Revolutionary Movements in Latin America Classroom:  Hours:  Mon. Wed. Dr. Antonio de la Cova Office: Sycamore Hall 043 Hours: 11AM-Noon  M-W Phone: 855-4745

COURSE OBJECTIVES: A study of the twentieth century Mexican, Cuban and Nicaraguan revolutions, the insurgent movements they have sponsored, and United States policy toward them. Emphasis on Cold War issues, guerrilla organizations and theories, counterinsurgency and liberation theology.

READINGS: You are expected to read all of the texts assigned to this course and the homework assigned readings. Questions regarding the texts and homework will appear on the exams. The texts available at the bookstore are:

Charles Bergquist, ed. Violence in Colombia 1990-2000: Waging War and Negotiating Peace (2001).
Daniel Castro. Revolution and Revolutionaries: Guerrilla Movements in Latin America (1999).
Stephen C. Rabe. The Most Dangerous Area in the World: John F. Kennedy Confronts Communist Revolution in Latin America (1999).

OTHER MATERIAL: Documentaries and overhead projections presented are part of class lectures, requiring taking notes on these occasions. Homework will be assigned from the Latin American Studies web page.

GRADING: Your grade will consist of three exams with an essay component and a research paper. The exams will cover material from the readings, lectures and presentations. There will be no "Extra Credit." The final grade is:

       First exam 15%     Second Exam 25%     Third Exam 30%     Research Paper 30%
        A = 100-90; B+ = 89-87; B = 86-80; C+ = 79-77; C = 76-70; D+ = 69-67; D = 66-60; F = 59-0

RESEARCH PAPER: Choose your own topic related to this course. Eight to ten pages in text length, typed in 12-point font, double-spaced, with standard margins, without illustrations. Include at least three citations from the Latin American Studies web page, three books and three journals. A late paper will lose ten points. Turn in a paper copy and one on disk or by e-mail.

MAKE-UP EXAMS: It will only be given if you have a valid physician's excuse or a verified family emergency. Makeups are different and considerably more difficult than the regularly scheduled test.

ATTENDANCE: The roll will be taken at every class. Absences totaling 8 classes (20% of the course) will result in an F for the course.

CLASSES          LECTURE TOPICS                               ASSIGNED READINGS

Dec. 2-6     Introduction and study guides               Castro, xi-xxxvii; Rabe, 1-33.  
             Liberal and Conservative ideologies         The Rule of Porfirio Diaz 
             The Porfirio Diaz dictatorship              The Plan of San Luis Potosi 
             Film: Revolution and Rebirth                Mexican Revolution Chronology

Dec. 9-13    The Mexican Revolution                      Castro, 1-22; Rabe, 34-78.
             The Women Soldaderas                        The Plan de Ayala 
             U.S. Occupation of Veracruz                 1917 Constitution of Mexico   
             Film: Pancho Villa: Outlaw Hero             Zimmermann Telegram 

Dec. 16-20   The Nicaraguan Civil Wars 1893-1927         Castro, 23-42; Rabe, 79-124.
             The Origins of Sandinismo                   Tipitapa Agreement of 1927 
             U.S. Intervention in Nicaragua              San Albino Manifesto
Dec. 20      First Exam.                                 Guidelines for Sandino's army  

             Research paper prospectus and bibliography due.

Jan. 6-10    Sandinista guerrilla warfare                Castro, 43-63; Rabe, 125-172.
             The Somoza Dynasty                          Open Letter to President Hoover
             Batista coup d'etat of 1952                 Sandino Letter to the N.Y. World  
             Film: Fidel                                 Manifesto to the Nation

Jan. 13-17   The Moncada Attack                          Castro, 65-86; Rabe, 173-199.
             The 26th of July Movement                   Cuban Rebel Is Visited in Hideout  
             The Sierra Maestra campaign                 Cuba's Yankee Comandante 
             Film: Che Guevara Bolivia Diary             Why We Fight

Jan. 20-24   Puerto Rican Nationalism                    Castro, 87-112; Bergquist, vii-38.
             The FALN bombings in the United States      100 Years of Pedro Albizu Campos 
             The Macheteros $7M Wells Fargo robbery      P. R. Terrorists Threaten Reagan
Jan. 24      Second Exam                                 Managua aids P.R. terror schools 

Jan. 27-31   Cuban-sponsored Caribbean invasions         Castro, 113-134; Bergquist, 39-94.
             Che Guevara's Bolivian campaign             Che's Guerrilla Movement in Bolivia 
             Liberation Theology                         Church revisits 'option for the poor'      
             Film: Silent Warriors: Druglord Manhunt     Cuba's Renewed Support for Violence

Feb. 3-7     The Sandinistas                             Castro, 135-162; Bergquist, 95-169.
             The Salvadoran FMLN                         We shipped weapons, Sandinistas say 
             Shining Path and MRTA in Peru               Resurgence of Shining Path? 
             Film: Cold War in Central America           Lori Berenson 

Feb. 10-14   Zapatista National Liberation Front (EZLN)  Castro, 163-189; Bergquist, 170-225.
             Colombian Civil Wars (1810-1957             The Colombia I Left Behind 
             Revolutionary Armed Forces Colombia (FARC)  Colombia's female fighting force 
             Film: The Hostage Crisis in Peru            Rebels Blur the Lines in Drug War 

Feb. 14      Research paper due

Feb. 17-21   National Liberation Army of Colombia (ELN)  Castro, 190-227; Bergquist, 226-279.
             United Peasant Self-Defence Force (AUC)     Rebel death may split Colombia's ELN 
             United States role in Colombia              Interview with Carlos Casta?o
Feb. 21      Third Exam                                  U.S. role in war on rebels limited