latin america

Week 7

Before I did this week’s reading, I didn’t think that modernity had different degrees and components to it. But I could think of a few examples where clever and innovative dictators had economic advantages but didn’t necessarily promote social advantages like liberty and freedom. So the fact that countries ruled by dictators could have economic growth … Continue reading Week 7

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Week 6

Historically speaking, Rights have been far less assumed than argued for. The rights that today we strongly believe in and take for granted, have all once been fought for. Today we may seem to think that “everyone is equal before the law” but in practice, unfortunately, this isn’t the case today and definitely wasn’t 100 … Continue reading Week 6

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Week 5

It costs an arm and a leg… In case of Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, fighting for Mexican independence literally cost him a leg. This week, we continue with our topic of “independence” in Latin America in the 19th century. What I found most amusing during our reading was the life of this 11-time Mexican president/General. … Continue reading Week 5

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Week 5

To me, the popularity of the Caudillos seems understandable. In a political landscape as chaotic as post independence Latin America, any sort of leadership that can offer some form of stability, or chance of protection must have been tempting. I do find it funny however, that the independence of the region strengthened the dependence of its people on powerful […]

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Week 2: Meeting of Two Worlds:

The video talks about how the idea of Latin America and why and how it became popular.  The mythical point of contact: 1492 October 12th was the instant Latin America begun. Whilst watching this video, I discovered that this was the year there was a great divide between pre-colonial, pre-Hispanic and pre Latin America. And despite having several Vikings sail around the world, their settlement left little to no impact whereas Christopher Columbus had a huge impact having several places/things named after him.  At the end of the video and in class as well, we are asked to think about whether Columbus was a hero or not.

Whilst in high-school, all the history I had been taught about Columbus was that of him being a hero. A hero for being enough of a risk taker to sail out into ocean.  In text books he was seen as a famous Italian explorer who discovered America, but after reading his journal and watching the videos posted online- I personally think that it is evident that he may have been a brave man- but he was a greedy man. How do you call a rapist a hero? 

The Meeting of the two worlds video by Angela pope et all- (0.49) the image shows Christopher Columbus with a huge cross and natives/indigenous people all around him subtly bowing down to him. This picture struck me due to the stark type of it because it shows the nature of who he really was- making people do things for him, and having complete dominance over the native people whilst they obey him out of fear or no choice. 
He damaged the lives of a lot of Native Americans by partaking the slave trade.  His crew and him killed a huge population, and all his ideas were erroneous because he was not the first to have discovered the land, Indians had been there way prior.

“Columbus makes Hitler look like a juvenile delinquent” 

After watching the videos, it boggles my mind why he’s had places and things named after him, especially for having public holidays like Columbus Day when in actuality it should be called Indigenous People’s day.

Whilst some are able to recognize Columbus for the courage, determination and will he embodied, I still do not see how he can be considered a hero- he is much more a fake idol. 






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Towards an Uncertain Future

  After reading this week’s last chapter, I got the feeling that there is a bit of anxiety when it comes to predicting the future of an entire region, especially one so volatile like Latin America. If we know something about current international politics, and specifically of the United States, is that this powerful nation […]

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Towards an Uncertain Future

  After reading this week’s last chapter, I got the feeling that there is a bit of anxiety when it comes to predicting the future of an entire region, especially one so volatile like Latin America. If we know something about current international politics, and specifically of the United States, is that this powerful nation […]

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Week Twelve: “Speaking Truth to Power”

This week’s reading was centered on the idea that Latin American States are seeing as not strong enough to maintain social order, collect taxes, or even maintain the normal level or political stability which is expected of them. In contrast, strong states are considered robust because they rely relatively little on violence and more on […]

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Week Twelve: “Speaking Truth to Power”

This week’s reading was centered on the idea that Latin American States are seeing as not strong enough to maintain social order, collect taxes, or even maintain the normal level or political stability which is expected of them. In contrast, strong states are considered robust because they rely relatively little on violence and more on […]

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Week Eleven (De Nuevo): Terror

This is another period in which Latin America seems to be involved in conflict; this week’s chapter says that between 1960 and 1990, Latin America had one of its bloodiest periods since independence. And this got me thinking, has it this being happening since Christopher Columbus discovered America, I mean, the taken over, used other […]

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