Power and Society in the Americas

General data

Course ID:	4219-RS208
Erasmus code / ISCED:	14.0 The subject classification code consists of three to five digits, where the first three represent the classification of the discipline according to the Discipline code list applicable to the Socrates/Erasmus program, the fourth (usually 0) - possible further specification of discipline information, the fifth - the degree of subject determined based on the year of study for which the subject is intended. / (0310) Social and behavioural sciences, not further defined The ISCED (International Standard Classification of Education) code has been designed by UNESCO.
Course title:	Power and Society in the Americas
Name in Polish:	Power and Society in the Americas (Władza i społeczeństwo w Amerykach)
Organizational unit:	American Studies Center
Course groups:	(in Polish) Proseminaria badawcze (nauki społeczne) na studiach II stopnia (in Polish) Proseminaria badawcze na studiach II stopnia All classes - weekday programme - 2nd cycle
ECTS credit allocation (and other scores):	(not available) Basic information on ECTS credits allocation principles: the annual hourly workload of the student’s work required to achieve the expected learning outcomes for a given stage is 1500-1800h, corresponding to 60 ECTS; the student’s weekly hourly workload is 45 h; 1 ECTS point corresponds to 25-30 hours of student work needed to achieve the assumed learning outcomes; weekly student workload necessary to achieve the assumed learning outcomes allows to obtain 1.5 ECTS; work required to pass the course, which has been assigned 3 ECTS, constitutes 10% of the semester student load. view allocation of credits
Language:	English
Type of course:	elective courses proseminars
Short description:	The course is concerned with the analysis of forms of solidarity and social movements that have emerged in the Americas in the last decades. The course introduces conceptual tools to understand and identify forms of social solidarity and collective action such as populism, protest, insurgencies (guerrillas) and armed (revolutionary) movements. The course puts emphasis on issues like culture, the environment (resource extraction and environmental conservation), development, ethnicity and gender. Finally, the role of digital technologies in the formation of collective forms of identity and action is also studied in this course.
Full description:	As the Americas are constantly at crossroads and persistently trap in dynamics of inequality, exclusion and violence, the course examines the extent to which solidarity and social movements have contributed to address the problems that originate them. The course examines the implications of social forms of solidarity on practices of citizenship and democracy. Drawing from examples from South, Central and North America –and the Caribbean-, the course examines social solidarity and collective action from a variety of theoretical perspectives. The course puts emphasis on movements with agendas that include the environment (resource extraction and environmental conservation), inequalities (social, economic and political), and ethnicity. The role of women (gender in social movements) has become a major theme in recent months as many protests have emerged across the Americas. To complement these topics, the course also looks at cultural movements and celebrity activism.
Bibliography:	Albala, Adrián. 2018. Civil Society and Political Representation in Latin America (2010-2015). Towards a Divorce Between Social Movements and Political Parties? Springer International Publishing. Alvarez, Sonia; Dagnino, Evelina and Escobar, Arturo (Eds.) 1998. Culture of Politics, Politics of Cultures: Re‐visioning Latin American Social Movements. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. della Porta, Donatella and Mario Diani 2006. Social Movements: An Introduction. 2nd ed. Blackwell: Malden MA. Gregory, James. 2015. The Mapping Social Movements project. https://depts.washington.edu/moves/ McAdam, Doug. 1999. Political Process and the Development of Black Insurgency, 1930-1970. Chicago: Chicago University Press McAdam, Doug, McCarthy, John, Zald, Mayer (Eds.) 1996. Comparative Perspectives on Social Movements: Political Opportunities, Mobilizing Structures, and Cultural Framings. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Oikonomakis, Leonidas. 2019. Political strategies and social movements in Latin America : the Zapatistas and Bolivian Cocaleros. Palgrave Macmillan. Rousseau, Stéphanie and Morales, Anahi. 2017. Indigenous Women’s Movements in Latin AmericaGender and Ethnicity in Peru, Mexico, and Bolivia. Palgrave, Macmillan. Sierra Caballero, Francisco and Gravante, Tommaso (eds).2018. Networks, Movements and Technopolitics in Latin America Critical Analysis and Current Challenges. Palgrave, Macmillan.
Learning outcomes:	KNOWLEDGE Upon completing this course a student: - has am advanced knowledge of social phenomena related to the Americas. - recognizes broad processes in social, political, cultural perspectives - conceptualizes complex processes in the Americas. - uses scientific terminology in the study of the Americas. SKILLS Upon completing this course a student: - is able to critically use theories and concepts concerning the Americas. -is able to independently attain knowledge, develop critical thinking, reading and writing skills. - formulates critical arguments on topics related to the Americas. SOCIAL COMPETENCES Upon completing this course a student: - is open to new phenomena and new ideas in contemporary societies. - appreciates the roles of the Americas in the contemporary world. - completes and improves his and her knowledge of the United States of America.
Assessment methods and assessment criteria:	Student assessment will be based on: Presentation: Paper proposal (10%) Annotated bibliography: 500 words (10%) Paper Proposal: (5 pages) 1 500 words (30%) Final Paper:(15 pages) 4 000 words (50%)

This course is not currently offered.

Course descriptions are protected by copyright.
Copyright by University of Warsaw.