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ANTH398
Advanced Seminar: Critical Issues in Anthropology: Political Culture, Indians and the Nation-State in Mexico and Central America
ANTH398 FA
Next Offered in 9798 FA
This senminar is intended mainly for anthropology majors and
graduate students, but is open to all advanced students in
the social sciences. The particular topic changes each
year and is intended to reflect student interests. This
semester we will examine the relationship between
indigenous peoples, nationalism and national conflicts in
Mexico and Central America. We will begin by profiling
colonization and colonial rule, and then move to
considering state formation and current issues of politics
and race, nationalism and ethnicity. We will focus on the
ways in which nationalist rhetorics, practices and symbols
have constructed, encompassed and marginalized those
considered "indigenous," and on the meanings indigenous
peoples give to their own positions and indentities as
"Indians." Areas of inquiry will include the Miskito
Indians and the nation-state in Nicaragua, the position of
Guatemalan Indians in national political conflicts, and the
recent Zapatista uprising in Chiapas, Mexico.
MAJOR READINGS
Benedict Anderson, IMAGINED COMMUNITIES
Tzvetan Todorov, THE CONQUEST OF AMERICA
Greg Urban and John Sherzer (eds.), NATION-STATES AND
INDIANS IN LATIN AMERICA
Carol A. Smith (ed.), GUATEMALAN INDIANS AND THE STATE:
1540-1988
Judith Friedlander, BEING INDIAN IN HUEYAPAN
Eduardo Galeano, THE OPEN VEINS OF LATIN AMERICA
Kay Warren, THE SYMBOLISM OF SUBORDINATION: INDIANS IN
GUATEMALA
Also a number of articles on politics, race and ethnicity
in Latin America.
EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS
Take home mid-term exam, final
research paper.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS
Class attendance,
participation in discussions.
Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting
or communicate directly with the instructor prior to the
first class, they will be dropped from the class list.
NOTE: Students must still submit a completed Drop/Add form
to the Registrar's Office.
COURSE FORMAT: Seminar
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Level: UG Credit: 1.00
Prerequisites:
None
Last Updated on MAR-10-1997
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