LATIN AMERICAN POLITICS

Professor: Office Hours :

Dr. Holmes MW 10-11
GR 3.528 & by appointment
jholmes@utdallas.edu 972 883 6843

T.A. Contact Information Office Hours:

jan.kallberg@student.utdallas.edu Please put your office number and
phone
Course / number Day Time Room
GOVT 4332 Sec 001 MW 11:00 a.m.12:15 p.m. GR 2.302
Course Description:

This course is an introduction to twentieth century Latin American politics organized around four
main themes.
1. The Legacy of Colonialization: Historical and Cultural Constraints
2. Patterns of Economic Development? and the Implication for Political Stability
3. Revolutionary Movements and Democratization
4. U.S. Latin American Relations
In order to gain a basic understanding of the Latin American reality, a knowledge of history and
political patterns is necessary. The course will be taught in a seminar style, with a combination of
lecture and discussion. We will also have occasional speakers and movies to supplement the
readings. At the end of the course, students should be able to use the historical experiences of
different Latin American countries to understand broad patterns of development and change in
the region. As such, the emphasis is not on memorizing dates, but on acquiring a sufficient
familiarity with the history in order to discern broad patterns and general constraints on political
and economic development.

This syllabus is tentative and subject to change.

• Class attendance is required.

• Class will be a mixture of lecture and discussion. The exams will be take-home.
• Required readings will be approximately 100 pages per week. The students should have
carefully read the material at least once before class.
• I expect students to be attentive during class and to actively participate in group
activities. You are expected to listen respectfully to me and to other students when
speaking. Racism, sexism, homophobia, classism, ageism and other forms of bigotry are
inappropriate to express in this class.
• Grading will be based on the following:
Ø Map Quiz August 29th (10%)
Ø First Midterm October 5th ( 30%)
Ø Second Midterm November 28th (30%)
Ø Paper outline, 1st page of three searches. October 19th (10%)
Ø Paper, December 5th (4:00) (20%)

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 EXTRA CREDIT
Every student has the opportunity to gain extra credit by writing a short paper on a recommended
reading or on an approved topic. (The topic must be distinct from the topic of your research
paper). The paper will be three pages long. The quality must be of "B" or higher. A "B" will be
worth 4 points and an "A" 5 points.

OTHER POLICIES
• Extensions. As a rule, no extensions are granted for written work. Unexcused late papers
will be penalized one full grade per day. However, in case of an emergency, contact the
professor as soon as possible to see if an exception can be made. Written documentation may
be required at the discretion of the professor. No extensions will be granted for the extra
credit paper. Likewise, late extra credit papers will not be accepted.
• Exam Schedule Problems. The exams can be made up only if prior arrangements have been
made with the professor. (Note: The morning of an exam is not considered a prior
arrangement). In case of an emergency, contact the professor as soon as possible. Written
documentation may be required at the discretion of the professor.
• Incompletes. Incompletes may be assigned at the discretion of the professor and according to
the policy as stated in the Catalog. To be considered for an incomplete, you must petition
with the appropriate form. Please note that the university requires that you have completed at
least 70% of the course material to be eligible for an incomplete. Moreover, the incomplete
work must be finished within one semester from the date of the original granting of the
incomplete.
• Scholastic Dishonesty. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on
assignments or examinations, plagiarizing (misrepresenting as your own work any part of
work done by another), submitting the same assignment, or substantially similar assignments
to meet the requirements of more than one course without the approval of all instructors,
depriving another student of necessary course materials, or interfering with another student's
work. If in doubt about the ethics of your actions, consult the Catalog to see the University's
policy. Violations of this policy will be punished severely and according to the fullest extent
of the policy.
• Cell Phones & Pagers. Due to receiving numerous complaints from students, this policy is
necessary. If you allow your cell phone or beeper to audibly ring or beep in class, you will be
penalized. The first time is a warning, after that you lose points. The penalty starts at two
percentage points and will double every time thereafter. If you answer the phone, no warning
will be granted and you will be immediately assessed the penalty.

