POSC 350, Section 1 -- LATIN AMERICAN POLITICS (Fall 2005)
Dr. Chris Blake
Maury 207 – 568-6344 – BLAKECH@JMU.EDU
Office Hours: M 3:30-5; Tu 3-5; W 3:30-5 and by appointment
COURSE HOME PAGE: http://www.jmu.edu/polisci/bios/blake/350/
How does serious economic scarcity affect politics? What are the political dynamics of economic reform? How do countries go about the task of defining and
securing basic liberties? How do political leaders cultivate support? When is democracy more likely than dictatorship? This course will examine these and
other issues while providing students with a working knowledge of the Latin American political landscape. While we will deal directly with seven countries,
students are encouraged to conduct research on any country(ies) in the region of particular interest to them.
EVALUATION:
Class Participation
Take-Home Essay #1 (2pp. max.)
Mid-Term
Take-Home Essay #2 (2pp. max.)
Policy Brief (10-15pp.)
Final
-- 10%
-- 10%
-- 20%
-- 15%
-- 25%
-- 20%
PROCEDURES: As a point of fairness to your classmates, the honor code must be observed at all times and tests & written work must be handed in promptly.
Tests must be handed in at the end of the class period. Written work handed in late will be penalized 5 points plus an additional 5 points for every additional
24-hour period. The class participation grade will be largely determined by the role-playing debates. Written work must be original work created for this
course. Make-up exams and late course withdrawals will be permitted only under exceptional circumstances; do not assume that you will be allowed to take a
make-up test or to withdraw from the course late in the semester. Readings should be completed by class time of the date listed. The professor reserves the
right to alter this course outline as circumstances demand. For further discussion of course policies, see the appropriate portion of the course website.
TEXTS:
Blake, Charles. Politics in Latin America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2005.
McCoy, Jennifer & David Myers, eds. The Unraveling of Representative Democracy in Venezuela. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004.
Preston, Julia & Samuel Dillon. Opening Mexico. New York: Farrar, Strauss, & Giroux, 2004.
Additional readings are available in online form; go to the appropriate date on the online syllabus for details and hyperlinks.
READING LIST
PART I – AN OVERVIEW OF LATIN AMERICAN POLITICS
Points of Emphasis: trends & terms in the region re: groups and institutions; major policy & political problems
WEEK ONE
Aug. 29 – Introduction
Aug. 31 – Colonization to the Present == Blake, pp. xv-xix, 1-46
Sep. 2 – Elections in Latin America == Blake, pp. 49-76; Preston & Dillon, pp. ix-xii, 3-29
WEEK TWO
Sep. 5 – Political Institutions in Latin America == Blake, pp. 79-119; Preston & Dillon, pp. 31-61
PART II – NATIONAL CASE STUDIES
Points of Emphasis: government institutions; parties & political leaders; major events & their political dynamics; democratization; the politics of
economic reform; indigenous movements
Sep. 7 – Argentina I == Blake, pp. 123-162
Sep. 9 – Argentina II (VIDEO) == online article [see web site]; Preston & Dillon, pp. 63-93
WEEK THREE
Sep. 12 – Argentina III == online articles [see web site]; Preston & Dillon, pp. 95-115
Sep. 14 – Argentina → ROLE-PLAY DEBATE: How should the budget deficit be reduced? == Preston & Dillon, pp. 117-147
Sep. 16 – Brazil I == Blake, pp. 165-203
WEEK FOUR
Sep. 19 – Brazil II (VIDEO) == online article [see web site]; Preston & Dillon, pp. 149-180
Sep. 21 – Brazil III == online articles [see web site]; Preston & Dillon, pp. 181-227
{9/21: PAPER QUESTION(S) and PRELIMINARY BIBLIOGRAPHY due at 1:25pm}
Sep. 23 – Brazil → ROLE-PLAY DEBATE: Should Brazil raise or cut tax rates on the wealthy? == Preston & Dillon, pp. 229-256
WEEK FIVE
Sep. 26 – Guatemala I == Blake, pp. 287-324
Sep. 28 – Guatemala II (VIDEO) == online article [see web site]; Preston & Dillon, pp. 257-299
Sep. 30 – Guatemala III == online articles [see web site]; Preston & Dillon, pp. 353-384
WEEK SIX
Oct. 3 – Guatemala → ROLE-PLAY DEBATE: Should indigenous voters support expressly indigenous parties? == Preston & Dillon, pp. 385-403, 405-439
Oct. 5 – Mexico I == Blake, pp. 327-365
Oct. 7 – Mexico II (VIDEO) == Preston & Dillon, pp. 441-501
WEEK SEVEN
Oct. 10 – Mexico III == online articles [see web site]; Preston & Dillon, pp. 503-517
Oct. 12 – Mexico → ROLE-PLAY DEBATE: Should Fox be permitted to run for a second term?
