Latin America - Index

General Information

Instructor: J. Lopez-Jimenez, Ph.D.

Telephone:

507-389-1890

507-382-0497

Office:

218 I Armstrong Hall

Electronic mail:

jose.lopez@mnsu.edu

If I am not in my office, please call

507-382-0497

Required Textbook:

Clawson, David L.

Latin America & the Caribbean: Lands and Peoples.

Oxford University Press.

Course Objectives

This course provides students with an introduction to the physical attributes, cultural patterns, natural resources, and economic characteristics of Latin America, together with the interactions between this realm and Europe, North America, and the Pacific Rim. The class is designed to give students the opportunity of examining the contemporary literature about diverse topics pertinent to Latin America's chorography. The course's approach is one of integrating social studies, economic geography, and environmental studies.

Expected Outcomes

At the end of the semester, the participants of this course should be able to:

1. Describe the different physiographic and cultural regions of Latin America.

2. Explain the causes and consequences of economic, cultural, and political change in Latin America.

Graduate Level Outcomes

1. Evaluate the environmental and cultural differences between South America, Middle America, and the Caribbean.

2. Assess the factors responsible for the transitions from subsistence and import-substitution productive activities to export-oriented commercial economic regimes.

3. Appraise research literature pertinent to the human and physical geography of Latin America.

Course Requirements

Readings: Students should read the relevant material in the textbook before it is covered in lecture. It is the responsibility of the individual student to attend each class session, to actively participate in a "learning team," and to be prepared to enter into a discussion of the material under consideration.

Exams

Test questions may be definitions, multiple-choice, matching, or map questions. They will cover materials discussed in your text and in supplemental assigned readings.

Grading

Your performance in the following four areas will determine your final course grade:

Exam 1 - 20% of course grade

Exam 2 - 20% of course grade

Final exam - 20% of course grade

Activities/quizzes - 40% of course grade

Course Policies and Rules

It is my policy that disrespectful behavior, lack of consideration towards the participants of the course, tardiness, or any disturbance on your part will influence my decision regarding your final grade.

Attendance is not mandatory, but you are highly advised to attend. If you want to succeed in this course, you should come to every session. While about 90% of the material covered by the lectures could be found in the course book, some topics are not sufficiently covered by the text.

Even though attendance is not mandatory, points will be deducted for those students who leave class early, especially on days that test and quiz grades are returned (permission to leave early is required). I prefer that you are absent instead of having to witness students leaving the classroom disrespectfully.

Past experience indicates that grades correlate with attendance and an absence on a test day is detrimental to one's grade.

Please, consult any of your classmates for notes or handouts distributed during lecture if you miss a class session. Do not visit my office asking for old handouts. My duties during office hours are to clarify concepts and answer questions pertinent to tests or assignments, not tutoring (private instruction).

Under special circumstances, I will make electronic notes and Power Point slides available (you are expected to make an office appointment with me, and bring a PC-formatted disk or an USB flash drive so you can copy the lecture files). If you were absent, I would give you copies of the class notes or a make-up quiz if you provide a documented valid excuse.

Valid excuses include

• personal illness, as verified by a valid medical excuse;

• death or critical illness in the immediate family;

• participation in a university-sponsored activity;

• military service;

• law enforcement or public safety service.

If you examine MSUM’s Student Handbook (the “Students’ Responsibilities” section), you will find that:

“Individuals will respect and foster the academic endeavors of others. Minnesota State Mankato exists to promote learning, and as such, students must behave in such a way so as to allow the process of learning to take place by group or individual. Examples of violations include but are not limited to: harassment of a faculty member; disrupting teaching or learning; excessive noise that disrupts classes, studying or University activities; other activities that seriously disrupt the educational process; intentionally altering, inhibiting, or stealing another person's research.”

Cell phone use (of any kind – voice, texting, calculator, or photography…) is prohibited during class. Phones must be turned off or at least set them not to make noise during class time.

The following activities are not to be engaged in during class because they are disruptive and detract from the learning focus of the course: listening to distracting electronic devices such as MP3 players, I-Pods, CD players, Walkman radios, electronic games, pagers, Facebook/My Space surfing, internet, faxing, or web browsing. In essence, all students are required to turn off laptop computers before class starts to avoid distracting activities. Reading the newspaper or other materials not related to the course is not permitted during the lecture. Audio or video recording of lectures is not permitted.

Side conversations are discourteous to classmates, instructors, and guests. Conversations between classmates while I instruct won't be tolerated and I will ask disruptive students to leave the classroom if I deem it necessary. A student may be dropped from a course by the administration if disrespectful behaviors persist and I recommend this action. Raised voices, temper tantrums, and rude behavior will not change my 24-year-old policy.

Class time will be reserved for the definition of concepts, discussion of topics, and explanation of analytical techniques. Office hours are devoted to answering your questions.

There may be in-class assignments or quizzes, which are a portion of your course average grade. I give these occasional quizzes during the last 15 minutes of the session, throughout the semester. I am not obligated to announce most quizzes in advance.

Quizzes and assignments may differ in value (points) depending on their complexity. Do not expect that an elementary assignment will have the same worth as a more complicated exercise.

Late or make-up exams will only be given in verifiable cases of hardship or illness (you need to provide a note from the physician, court, or police department to demonstrate a legitimate reason for your absence). Projects or exercises turned in late after the original assignment has already been graded and returned will be worth zero points. There will not be any make-up quizzes or group activities. However, if you miss only one quiz, that zero won't be included during the calculation of the final grade (remember you have only one chance!).

The course is lecture format, not cooperative learning. Geography is a different type of science that involves very specific facts and theories. Basically, come to class, listen to the lecture, and take notes. Stop me (politely!) if I go too fast or if you have a question. The type of participation that I expect from you could be asking good questions, providing helpful facts during the discussion of concepts, and clarifying ideas that might be considered complex by other students.

The syllabus serves as a guideline and is subject to change, depending on circumstances as the semester progresses.

If you are a student with a documented disability, please see me as early in the semester as possible to discuss the necessary accommodations, and/or contact the Disability Services Office at (507) 389-2825.

Reading Schedule

Weather and Climate (chapter 3)

Natural Regions (chapter 4)

Exam 1: September 28.

Iberian Heritage (chapter 5)

Politics (chapter 6)

Race, Ethnicity, and Society (chapter 7)

Latin American Culture (chapter 8)

Exam 2: October 31.

Religion (chapter 9)

Economic Patterns - Agriculture (chapter 10)

Economic Patterns II - Mining, Manufacturing, and Tourism (chapter 11)

Urbanization and Demography (chapter 12)

4 points (A+)

3.75 points (A)

3.5 points (A-)

3.25 points (B+)

3 points (B)

2.75 points (B-)

2.5 points (C+)

2.25 points (C)

2 points (C-)

1.75 points (D+)

1.5 points (D)

1.25 points (D-)

0 points (F)