ACCESSIBILITY
If you have a condition that requires accommodation in this course, please speak with me after
class or in office hours during the first week of class. I will be happy to make appropriate
accommodations provided timely notice is received and the arrangement is consistent with any
recommendations from Disability Services, when applicable. Disability Services can be reached
at 883-2098. The syllabus and other course materials can be made available in alternative
formats.
RESOURCES TO HELP YOU SUCCEED.
The university offers assistance to students in many areas. Please do not feel stigmatized by
using these resources. Good students become better students by using them.

• Learning Resource Center offers a variety of programs to help you, ranging from individual
tutoring to review classes for the GRE, GMAT, etc. They are located in MC2.402 and can be
reached at 883-6707.

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Please feel free to contact me about any concerns you have about the course.

Required Texts:

Children of Cain by Tina Rosenberg

Politics of Latin America: The Power Game by Harry Vanden and Gary Prevost

Books are available at both the campus bookstore and off campus books. (Students are also
encouraged to check with other vendors such as half price books, etc)

Required Reading
CULTURAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC CONTEXT
• What are the main distinctive features of the political tradition in Latin America? Is it
historically specific ?
• What are the main obstacles to women political participation in Latin America? What have
women achieved in order to overcome them?
• Are the economic and political reforms carried out in Latin America in the last decade
mutually reinforcing? What global constraints does Latin America have? What opportunities
does it generate?
• Why Latin American has "fallen behind."

Monday August 22 Introduction

• Syllabus
• Library Demonstration

Wednesday August 24
• V&P Ch. 1
• Michael Shifter, Vinay Jawahar, (2005) “Latin America's Populist Turn” Current
History, Volume 104, Number 679 (February)
• Marta Lagos, (2003) “A Road with No Return?” Journal of Democracy Volume 14,
Number 2, April

Monday August 29 Colonial Foundations & Independence/ Map Quiz

• V&P Ch. 2 “Early History”
• V&P Ch. 3 – 19th and 20th Century
• Ramos, Joseph R. (1996) “Poverty and inequality in Latin America: A neostructural
perspective.” Journal of Interamerican Studies & World Affairs, Summer/Fall, Vol. 38
Issue 2/3, p141, 17p

Wednesday August 31 Indigenous Peoples, Political Culture, and the Problem of

Exclusion
• V&P Ch. 4 “The Other Americans”
• V&P Ch. 5 “Society, Gender and Political Culture”
• Maxwell (1999) , “The Two Brazils,” Wilson Quarterly 23.1 (Winter), 50-60
• Donna Lee Van Cott, (2004) “Broadening Democracy: Latin America's Indigenous
Peoples' Movements” Current History Volume 103, Number 670 (February)

Monday Se ptember 5 LABOR DAY NO CLASS

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Wednesday September 7 Religion
• V&P Ch. 6 “Religion in Latin America”
• Ireland, Rowan (1999) “Popular Religions and the Building of Democracy in Latin
America: Saving the Tocquevillian Paralle” Journal of Interamerican Studies & World
Affairs, Winter, Vol. 41 Issue 4, p111.
• Philpott, Daniel, (2004) “The Catholic Wave” Journal of Democracy - Volume 15,
Number 2, April, pp. 32-46.

Monday September 12 Political Economy

• V&P Ch. 7 “Political Economy of Latin America”
• Geddes, B. (1995)“The Politics of Economic Liberalization,” Latin American Research
Review, 30 (2): 194-214
• Eduardo Lora and Ugo Panizza, (2003) “The Future of Structural Reform” Journal of
Democracy Volume 14, Number 2, April

Wednesday September 14 U.S. Interests in Latin America

• Jeane Kirkpatrick (1979) "Dictatorships and Double Standards" Commentary Vol 68 No.
5 November pp. 34-45
• Mark T. Berger (1997)“Reconquest of Central America: Latin American Studies and the
Transition to Democracy, 1979-1990” Latin American Perspectives Vol. 24:1 (Jan) 7-
72.
• Michael Shifter (2004) “The US and Latin America through the Lens of Empire”
Current History 103, 670, Feb, 61-67.

