History 508:364

Environmental History of Latin America

Fall 2007

Monday & Wednesday 7:40-9:00 pm

Gail D. Triner Office Hours:

Van Dyck Hall 002C Mon. & Wed. 4:30-5:30

932–6696 by appointment

e-mail: triner@ix.netcom.com

web site: http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~triner

The mutual re-shaping of physical environment and human society in Latin America as a result of their continual interaction is the focus of this course. With an ambitious chronological framework, the course spans the relationship of pre-Colombian societies with their environments, and continues through contemporary considerations of globalization and “sustainable development.”

European contact with the Americas was the most dramatic man-made environmental event in human history. This course explores the role of environment in many inter-cultural clashes. It examines the perceptions that early European arrivals developed of the indigenous populations as falling within a continuum between the “animal” and “human” worlds, rather than clearly in either category. The impact of a new – European – population on the natural environment is also a subject of the course. Additional topics include the role of physical setting in defining racial categorization and national identity. We will consider the concepts at issue with each of these topics and explore specific historic experience in various settings throughout Latin America.

The course is organized chronologically, in three sections: the pre-colonial and colonial eras, the nineteenth century, and the twentieth century. At the conclusion of each section, there will be an essay examination, and a final exam will conclude the course.

Class sessions will include lectures, discussions, and visual materials. The readings and lectures for this course draw upon a very wide diversity of sources. Because the topic of the course covers a very long time period and large geography we will investigate selective themes in a variety of settings. Grades will be based on a take-home mid-term, a take final exam, two short papers and class participation.

A day or two before each class session, I will post a highly summarized outline of the issues that I expect each class to cover on the web page for this class. (You can get to this site by going through the links on my home page, see address above.) I intend for these very broad outlines to help you begin thinking about the issues that we will cover in class. (Or, if you miss class, give you some indication of what you miss.) You should not rely on these outlines as exhaustive descriptions for classes. And you should, especially, not rely on them as a substitute for class attendance. Depending on how any class session actually progresses, we may not cover the issues in the order that they appear; and we may use different words and phrases to cover the concepts.

Course Requirements

The requirements for the course (with their respective proportion of the final grade) are:

%grade

20% each 2 Take-home mid-semester essays

35% Take-home final essays

25% Class participation – based on

· participation in class discussions

· short, unannounced, in-class writing exercises, based on readings assigned for the class session

· participation in small group discussion sessions

Notes:

· The on-line version of this syllabus includes hyperlinks to all of the readings pdf files and on-line sources.

• As the semester progresses, additional on-line (optional) readings and visual illustrations are likely to appear.
• You can follow hyperlinks from the on-line version of the syllabus to go directly to the readings.

Readings

No textbook has yet been written for this class. The following books are available at the Rutgers University Bookstore and the short readings are available through the on-line version of the syllabus.

Books:

Cook, D.N. Born to Die

Kane, J.; Savages.make

Short Readings (articles and chapters available through direct links on my website):

Price, M. “Latin America: A Geographic Preface” Understanding Contemporary Latin America, Ch. 2 [pp. 13-40])

Castro Herrera, C. Environmental History (Made) in Latin America

New York Times, 11 December 05 “A Record Amazon Drought”

d’Altroy, T.; “Andean Land Use at the Cusp of History” from Lentz (ed.) Imperfect Balance Ch. 13 (pp 357-391).Part 1; Part 2

Cabeza de Vaca; Adventures in the Unknown Interior of America; Chs. 21-30 (pp. 60-81, of hard copy.)

de Léry, J.; History of a Voyage to the Land of Brazil; Chs. 9 and 13 (pp. 69-77 and 100-111).

Cook, D.N. Born to Die; Introduction, Ch. 2 and Conclusion (pp. 1-14, 60-94 and 201-216).

Melville, E. A Plague of Sheep; Chs. 4-6 (pp. 78-166). (The files include chapters 4-6; you only need to read Chapters 5 and 6.) Part 1; Part 2; Part 3

Fagan, B.; “Guano Happens” from Floods, Famines and Emperors; Ch.2 (pp. 23-38).