{ESSAY #1 assigned}
Oct. 14 – MID-TERM
PART III – SPECIAL TOPICS in LATIN AMERICAN POLITICS
Points of Emphasis: human rights, civil-military relations, revolution, inter-American relations, democratic consolidation
WEEK EIGHT
Oct. 17 – TEST REVIEW & WRITING WORKSHOP == Blake, pp. 369-407; McCoy & Myers, pp. 1-29
Oct. 19 – Chile I == Blake, pp. 207-244
{POLICY BRIEF OUTLINE due at 1:25pm on 10/19/05}
Oct. 21 – FALL HOLIDAY: no class today
(over)
WEEK NINE
Oct. 24 – Chile II (video) == online articles [see web site]; McCoy & Myers, pp. 33-70
Oct. 26 – Chile III == online articles [see web site]; McCoy & Myers, pp. 71-92
{ESSAY #1 due at 1:25pm on 10/26/05}
Oct. 28 – Chile → ROLE-PLAY DEBATE: Should human rights trials be held? == McCoy & Myers, pp. 93-129
WEEK TEN
Oct. 31 – Venezuela I == review Blake, pp. 369-407; McCoy & Myers, pp. 131-178
Nov. 2 – Venezuela II (video) == online article [see web site]; McCoy & Myers, pp. 181-230
Nov. 4 – Venezuela III == online articles [see web site]; McCoy & Myers, pp. 231-260
WEEK ELEVEN
Nov. 7 – Venezuela → ROLE-PLAY DEBATE: Is contemporary Venezuela a democracy? == McCoy & Myers, pp. 263-295
{ESSAY #2 assigned}
Nov. 9 – Democratization & Civil-Military Relations in Latin America == online article [see web site]; review McCoy & Myers, pp. 50-70
Nov. 11 – Cuba I == Blake, pp. 247-284
WEEK TWELVE
Nov. 14 – video on Cuba == online article [see web site]
Nov. 16 – Cuba II == online article [see web site]
Nov. 18 – Cuba III == online articles [see web site]
WEEK THIRTEEN
Nov. 21 – Cuba → ROLE-PLAY DEBATE: Should the U.S. continue its economic embargo?
{ESSAY #2 due at 1:25pm on 11/21/05}
Nov. 23-27 – THANKSGIVING BREAK: no class
WEEK FOURTEEN
Nov. 28 – U.S.-Latin American Relations == review Blake, pp.57-60; online articles [see web site]
Nov. 30 – Inter-American Trade == online articles [see web site]
Dec. 2 – Drug Use, Drug-Trafficking, & Drug Policy in the Americas == online articles [see web site]
WEEK FIFTEEN
Dec. 5 – Drug Policy in Colombia == online articles [see web site]
Dec. 7 – Democratization in Latin America == Blake, pp. 411-446
Dec. 9 – COURSE WRAP-UP ----> POLICY BRIEF DUE at 1:25pm on 12/9/05
**FINAL EXAM: Monday, 12/12/05, 10:30am to 12:30pm**
=========================================================================================================
ROLE-PLAY DEBATE ASSIGNMENTS
Each role-play debate will begin with a 2-minute argument from each participant. Each participant will then get 1 minute to respond to others’ arguments.
Other students then will join in for the rest of the debate.
re: ARGENTINA 9/14/05 → How should the Argentine budget deficit be reduced?
Each participant [ministry reps for Defense, Economy & Public Works, Education, Foreign Relations and leaders of business groups & labor
unions] must present a proposal for the following scenario. To expand debt payments, to reduce interest rates, and to attract new foreign loans & investment,
the central government wants to bring the primary surplus up to 4.5% of the national GDP. Assume that the budget totals $100 billion & that $12 billion must
be cut to meet the target. Below you will find the budget listed in 5 categories with subtotals listed in parentheses next to the corresponding activities. YOU
CANNOT ADJUST THE AMOUNT DEDICATED TO DEBT SERVICE. You may cut no less than 5% nor more than 20% of any other single category in
the budget. You may increase spending in one or more subcategories provided that you obey the burden-sharing rule for the categories.
DEBT SERVICE = $16.9b
DEFENSE = $7.3b – Military Pensions (2.4), Army (2.0), Air Force (1.4), Navy (1.2), Other (0.3)
ECONOMY & INFRASTRUCTURE = $12.2b – Min of Econ & Public Works (6.0), Other (4.2), Foreign Trade (1.6), Domestic Subsidies (0.4)
HUMAN SERVICES = $50.8b -- Labor & Soc.Sec (40.2), Education & Culture (6.2), Other (3.1), Health (1.3)
OTHER GOVERNMENT = $12.8b – Interior (5.8), Subsidies to Provinces & Cities (1.9), Judiciary (1.6), Presidency (1.3), Legislature (1.0), Foreign Relations
(0.6), Justice (0.6)
re: BRAZIL 9/23/05 → Should Brazil raise or cut tax rates on the wealthy?
RAISE: “Lula” da Silva, an elementary school teacher, a Landless Movement (MST) activist
CUT: a broker from Sao Paulo, Valdemar Costa Neto, a tax collection specialist
re: GUATEMALA 10/3/05 → Should indigenous Guatemalans support expressly indigenous parties?
YES: Rigoberta Menchú, Evo Morales, a street seller
NO: a banker, Oscar Berger, Efraín Ríos Montt
re: MEXICO 10/12/05 → Should Vicente Fox be permitted to run for a second term?
YES: Fernando Henrique Cardoso, an industrialist from northern Mexico, a PAN legislator
NO: Andrés Manuel López Obrador, a non-PRI union organizer, a Zapatista guerrilla
re: CHILE 10/28/05 → Should the Chilean military be prosecuted for human rights violations?
YES: a parent of un desaparecido, Isabel Allende, a university student
NO: an export-oriented agribusiness exexcutive, a lawyer, Augusto Pinochet
re: VENEZUELA 11/7/05 → Is contemporary Venezuela a democracy?
YES: Hugo Chávez, a part-time construction worker, José Vicente Rangel
NO: Juan Fernández, a TV journalist, Carlos Ortega
re: CUBA 11/21/05 → Should the U.S. continue the economic embargo against Cuba?
YES: George W. Bush, Jorge Mas Santos, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
NO: Fidel Castro, Paul Martin, a farmer from Kansas