Monday September 19 U.S. Interests in Latin America

• Jorge Castaneda (2003) “The Forgotten Relationship” Foreign Affairs Vol 82 No 3 May
June pp. 67-81.
• Arturo Valenzuela, “Beyond Benign Neglect: Washington and Latin America” Current
History Volume 104, Number 679 (February)
• Schulz, Donald (2005) “The United States and Latin America: Shaping an Elusive
Future.” Small Wars & Insurgencies, Winter 2000, Vol. 11 Issue 3, p47, 42p;
• Hsiang, Antonio C (2003) “Bush's Policy toward Latin America” Orbis: A Journal of
World Affairs, 47, 1, winter, 59-72.

POLITICS : ACTORS , INSTITUTIONS , AND CHANGE

COUNTRY STUDIES
Wednesday September 21 Political Regimes and Transitions
• V&P Ch. 8 “Politics, Power, Institutions and Actors”
• Kurt Weyland (1995) , "Latin America's Four Political Models" Journal of Democracy
6.4, 125-139.
• Guillermo O’Donnell (1996) “Illusions about Consolidation,” Journal of Democracy,
Vol. 7, no. 2, pps. 34-51.

Monday September 26 Political Regimes and Transitions

• Scott Mainwaring (1999) “The Surprising Resilience of Elected Governments” Journal of
Democracy 10.3 101-114.
• Forrest Colburn (2002) , “Fragile Democracies” Current History Volume 101, Number
652 (February).
• Terry Karl (1990) , “Dilemmas of Democratization in Latin America”, Comparative
Politics, 23, pp. 1-21.

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 Wednesday September 28 Venezuela
• Kornblith, Miriam (2005) “Elections versus Democracy” Journal of Democracy Volume
16, Number 1, January, pp. 124-137.
• McCoy, Jennifer (2005), “One Act in an Unfinished Drama” Journal of Democracy
Volume 16, Number 1, January, pp. 109-123.
• McCoy, Jennifer; Neuman, Laura (2001)“Defining the 'Bolivaria n Revolution': Hugo
Chavez's Venezuela.”Current History, Feb, Vol. 100 Issue 643, p80, 6p

Monday October 3 Cuba

• Weinmann, Lissa (2004), “Washington's Irrational Cuba Policy” World Policy Journal,
Spring, Vol. 21 Issue 1, p22, 10p
• Erikson, Daniel P.( 2004) “Castro and Latin America: A Second Wind?” World Policy
Journal, Spring, Vol. 21 Issue 1, p32, 9p
• V & P, Ch. 12 Cuba
• Javier Corrales (2005), “Cuba after Fidel” Current History, Volume 104, Number 679
(February)

Wednesday October 5 Exam One Due CNN Backyard

REVOLUTION
What does explain the emergence of guerrilla movements in Latin America and their relative lack
of success? What sorts of regimes were in power when the insurgencies began? What were the
tactics of the insurgents? What was the response of the government? What role did the United
States play? How did the conflict end? How have the armed left made the transition to
democratic politics?

Monday October 10 Revolution/Terrorism

• V&P Ch. 9
• Alan Knight, “Democratic and Revolutionary Traditions in Latin America” Bulletin of
Latin American Research Vol. 20, No. 2, (2001) pp. 147-186.
• Jack A. Goldstone, (1982) “The Comparative and Historical Study of Revolutions,”
Annual Review of Sociology, vol. 8, pp. 187-207.

Wednesday October 12 Revolution/Terrorism

• Timothy Wickham Crowley (1990) "Terror and Guerrilla Warfare in Latin America"
Comparative Studies in Society and History Vol. 32, Issue 2, p. 201-237.
• Feldmann, Andreas E.; Perälä, Maiju. (2004) “Reassessing the Causes of
Nongovernmental Terrorism in Latin America.” Latin American Politics & Society,
Summer, Vol. 46 Issue 2, p. 120-
• Abbott, Philip K (2004) “Terrorist Threat in the Tri-Border Area: Myth or Reality?”
Military Review, Sep/Oct , Vol. 84 Issue 5, p. 51-
• Barbosa, Rubens (2004) “Triborder Dispute: Comment on Jessica Stern, The Protean
Enemy; with reply” Foreign Affairs, v. 83 no1 (Jan./Feb. 2004), p. 8-

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Monday October 17 Colombia
• Rosenberg Ch 1
• Manwaring, Max G. (2002) “Non-State Actors in Colombia: Threats to the State and to
the Hemisphere.” Small Wars & Insurgencies 13, no. 2: 68-80.
• Marks, Tom. (2003) “Colombian Army Counterinsurgency.” Crime, Law & Social
Change 40, no. 1: 77-105.

