CONN 395 | China and Latin America: A New Era of Transpacific Relations

As a Connections course, this class examines the changing relations between China and Latin America using a full range of social-scientific and humanistic methods to understand the nature and stakes of this newest wave of transpacific relations. The course examines historical encounters between the regions, including the colonial, cold war, and contemporary, in order to interrogate both the changing meaning of China and Latin America and also the implications of these changes on the social, economic, and political relations between the two regions. By focusing on diverse spaces of encounter, including international organizations, state negotiations, popular cultural production, activism, social media, and business relations, the course materials highlight the diverse actors, institutions, and arenas shaping transregional politics. The course also explores a range of contemporary issues, such as extractivism and energy, illicit economies, new forms of entrepreneurism, food security, shifting diasporic identity, and state politics, to highlight the dynamics that form the ground for debate, controversy, and collaboration between the two regions. Some background in Asian or Latin American Studies is recommended, but not required.