Tinker Visiting Professors' Courses

The Era of Democratic Pessimism

LACS 25136/35136 (PLSC 25136)
Cristóbal Bellolio
TR 12:30 - 1:50 PM

According to the end of history thesis and the nineties optimism that fueled it, the world would converge in a combination of liberal democracy and market economy. However, in recent years, a specter of political pessimism haunts the globe. Although democracies do not die as dramatically as they used to, new kinds of authoritarianisms have emerged. Some say that populism is to blame, others point to economic crises, identity politics and even the rise of social media, not to mention the elephant in the room: whether democracy can handle the climate crisis. Is democracy really receding? Are these its causes? Can survive its most pressing challenges?

The Economic History of Latin America

LACS 25135/35135 (HIST 26309/36309)
Aurora Gómez Galvarriato
MWF 1:30 - 2:20 PM

The course explores Latin America’s historical evolution, analyzing the factors that have promoted or limited its economic development from the 16th century to the present. It seeks to familiarize students with the main debates on the economic history of the region, including the most recent literature. Despite its diversity, Latin American countries share several common traits, linked to its past, that have resulted in lower levels of income and greater poverty than the Global North, and very high inequality by international standards. This course aims to acquaint students with Latin America’s diversity and, at the same time, identify its common characteristics. The course will delve into the following traits, that although unevenly distributed through the region, have shaped Latin America’s economic development: indigenous legacies, colonial extraction, slavery, European migration, political fragmentation and instability, integration into the global economy through commodities’ exports, low educational levels, poor innovation and financial development, limited industrialization, and frequent macroeconomic crises.