Wednesday October 19 Colombia (Preliminary Outline and Searches Due)

• Arlene B. Tickner, (2003) “Colombia and the United States: From Counternarcotics to
Counterterrorism” Current History, Volume 102, Number 661 (February)
• Manwaring, Max G.( 2001) “United States Security Policy in the Western Hemisphere:
Why Colombia, Why Now, and What is to be done?” Small Wars & Insurgencies,
Autumn Vol. 12 Issue 3, p67, 30p
• Roskin, Michael G. (2001). ”Crime and Politics in Colo mbia: Considerations for U. S.
Involvement.” Parameters: U. S. Army War College Quarterly. 31, 4: 126-34.

Monday October 24 Peru

• Rosenberg Ch. 3 (Peru)
• García Calderón, (2001) “Peru’s Decade of Living Dangerously,” Journal of Democracy
12.2, 46-58

Wednesday October 26 Peru

• Franco, George. (2004) “Battling Narcoterrorism: The Peruvian Experience in the
Ucayali.” A Journal of World Affairs 48/3 (Summer)
• Sanchez, W. Alejandro (2003) “The Rebirth of Insurgency in Peru.” Small Wars and
Insurgencies 14/3 (Autumn)
• Jennifer S. Holmes and Sheila Amin Gutiérrez de Piñeres, (2003) “Sources of Fujimori’s
Popularity: Neoliberal Reform or Ending Terrorism?” Terrorism & Political Violence
(Winter) Vol. 14 No. 4

Monday October 31 Nicaragua

• V&P Ch 13
• Ruhl, J. Mark (2004) , “Curbing Central America's Militaries” Journal of Democracy
Volume 15, Number 3, July 2004, pp. 137-151
• Booth, John A. (2005) “Through Revolution and Beyond: Mobilization, Demobilization,
and Adjustment in Central America” Latin American Research Review - Volume 40,
Number 1, 2005, pp. 202-206

Wednesday November 2 Nicaragua

• Rosenberg Ch. 5
• Forrest D. Colburn, “Liberalism Takes Root in Central America” Current History
Volume 103, Number 670 (February 2004)
• Anderson, Leslie (2002) “Nicaragua Votes: The Elections of 2001” Journal of
Democracy - Volume 13, Number 3, July 2002, pp. 80-94

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 REGIME B REAKDOWN AND REDEMOCRATIZATION
Why military dictatorships were frequent in Latin America? What were their consequences?
What factors can explain politic al instability? What factors promoted redemocratization? What
are the legacies of authoritarian rule?

Monday November 7 Chile

• V&P Ch 15
• Adam Przeworski, “The Neoliberal Fallacy," Journal of Democracy, Vol. 3, No. 3, July
1992.
• Weyland, Kurt “ Neoliberalism and Democracy in Latin America: A Mixed Record”
Latin American Politics and Society, 2004, 46, 1, spring, 135-157.

Wednesday November 9 Chile

• Rosenberg Ch. 6
• The Transition to Democracy in Chile: A Model or an Exceptional Case?" Alan Angell,
Parliamentary Affairs, Vol. 46, No. 4, 1993.
• Susan Waltz, “Prosecuting dictators: International law and the Pinochet case” World
Policy Journal Spring 2001

Monday November 14 Argentina

• V&P Ch 14
• Valenzuela, Arturo, “Latin American Presidencies Interrupted” Journal of Democracy
Volume 15, Number 4, October 2004, pp. 5-19 \
• Steven Levitisky and Maria Victoria Murillo, “Argentina Weathers the Storm” Journal
of Democracy Volume 14, Number 2, April 2003

Wednesday November 16 Argentina

• Rosenberg Ch. 2
• Jennifer S. Holmes. “Political Violence and Regime Stability in Argentina 1965-1976”
Terrorism and Political Violence (Spring 2001) Vol. 13 No. 1
• Schuker, Stephen A Round Up the Usual Suspects: The Latest Latin American Debt
Crisis” Orbis: A Journal of World Affairs, 2003, 47, 3, summer, 541-559.

