GG26010 - THE AMERICAS

Module Identifier

GG26010

Module Title

THE AMERICAS

Academic Year

2004/2005

Co-ordinator

Professor Timothy J Cresswell

Semester

Semester 2

Other staff

Dr Heidi V Scott, Dr Luke C Desforges, Mr Gareth C Hoskins, Professor Timothy J Cresswell

Course delivery

Lecture

20 Hours 10 x 2 hours

Assessment

Assessment Type	Assessment Length/Details	Proportion
Semester Exam	2 Hours Seen examination - answer two questions from four.	100%
Supplementary Exam	2 Hours Resit examination in same format.	100%

Learning outcomes

On succesful completion of this module students will have gained an appreciation of:-

the diversity of social formations in the Americas

the legacy provided by both colonialism and independence in the Americas

key moments in the development of select American states

key contemporary issues and concerns across the Americas.

Students will be able to:

refer to and evaluate a range of interdisiplinary literature on the history of the Americas as well as particular case studies

demonstrate an awareness of the practical role played by Geographers in the development of the Americas

further develop their own critical thought, writing and presentation skills.

Aims

The aim of this module is to introduce students to the varied social, economic, and cultural landscapes of the Americas.

Content

The purpose of this module is to introduce students to the varied social, economic, and cultural landscapes of the Americas. Focusing on several key themes, such as colonization and independence, nation building and modernization, the course will emphasize how and why diverse forms of government have attempted to 'shape' New World social formations, as well as the aims and ideals of select groups who have worked to produce alternate visions of society. In-depth case studies ranging from the making of the American West to the Cuban revolution, and from the civil rights movement to the rise of Aryan patriot groups will be used to draw out these themes. Students will read both theoretical works and empirical studies of particular peoples and places, and will explore how people and place have been represented in maps as well as diverse written texts. Themes:

Colonial Encounters
Independence in the New World and its Legacy
Modernization and Development in the US
Modernization and Development in Central and South America
Imagining America
Nation Building and Cultural Marginalization
Socialism and its Variations across the Americas
Race: From Civil Rights to Patriotism
New Social Movements
Conclusions and Revision

Reading Lists

Books
** Recommended Text
Burkholder, Mark A. and Johnson, Lyman, L. (2003) Colonial Latin America Oxford: Oxford Uni. Press
Burns, E. Bradford (2002) Latin America: A Concise Interpretive History Eaglewood Cliffs, N.Y. : Prentice Hall
Cronon, William, Miles, George and Gitlin,Jay (eds) (1992) Under an Open Sky: Rethinking America's Western Past. Norton. Classmark: F591.U5
Jackson, John Brinckerhoff (1994) A Sense of Place, A Sense of Time. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. Classmark: GF90.I6
Nelson Limerick, Patricia (1987) The Legacy of Conquest. Norton. Classmark: F591.T7

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5