Course: Chapters on LA history

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Course title Chapters on LA history
Course code KRS/KDLAN
Organizational form of instruction Lecture + Seminar
Level of course Master
Year of study not specified
Semester Winter and summer
Number of ECTS credits 4
Language of instruction Spanish
Status of course Compulsory-optional
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Riebová Markéta, Mgr. Ph.D.
  • Zajícová Lenka, prof. Mgr. Ph.D.
Course content
1) Differences between pre-modern and modern society (economic, social, philosophical and political aspects) Reading: Keller, Jan: Dějiny klasické sociologie 2) Gran Colombia (1819-1830): problems while building liberal political institutions,economic situation,regionaland ideological conflict, factors leading to the disintegration of the country; Reading: Palacio, M. - Safford, F.: Colombia: un país dividido, sociedad fragmentada 3) Colombia after Bolívar (1830-1848. Birth of the party system, basics of ideological conflicts between liberals and conservatives, beginnings of the origin of liberal economy, position of Colombia in contemporary world economy. Reading: Palacio, M. - Safford, F.: Colombia: un país dividido, sociedad fragmentada. Klíma, J.: Simón Bolívar a jeho doba. 4) Civil wars in the 19th century. The Republic of Río Negro and the period of liberal dominance, federalism, acceleration of economic modernization of the country (coffee growing) Reading: Palacio, M. - Safford, F.: Colombia: un país dividido, sociedad fragmentada 5) Period of conservative dominance, the Thousand Days' War, the Constitution of 1886, the separation of Panama, American-Colombian relations in the 19th century Reading: Palacio, M. - Safford, F.: Colombia: un país dividido, sociedad fragmentada 6) Liberal republic (1930-1945), character of the new liberalism, social law making, the development of unions and their connections with the party politics. López Pumarejo and his 'Revolución sobre marcha', the land reform of 1936 and the reasons of its relative failure Reading: Bushnell, D.: The Making of Modern Colombia: A Nation in Spite of Itself 7) Gaitán and the birth of populism in Colombia (differences and similarities with other Latin American states), the end of liberal republic, growth of politically motivated violence in the countryside, ''bogotazo'', the last civil war between conservatives and liberals (the period of La Violencia) Reading: Pecault, D.: Orden y violencia. 8) Rojas Pinilla's dictatorship, the period of the National Front and the transformation of the traditional two-party system, economic policy after the World War II, social changes after the World War II. Reading: Bushnell, D.: The Making of Modern Colombia: A Nation in Spite of Itself 9) Development of guerrilla movement (reasons, character of the conflict and its transformation since the 1960s until the end of the government of president Uribe, the birth of half-military units and their connection with drug cartels and army. Reading: Romero, M., ed. Parapolítica. La ruta de la expansión paramilitar y los acuerdos políticos. González, F.E. - Bolívar, I. J. - Vásquez, T. Violencia política en Colombia. De la Nación fragmentada a la construcción del Estado 10) Origin of drug cartels, rise and fall of Pablo Escobar, US policy towards the drug war, reaction of the state to the rise of illegal drug trade and transformation of Colombian politics. Reading: Richani, N.: Sistemas de guerra. La economía política del conflicto en Colombia. 11) 1980s and 1990s: neoliberalism in Latin America and Colombia, new constitution of 1991, impacts of violence on Colombian society, origins of social movements, end of the two-party system and the rise of Uribe. Reading: Palacio, M. - Safford, F.: Colombia: un país dividido, sociedad fragmentada

Learning activities and teaching methods
Lecture, Monologic Lecture(Interpretation, Training), Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Work with Text (with Book, Textbook)
  • Homework for Teaching - 36 hours per semester
  • Preparation for the Exam - 40 hours per semester
  • Attendace - 24 hours per semester
Learning outcomes
The aim of the course is to introduce students to the modern history of Colombia (since 1819) with the emphasis on the birth and development of political institutions. In the first part we will focus on building the liberal secular state and liberal economy and reasons for their difficult implantation in Colombia (geographical conditions, weak infrastructure and institutions, insufficient development of bourgeoisie, social differences, etc.). We will also consider the creation of the two dominant political parties and the clientelist character of the party system in the 19th century. The second part of the course deals with the history of the 20th century. We will analyse the outcomes of economic and social modernization as well as tough political struggle for the form of the modern society (left-wing guerrillas, the social movement of the 1990s, etc.). We will also concentrate on changes of the traditional two-party system leading from the tough ideological and military conflict through the cooperation within the scope of the National Front to its disintegration at the turn of the millennium. Special emphasis is put on international politics, mainly the policy towards the USA as it brings to the area ideological schemes of the cold war and subsequently the war against drugs and terrorism.
Students acquire knowledge of the history and current problems in Colombia, strengthen skills of reading and interpretation of specialized texts. Based on the knowledge of modern history students demonstrate the ability to interpret current events in Colombia.
Prerequisites
None.

Assessment methods and criteria
Mark, Written exam, Seminar Work

To finish the course satisfactory, it is necessary to actively participate in the classes, to prepare a presentation on selected topic and to pass a written test based on what has been taught in the classes.
Recommended literature
  • Bulmer-Thomas, V. (1995). The Economic History of Latin America since Independence. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Bushnell, D. (1993). The Making of Modern Colombia: A Nation in Spite of Itself. Berkeley - Los Angeles: University of California Press.
  • Gaitán Daza, F. (1995). Dos ensayos especulativos sobre la violencia en Colombia. Bogotá.
  • González, F.E. - Bolívar, I. J. - Vásquez, T. (2003). Violencia política en Colombia. De la Nación fragmentada a la construcción del Estado. Bogotá: Cinep.
  • Chalupa, Jiří. (2002). Zápisky o válce občanské (Studie o vybraných aspektech Španělské občanské války 1936-1939). Praha.
  • Kirk, R. (2004). More Terrible Than Death: Drugs, Violence, and America's War in Colombia. New York: PublicAffairs.
  • Klíma, J. (2007). Simón Bolívar a jeho doba. Praha.
  • Palacios, M. - Safford, F. (2002). Colombia: país fragmentado, sociedad dividida. Bogotá: Norma.
  • Pecault, D. (2001). Orden y violencia. Bogotá.
  • Preston, Paul. (1986). Revolución y guerra en Espaňa, 1931-1939. Madrid.
  • Richani, N. (2003). Sistemas de guerra. economía política del conflicto en Colombia. Bogotá.
  • Romero, M., ed. (2007). Parapolítica. La ruta de la expansión paramilitar y los acuerdos políticos. Bogotá: Corporación Nuevo Arco Iris-CERC-ASDI.
  • Vilar, Pierre. (1987). La guerra civil espaňola. Barcelona.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Spanish Language with focus on Latin America (2019) Category: Philological sciences 1 Recommended year of study:1, Recommended semester: Winter