Monday November 21 Brazil

• Brazil V&P Ch. 16
• Cassman, Joel F (2002) “Building the Rule of Law: A Model of Police-Military
Relations in Latin America” Low Intensity Conflict & Law Enforcement, 11, 1, spring, 1-
28.
• Scott Mainwaring (1986), “The Transition to Democracy in Brazil” in Journal of
Interamerican Studies and World Affairs 28:1 (Spring), 149-179

Wednesday November 23 Brazil

• De Souza (1999), "Cardoso and the Struggle for Reform in Brazil,” Journal of
Democracy 10.3, 49-63
• Pablo Fonseca P. dos Santos “Brazil's Remarkable Journey” Finance and Development
June 2005 , Volume 42, Number 2
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2005/06/fonseca.htm
• Hunter, Wendy (2005) “Lula's Brazil at Midterm” Journal of Democracy Volume 16,
Number 3, July , pp. 127-139

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 Monday November 28 EXAM THREE LAST DAY OF CLASS

Monday, December 5 FINAL P APER DUE 4:00PM

• PLEASE TURN IT IN TO MY OFFICE GR 3.528 AND TO TURNITIN .COM
• BOTH COPIES MUST BE RECEIVED TO COUNT!

Recommended Journals:
Bulletin of Latin American Research
Colonial Latin American Review
Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs/ Latin American Politics & Society
Journal of Latin American Cultural Studies
Journal of Latin American Studies
Latin American Perspectives
Latin American Research Review

Turnitin.com
All written work must be submitted to turnitin.com and to me. http://turnitin.com/ BOTH
COPIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE.

Register and then log on to the class.

The course number is 1320162 and the password is malbec. Your assignment will receive a zero
if it is not submitted to turnitin.com.

Paper Topic

Paper Topic
Pick an approved topic. The paper should be seven to nine pages, excluding the bibliography.
Please note the papers that do not reflect adequate peer reviewed research will receive no
more than a C, regardless of the quality of the prose.

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 Dr. Holmes’ Expectations for Papers

Format:
1. Use footnotes. (See The Chicago Manual of Style for details). A summary can be found at
http://www.libs.uga.edu/ref/chicago.html Use the documentary note style -not the author note
system!!! This is not the MLA form of citation. MLA citation is an author-date system. If using
Microsoft word, under the insert menu, choose reference and then footnote to automatically
number the reference and place it at the bottom of the page. The style is as follows:

Examples of footnotes:
1
David Stafford, Britain and European Resistance (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1980),
90.
2
James F. Powers, "Frontier Municipal Baths and Social Interaction in Thirteenth-Century
Spain," American Historical Review 84 (June 1979): 655.

Bibliography:
Stafford, David. Britain and European Resistance. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1980.
Powers, James F. "Frontier Municipal Baths and Social Interaction in Thirteenth-Century Spain."
American Historical Review 84 (June 1979): 649-67.

According to The Chicago Manual of Style, "the full reference of a note, as in a bibliographic
entry, must include enough information to enable the interested reader to find it in a library,
though the form of the note need not correspond precisely to that of the library catalog."1

2. Use a 12 point font.

3. The text should be typed, double spaced, and have one inch margins.
4. Do not add extra spaces between paragraphs.
5. Number the pages.
6. Include a title page with your name, student ID#, course title, and date.
7. Include a bibliography.

Style:
1. Include an introduction and conclusion with appropriate outlines and summation of the main
points of your paper.
2. Use topic sentences in your paragraphs. (Please – no two sentence paragraphs or two page
paragraphs!)
3. Do not use a casual tone. (For example, do not use contractions such as “can’t,” “wouldn’t”,
etc.)
4. Avoid speaking in the first person. (For example, “In this paper I will …”)
5. Spell check!

Sources:
1. Use multiple sources. Do not quote lecture notes.
2. You should have a combination of academic, peer reviewed books and journals as sources.
3. As a supplement only, you may use internet or conventional news sources (for example The
Economist or the New York Times). They should not constitute the core of your research.