Slatta, R.; “The Pampa and Frontier Abundance” and “Man to Myth” from Gauchos and the Vanishing Frontier; Chs. 2 and 11 (pp, 17-30 and 180-192).

Sarmiento, D.F.; Life in the Argentine Republic in the Days of the Tyrants; or Civilization and Barbarism; Ch. 1 (pp. 25-39).

Darwin, Charles; Voyage of the Beagle; Chapters 4 and 8.

Peard, J.G.; “Race, Climate, Medicine: Framing Tropical Disorders” from Race, Place and Medicine: The Idea of the Tropics in Nineteenth Century Brazilian Medicine; Ch. 3 (pp. 81-108).

McCook, S.; “Giving Plants a Civil Status” and “Building Creole Science” from States of Nature: Science, Agriculture and Environment in the Spanish Caribbean, 1760-1940; Chs. 2 and 3 (pp. 26-76). Part 1; Part 2

Pérez. L.A.; “A Time of Tempests” and “Between the Storms” from Hurricanes and the Transformation of Nineteenth Century Cuba; Chs. 3 and 6 (pp. 57-82 and 139-155). Part 1; Part 2

J. Hellman “Agricultural and Rural Development” and “The Countryside” from Mexican Lives, Chs. 5 and 6 (pp. 113-151.)

Wright, A. The Death of Ramón González Ch. 1 “The Death of Ramón González” pp.1-9.

Lutzberger, J.A.; “Who is Destroying the Amazon Rainforest?” and Valderes, T. “Deforestation: A Brazilian Perspective” from S. Place (ed.) Tropical Rainforests: Latin American Nature and Society in Transition

Place, S.E. and Chase, J. “The Environment, Population and Urbanization” in Hillman (ed.) Understanding Contemporary Latin America, Ch. 8 (pp 209-235.) Part 1

Simon, J.; “The Sinking City” from Endangered Mexico; Introduction and Ch. 3 (pp. 1-6 and 60-90).

Ribeyro; Marginal Voices

Borges; “The Mythical Founding of Buenos Aires”

Sevcenko; “Peregrinations, Visions and the City”

Gates, M.; “Eco-Imperialism?

Environmental Policy versus Everyday Practice in Mexico ” from Phillips (ed.) The Third Wave of Modernization; Ch. 9 (pp 155-174).

History of Mexican environmental olicy action (on-line)

CLASS SESSIONS

Introduction			(2 classes; 5&10 Sept.)
Read:		Price, M. “Latin America: A Geographic Preface” Understanding Contemporary Latin America, Ch. 2 [pp. 13-40])
1. Contact: Pre-colonial and colonial experience condense intro into fewer classes – or emphasize that will spend lots of time on early contact
	Amerindian use of environment		(1 class; 12 Sept.)
	Read:	T. D’Altroy; “Andean Land Use at the Cusp of History,” in D Lentz; ed. Imperfect Balance: Landscape Transformations in the Pre-columbian Americas, Ch. 13, (pp. 357-91.) Part 1; Part 2
	“European-ized” view of indigenous peoples and the natural world [deVaca & deLery.doc] – both classes			(2 classes; 17&19 Sept.)
	Read:	1^st class: Cabeza de Vaca; Adventures in the Unknown Interior of America; Chs 21-30 (pp 60-81, of hard copy edition..) Note that if you use the on-line version, you can easily read more of the work – or you can page down to the assigned chapters. De Léry; History of a Voyage to the Land of Brazil, Chs 9 & 13 (pp 69-77 and 100-111.)
		2^nd class: J. Kane; Savages Part 1, “East” pp. 13-78
	Environmental contact				(2 classes; 24&26 Sept.)
	Read	Cook, D.N. Born to Die; Introduction, Ch. 2 and Conclusion (pp. 1-14, 60-94 and 201-216). Read for first class of this section.
	Use of environment for enrichment I will distribute questions for 1^st paper at the end of class.				(1 class; 1 Oct.)
	Read:	E. Melville; selections from (The files include chapters 4-6; you only need to read Chapters 5 and 6.) Part 1; Part 2; Part 3
Class session for review/questions 1^st paper (based on 7 class sessions)			(1 class; 3 Oct.)

