This course will look at historical and contemporary Latin America to give students an idea about the varied political, economic, and cultural practices in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Readings will focus mostly on the experiences and struggles of Afro-Latin, indigenous, and working-class populations in Latin America, in order that we might learn about the region from otherwise marginalized viewpoints. Course assignments will ask students to critically reflect on the power relations that shaped and continue to shape the region. Course topics include colonialism, state formation, present-day territorial contestation, and the current political shifts that dominate the news headlines across the region. At the end of the semester students will have a solid understanding of the forces responsible for conditions in present-day Latin America.