Course Syllabus
Office hours: Tuesdays 11a-12pm on Zoom (link can be found in Zoom tab)
Course Overview
This course explores the shifting meanings, expectations, and possibilities of political and social change in Mexico since the early 20th century. Through the lens of revolutionary ideas and social movements, we will consider: 1) the extent to which key political ruptures generated meaningful change for people on the ground; 2) the role that violence played as a catalyst for political change and as a source of cultural critique; 3) the ways in which competing visions of modernity became the impetus for cultural and social projects; 4) the shifting understandings of race and the role of Indigenous people in Mexican society; 5) how environmental pressures and criminal organizations are shaping the present political landscape.
Lectures will provide overviews of key developments in Mexico, and assigned texts will draw from newspaper sources, scholarly books and articles, primary source materials, and films. Topics of discussion will include: Indigenous and student movements; the queer experience of revolutionary fighting; experiences of border crossing; environmental degradation; and drug trafficking.
**Please note: this course will be hybrid. Week 1 will be online. Starting week 2, we will meet on Mondays in person and Wednesdays on Zoom**
Link to full syllabus:
Objectives
Over the course of the quarter, students will develop and demonstrate the ability to: place current events within the context of modern Mexican history; critically analyze primary source materials; structure clear and effective arguments about scholarly debates; synthesize lectures and assigned readings during classroom discussions; and research academic knowledge and present it to a wider audience.
Teaching Goals
My goal as an instructor is to facilitate your development as critical thinkers. In the context of the course, I want to help you access a deeper knowledge and appreciation of Mexico and of the challenges and promises of social change. I aim to foster a classroom environment that is inclusive and open to broad but respectful debate, free of discrimination.
Assigned Readings
There are two required books for this class, which are available for purchase at the University Bookstore. These books will be held on reserve in the UW library and two copies of each will be available at the Leadership Without Borders Husky Lending Library. All other required readings will be available on the Canvas course site.
- Natasha Varner, La Raza Cosmética: Beauty, Identity, and Settler Colonialism in Postrevolutionary Mexico (Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2020).
- Jason De León, Land of Open Graves: Living and Dying on the Migrant Trail (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2015).
Expectations of Classroom Conduct
- Please bring a pen and loose paper to every in-person class. We will often do in-class reading reflections which you will submit at the end of class.
- Bring a copy of the assigned reading to class. This is essential to our class discussions and to your participation grade.
- In our discussions, we will not ask anyone of a particular or perceived race, gender identity or expression, citizenship status, national origin, or sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or veteran status to speak for the experience of their group (i.e. we won’t tokenize our classmates).
This course uses the JSIS Standard Grading Scheme, which converts percentage grades into 4.0 grades:
Letter Grade |
Numeric Grade |
Percent |
A |
4.00 |
98-100 |
A |
3.90 |
96-97 |
A- |
3.80 |
94-95 |
A- |
3.70 |
92-93 |
A- |
3.60 |
91 |
A- |
3.50 |
90 |
B+ |
3.40 |
89 |
B+ |
3.30 |
88 |
B+ |
3.20 |
87 |
B |
3.10 |
86 |
B |
3.00 |
85 |
B |
2.90 |
84 |
B- |
2.80 |
83 |
B- |
2.70 |
82 |
B- |
2.60 |
81 |
B- |
2.50 |
80 |
C+ |
2.40 |
79 |
C+ |
2.30 |
78 |
C+ |
2.20 |
77 |
C |
2.10 |
76 |
C |
2.00 |
75 |
C |
1.90 |
74 |
C- |
1.80 |
73 |
C- |
1.70 |
72 |
C- |
1.60 |
71 |
C- |
1.50 |
70 |
D+ |
1.40 |
69 |
D+ |
1.30 |
68 |
D+ |
1.20 |
67 |
D |
1.10 |
66 |
D |
1.00 |
65 |
D |
0.90 |
64 |
D- |
0.80 |
62-63 |
D- |
0.70 |
60-61 |
2.7 or higher is required for graduate students to earn "S" in "S/NS" grading
2.0 or higher is required for undergraduate students to earn "S" in "S/NS" grading
Below 0.7 = 0.0
Course Summary:
Date | Details | Due |
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