2. Nature, Nation, Wealth & Race: Nineteenth century
	Guano Happens First paper is due at the beginning of class.					(1 Class; 8 Oct.)
	Read:	B. Fagan; “Guano Happens” from Floods, Famines and Emperors, Ch. 2 (pp. 23-38.)
	Frontiers		(1 class; 10 Oct.)
	Read:	R. Slatta; “The Pampa and Frontier Abundance” and “Man to Myth” from Gauchos and the Vanishing Frontier, Chs. 2 & 11 (pp. 17-30 and 180-192.) D.F. Sarmiento; Life in the Argentine Republic in the Days of the Tyrants; or Civilization and Barbarism;, Ch. 1 (pp. 25-39). Darwin, Charles; Voyage of the Beagle; Chapters 4 and 8.
	Race, place & medicine			(2 classes; 15&17 Oct.)
	Read:	J. Peard; “Race, Climate, Medicine: Framing Tropical Disorders” from Race Place and Medicine: The Idea of the Tropics in Nineteenth Century Brazilian Medicine Ch. 3 (pp. 81-108.)
	Natural disasters					(1 class; 22 Oct.)
	Read:	L.A.Pérez; “A Time of Tempests” and “Between the Storms” from Winds of Change: Hurricanes and the Transformation of Nineteenth Century Cuba, Chs. 3 & 6 (pp. 57-82 and 139-155.) Part 1; Part 2
	Nature and State				(1 class; 24 Oct.)
	Read:	S. McCook; “Giving Plants a Civil Status” and “Building Creole Science” from States of Nature Chs. 2 and 3 (pp. 26-76.) Part 1; Part 2 I will distribute questions for 2^nd paper at the end of class.
	Class session for review/questions 2^nd paper (based on 6 class sessions)				(1 class; 29 Oct.)

3. Industry, Growth & Environment: Twentieth century
		20^th Century Problems First paper is due at the beginning of class. Readings will be posted.		(1 Class; 31 Oct.)
	Agro-industry			(1 Class; 5 Nov.)
	Read:		J. Hellman “Agricultural and Rural Development” and “The Countryside” from Mexican Lives,, Chs. 5 and 6 (pp. 113-151.) A.Wright The Death of Ramón González Ch 1. (pp. 1-9)
	Environment, Development & Government			(2 classes 7&12 Nov.)
	Read:		J.A. Lutzberger; “Who is Destroying the Amazon Rainforest?” and Valderes, T. “Deforestation: A Brazilian Perspective” from S. Place (ed.) Tropical Rainforests (pp. 123-135.)Discussion Groups
	No Class			14 Nov.
	Urban Environmental Degradation			(2 classes; 19 & 26 Nov.)
	Read:		Place, S.E. and Chase, J. “The Environment, Population and Urbanization” in Hillman (ed.) Understanding Contemporary Latin America, Ch. 8 (pp 209-235.) Part 1 J.Simon; The Sinking City” from Endangered Mexico, Introduction and Ch. 3 (pp. 1-6 and 60-90.)
	No Class			21 Nov.
	Urban Environment in Literature NOT NECESSARY			26 Nov.
	Ribeyro; Marginal Voices Borges; “The Mythical Founding of Buenos Aires” Sevcenko; “Peregrinations, Visions and the City”
	Environmentalism, Indigenous Peoples & other debates			(2 classes;28 Nov; 3 Dec.)
	Film:		Amazon Journal
	Read:		J. Kane Savages; Part III, “Among the Cannibals” pp 163-249
	Discuss		Within the Huaorani communities, what were the debates for negotiating (and ultimately, settling) with “the Company”? Was the outcome inevitable; was it “just”?
	Whose environment? Whose environmentalism?				(1 class; 5 Dec.)
	Read		M. Gates; “Eco-Imperialism? Environmental Policy versus Everyday Practice in Mexico” from Phillips (ed.) The Third Wave of Modernization, Ch. 9 (pp 155-174.) this article from the NY Times
	Sustainable development and globalization Sustainable development & the UN (on-line) I will distribute questions for the final paper ant the end of class.				(1 class; 10 Dec.)
			Readings will be posted Onis, Juan de; The green cathedral: sustainable development of Amazonia (selected reading)