1
Chicago Manual of Style, 13th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1982), 487.

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4. Cite often. An overabundance of citations is always preferable to too few. Cite as if you
want the reader to be able to easily refer to your sources when you refer to facts, quotations,
and interpretations.
5. If someone else says it, you must give credit to him or her. If you repeat the author verbatim,
you must quote and cite the author. If you paraphrase his or her words, you must cite the
author. Failure to do this is plagiarism.

General Warning:
Scholastic dishonesty will severely punished. The student will be subject to university
disciplinary proceedings. The UTD Undergraduate Catalog defines scholastic dishonesty as the
following: “Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions
related to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s
own work of material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one
of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying academic records.”

Adapted from Duke university guidelines for writers,

AVOIDING PLAGIARISM

GATHERING RESEARCH MATERIAL

Take time to make careful choices among -- and learn to use -- the research tools available to you. You
will probably find that your favorite Web search engine is not adequate, by itself, for college-level
research. Consult with your professor or a librarian. You may need to use specialized research tools, some
of which may require learning new searching techniques.

Expect to make trips to the library. While you can access many of the library's resources from your home
computer, you may find that you need to make several trips to the library to use materials or research tools
that are not accessible remotely. Of course you will be seeking the best information, not settling for sources
simply because they happen to be available online.

Allow time for gathering materials that are not available at UTD. The Interlibrary Loan office can borrow
articles and books from other libraries, but this process takes additional time.
Allow time for reading, rereading, absorbing information, taking notes, synthesizing, and revising your
research strategy or conducting additional research as new questions arise.

TAKING NOTES

Sloppy note -taking increases the risk that you will unintentionally plagiarize. Unless you have taken
notes carefully, it may be hard to tell whether you copied certain passages exactly, paraphrased them, or
wrote them yourself. This is especially problematic when using electronic source materials, since they can
so easily be copied and pasted into your own documents.

Identify words that you copy directly from a source by placing quotation marks around them, typing
them in a different color, or highlighting them. (Do this immediately, as you are making your notes. Don't
expect to remember, days or weeks later, what phrases you copied directly.) Make sure to indicate the exact
beginning and end of the quoted passage. Copy the wording, punctuation and spelling exactly as it appears
in the original.

Jot down the page number and author or title of the source each time you make a note, even if you are
not quoting directly but are only paraphrasing.

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Keep a working bibliography of your sources so that you can go back to them easily when it's time to
double-check the accuracy of your notes. If you do this faithfully during the note-taking phase, you will
have no trouble completing the "works cited" section of your paper later on.

Keep a research log. As you search databases and consult reference books, keep track of what search
terms and databases you used and the call numbers and url's of information sources. This will help if you
need to refine your research strategy, locate a source a second time, or show your professor what works you
consulted in the process of completing the project.

DOCUMENTING SOURCES

You must cite direct quotes.

You must cite paraphrases. Paraphrasing is rewriting a passage in your own words. If you paraphrase a
passage, you must still cite the original source of the idea. For detailed examples and a discussion, see
Appropriate Uses of Sources.

You must cite ideas given to you in a conversation, in correspondence, or over email.

You must cite sayings or quotations that are not familiar, or facts that are not "common
knowledge." However, it is not necessary to cite a source if you are repeating a well known quote such as
Kennedy's "Ask not what your country can do for you . . .," or a familiar proverb such as "You can't judge
a book by its cover." Common knowledge is something that is widely known. For example, it is common
knowledge that Bill Clinton served two terms as president. It would not be necessary to cite a source for
this fact.

These types of sources should be
documented.
There is a common misconception
that only printed sources of
information, like books and
magazine articles, need to be
formally cited. In fact, audiovisual
and electronic sources -- even email
messages -- must be documented as
well, if you use ideas or words from
them in your writing. Here are some
examples of the kinds of sources that
should be cited:
Printed sources: books, parts of books, magazine or journal
articles, newspaper articles, letters, diaries, public or private
documents.
Electronic sources: web pages, articles from e-journals,
newsgroup postings, graphics, email messages, software,
databases.
Images: works of art, illustrations, cartoons, tables, charts,
graphs.
Recorded or spoken material: course lectures, films, videos, TV
or radio broadcasts, interviews, public speeches, conversations.

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