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Lecturer(s)
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Němec Jan, Ing. Mgr. Ph.D.
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Buben Radek, PhDr. Ph.D.
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Zajícová Lenka, prof. Mgr. Ph.D.
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Štenclová Magdalena, Mgr.
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Course content
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The course combines the introduction of basic theoretical concepts from political science (e.g. the specifics of the functioning of presidential systems, the influence of populism, etc.), economics (dependency theory, poverty, etc.) and sociology (social structure, social identity, etc.), which are key for the analysis of society and politics in Latin American countries, with case studies of selected countries; all this in relation to the historical context and social and economic roots of political processes. Topics: 1. Latin America as a region: geographical, cultural, ethnic and linguistic delimitation. Basic development until the end of the 19th century. 2. Development in the 20th century: the rise of US influence, revolutions and social reforms, the Cold War, military regimes and democratic transitions. 3. Political systems of Latin American states: presidentialism, territorial organizations (federation × unitary state), (de)centralization, separation of powers, electoral systems and party systems. 4. Problems of democracy in L.A.: concentration of power, re-election of presidents, populism, authoritarian and hybrid regimes, the role of the army and the militarization of politics. 5. Brief historical development of the economy: export model, crisis of the 1930s, ISI, debt crisis, neoliberalism, reaction in the form of 21st century socialism, (neo)extractivism. 6. Contemporary economy: main economic sectors, trading partners (USA, China, EU), regional cooperation, Latin America's position in the global economy. 7. Natural resources: climate change, energy transformation, water scarcity, deforestation of the Amazon, copper, lithium, environmental conflicts. 8. Migration and demographic change: intra-regional and extra-regional migration, migration waves, urbanization, causes and consequences of migration. 9. Society and new social movements: rights of indigenous peoples and Afro-Latin populations, the status of women, minority rights, civil society and protest movements. 10. Security and organized crime: remnants of guerrilla movements, paramilitary groups, drug trafficking, violence and security policies. 11. International relations of Latin America: regional leaders, OAS, BRICS, MERCOSUR, ALBA 12. Current challenges and perspectives of development of Latin America: corruption, inequality, poverty, economic transformation, renewable energy sources.
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Lecture, Monologic Lecture(Interpretation, Training), Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming)
- Attendace
- 25 hours per semester
- Homework for Teaching
- 55 hours per semester
- Preparation for the Exam
- 40 hours per semester
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Learning outcomes
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The aim of the course is to understand the basic political, social and economic mechanisms of contemporary Latin America. The teaching will focus on explaining basic theoretical concepts and then on their application through case studies from various Latin American countries.
The student will acquire comprehensive knowledge and analytical skills focused on the specifics of the Latin American region. The course develops competencies in the areas of political science, economics and sociology with an emphasis on historical context.
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Prerequisites
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None
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Mark, Oral exam, Student performance, Seminar Work
Active participation, presentation on a previously consulted social/political/community topic, oral exam, reading of foreign language literature in the amount of approximately 400 pages
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Recommended literature
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Bethell, L. (ed.). (2008). The Cambridge History of Latin America. 12 vols.. Cambridge.
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Bustos, B., Engel-Di Mauro, S., García-López, G., Milanez, F., & Ojeda, D. (eds.). (2023). The Routledge Handbook of Latin America and the Environment. London.
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Cardoso, F. H., & Faletto, E. (1979). Dependency and Development in Latin America. Los Angeles.
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Domínguez, J. I., & Covarrubias, A. (eds.). (2015). Routledge Handbook of Latin America in the World. London.
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Dvořáková, V., Buben, R., Němec, J. (2012). !Que el pueblo mande! Levicové vlády, populismus a změny režimu v Latinské Americe. Praha.
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Cheibub, J. A. (2007). Presidentialism, Parliamentarism, and Democracy. Cambridge.
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Levitsky, S., & Way, L. A. (2010). Competitive Authoritarianism: Hybrid Regimes after the Cold War. Cambridge.
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Linz, J. J. "The perils of presidentialism." Journal of Democracy 1(1), 51-69. 1990.
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Mudde, C., & Rovira Kaltwasser, C. (2017). Populism: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford.
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Němec, J. a kol. (2010). Komparace politických systémů. Politické systémy Latinské Ameriky. Praha.
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Prebisch, R. (1950). The Economic Development of Latin America and Its Principal Problems. New York.
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Quijano, A. "Coloniality of Power, Eurocentrism, and Latin America." Nepantla: Views from South 1(3), 533-580. 2000.
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Ross, M. L. (2012). The Oil Curse: How Petroleum Wealth Shapes the Development of Nations. Princeton.
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Svampa, M. (2019). Neo-extractivism in Latin America: Socio-environmental Conflicts, the Territorial Turn, and New Political Narratives. Cambridge.
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