes will be conducted in an
atmosphere in which the instructor and the students take time to discuss readings and
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share their insights. Each student will give one ten-minute oral presentation, write a tenpage research essay, and conclude the course with a written in class exam. Failing to
meet any of these requirements will automatically mean failing the whole course.
Class Attendance and Participation
Students may not miss more than three classes under any circumstances. Tardiness,
early departures, and/or disruption of the class will not be accepted. If you have a
compelling reason for arriving late or leaving early, make sure you speak with me about
the problem. If you regularly cut the beginning and/or end of the class sessions, it can
add up to full-class time absences.
Oral Presentation.
The topics will be assigned by the instructor in the first or second class. They are
expected to cover historical, anthropological, economic, social, and cultural aspects.
Information can be taken from Internet sources. All presentations must include
graphic material (image files, Power Point documents, Youtube clips, etc.) shown on the
classroom screen.
Research Paper.
The topic will be chosen by the student, but the instructor has to approve it before work
on it is begun. The paper must be typed, double-spaced, in a 12 points ordinary font.
Written Exam
It will include some short questions, plus two essay questions for students to write a
200-250 word essay on a given topic.
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Grading
Attendance and participation: 25%
Presentation: 25%
Research Paper: 25%. 10,000 characters long, minimum.
Final test: 25%
Week-by-Week Description of Course
Class 1. February 18: Violence in the Latin American context. Economic, political, and
cultural
aspects.
Orientation:
course
introduction
and
requirements.
Reading
assignments will be given. Topics for oral presentations will be agreed on.
Class 2. February 25: Film.
Class 3. March 4. Human Sacrifice in Pre-Columbian America: Aztecs, Maya, Inca,
Other Tribes.
Class 4. March 11: The Mexican Revolution. The Cuban Revolution.
Class 5. March 18: The Nicaraguan Revolution. The Salvadoran Civil War.
Class 6. March 25: Film.
Class 7. April 1: The Banana Dictators: Anastasio Somoza, José Napoleón Duarte,
Manuel Noriega. Pirates of the Caribbean: Fulgencio Batista, Rafael Trujillo, The
Duvalier Family.
Class 8. April 8: Salvador Allende, Augusto Pinochet, and the Latin American S-11.
José Rafael Videla: The Argentinian Dirty War. Other South American Dictatorships:
Alfredo Stroessner, Getulio Vargas, Hugo Banzer.
Class 9. April 22: The CIA: One Hundred Years of Sponsored Violence. The United
Fruit Company: Corporate Violence. Social Christianism and Liberation Theology.
Class 10. April 29: Most Important Latin American Guerillas: Montoneros, Tupamaros,
FARC, Shining Path, Marcos and the EZLN.
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Class 11. May 6:
Death Squads. Female Homicides in Ciudad Juarez. Children
Homicides in Brazil.
Class 12. May 13: The Drug Cartels of Mexico and Colombia. Drug Violence and
Popular Culture: The narcocorridos. The Religion of Violence: Saint Death.
Class 13. May 20: Final test. Reception of research papers.
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