ADM5159 POLITICS AND SOCIETY IN LATIN AMERICA
| Course Code: | 3105159 |
| METU Credit (Theoretical-Laboratory hours/week): | 3 (3.00 - 0.00) |
| ECTS Credit: | 8.0 |
| Department: | Political Science and Public Adm. |
| Language of Instruction: | English |
| Level of Study: | Graduate |
| Course Coordinator: | Assoc.Prof.Dr. CANAN ASLAN AKMAN |
| Offered Semester: | Fall or Spring Semesters. |
Course Objectives
The objective of this course is to provide graduate students of politics with an understanding of the past and contemporary issues related to the political development of the major countries in Latin America ( Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Venezuela, Mexico) Students will relate the process of socio-economic modernization of the region to the democratization process . They will be analyzing the workings of the formal and informal institutions in Latin America. The course also aims at developing an awareness of the complexities of the dynamics of authoritarian interludes as well as the democratic transition processes in Latin America. At the end of the course they are also expected to apply the concepts and the theories of comparative political analysis to Latin America.
Course Content
This course is designed to provide graduate students of political science with a survey of the Latin American politics at both theoretical and empirical levels of analysis. It begins with an examination of the political and economic developments in Latin American societies during their capitalist development and state formation and their legacy for the state-society relations. The course then proceeds to the analysis of the rise of authoritarianism, transitions to democratic rule, the dynamics of economic liberalization, and the challenges of democratic consolidation in major countries of the region. Specific topic to be covered include the nature of the Latin American state, the role of militaries, political parties, civil societies and the impact of the market reforms on social and political stability.
Course Learning Outcomes
Student, who passed the course satisfactorily, will be able to
* explain the historical legacy of colonizaton for the contemporary political dynamics of Latin American countries
*analyze the democratization experience of the major countries of the region by pointing to the turning points in its socio-economic modernization.
*understand the relationship between economic development and democracy in the case of Latin America from a historical and comparative perspective
*discuss the major issues of democratic development with specific reference to institutions, political culture and socio-economic inequality in Latin America