Research Topics!

Leave a reply

The two research topics that I am interested in learning more about include women’s fashion in Latin America and the literary movement, known as the Latin American Boom that took place during the 1960s and 1970s.

Although fashion may seem trivial to some people, I think of it as a form a cultural expression and as a way of revealing more about an era and its people. It would be interesting to discover some of the traditional attire that define Latin American fashion and culture, as well as the influences that have led to newer pieces. One particular designer that I am familiar with is Oscar de la Renta who is from Dominican Republic. As I’m researching, I would like to explore his designs and what he used as inspiration to formulate his pieces. I would also like to discover what makes his designs and other Latin American designs different from other areas of the world. I will primarily ask the following questions. How can Latin American fashion be identified and what makes it unique from other fashion from around the world? Latin America also contains several cultures, and it will be interesting to discover and discuss what defines each country from a fashion standpoint. Unfortunately, I was not able to find a lot of information about this topic on Wikipedia, but Credo did offer a good source that speaks to “syncretic, or mixed, nature of fashion and style” that I will continue reading about if a choose this topic. (http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/abccliopop/introduction_the_syncretic_beauty_of_latin_american_and_caribbean_fashion/0)

The other topic I am interested is the Latin American Boom, which was a major literary movement in Latin America. It includes some prominent authors, such as García Gabriel Márquez, Carlos Fuentes, and Jorge Luis Borges. I have read some of their works in the past, but I would like to know about this literary era. For example, to what extent did the Latin American political climate and socio-economic status influence literature? And how is this represented in the books, poems, and essays from the time period? It will be interesting to explore the origins and history of this movement in addition to the elements, themes, and rhetorical techniques that define this form of literature. Both Wikipedia and Credo offer plentiful information about the Latin American Boom that explain both the historical context and the common elements that define the literature from this era. A lot of good evidence can be extracted from both databases!

Ideas for Research Project

Leave a reply

I am considering doing my research project on:

  1. Predominantly Latin communities/neighborhoods in Chicago (Pilsen, Humboldt, etc. ) and how/why they came to be. (Looking at the history and immigration to these areas.) I may extend to see what negative and positive effects having a community like this cause.
  2. How different people in Guatemala interact with each other. (City vs. mountain and country people) and why it may be negative or positive. I want to examine the history of my country.

I hope to discover more about my city and the neighborhoods I am frequently in but do not know the history of. I am also interested in the various Guatemalan people’s encounters. I know there are differences and connotations to each, but I want to know why and where these dences started.

After searching wiki and credo, I found many sources. Thankfully Chicago is a big city with many documented sources if its history. I found info on the specific neighborhoods history, traditions, residents, etc.

I also found lots of information on Guatemala that I thought would be helpful. This included the differences in ethnic groups, languages, indigenous integration, religion, etc.

Overall, I think my topics are interesting to me and I will be able to find info about both.

 

Potential research topics

Leave a reply

For my Wikipedia research project I would be interested in researching vigilante or autodefensas groups in Colombia. People these groups form in response to the formation of cartels and the lack of government response in order to protect themselves and their families. The problem is that these groups often lack order and this can lead to unintended violence. Because of all this, the difference between cartels and vigilante groups are not always clear. This is not necessarily an effective option for dealing with crime but what can people do about all of this? This could be related to culture because this is an increasingly common part of life in rural areas of many Latin American countries where drug crime is common. This could also be related to identity because the people who are part of these groups give up a big part of their identities as citizens of these countries to become vigilantes who are labeled as criminals by the government and often ostracized by others in their areas. Wikipedia does not have an official page for vigilantism in Colombia. Wikipedia does have a few specific pages for specific vigilante groups however most of these are stubs. Luckily I did find more comprehensive Wikipedia articles on the topic in Spanish so I may be able to use some sources from that page and translate them in order to create more comprehensive pages in English. Unfortunately, Credo also does not have a lot of information about these groups so if the sources on the Spanish Wikipedia page do not pan out I may be out of luck.

Another research topic I would be interested in for my project is Jews in Colombia. I am interested in Jewish culture (because I am Jewish) and I am interested in Colombia so I think it would be interesting to learn about Judaism in Colombia, especially because I am considering studying abroad there. This topic would relate to both culture and identity in Latin America and would be interesting to study because Colombia is a predominantly Christian country. Wikipedia already has an article about the history of Jews in Colombia, it is not super long but it is not a stub article either. Credo seems to have a bit more information on the topic, especially about Jewish contributions to Latin American and Colombian arts/culture however it is quite possible that there will be a good bit of overlap in the information that the two sites provide.

Possible Research Topics

Leave a reply

One research topic I am interested in is coffee. I’m thinking of having my theme as how has coffee impacted the world economically and socially. Credo mentioned that in 2002 coffee retail sales were $55 billion dollars but the countries that exported the coffee only received $6 billion. Credo also has further readings like “Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World.” Credo mentions that after the 1830s everyone was drinking coffee and it became an important part of their day. Credo also mentions the only twentieth century product marked of higher value then coffee is oil. Wikipedia has a map that shows the United States imports the most coffee than any other country. Wikipedia also mentions that 90% of coffee production takes place in developing countries. Another fact Wikipedia has is that in Brazil over 5 million people are employed in the cultivation and harvesting of over 3 billion coffee plants.  

Another research topic I am interested in is the Mayan culture and the Mayan people still present in Central America. I’m thinking of looking at how the Mayan culture is still present in the Central American countries and how they are being treated in the countries. Credo mentions that the Mayans were the only people who developed a form of writing that was part ideographic and part photonic. Wikipedia says that Guatemala conducted a genocide of the Mayan people where in some areas the government killed up to 40% of the total population. The president of that time was sentenced to 80 years in prison but the sentence was overturned due to alleged irregularities in the handling of the case.

http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/abcibamrle/coffee/0

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economics_of_coffee

http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/routlamlit/mayan_literature/0

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_peoples

 

 

Research Topics

Leave a reply

Macumba- animistic religious practice used in Brazil. I hope to discover what they worshiped and their beliefs. Wikipedia has little information on this topic.

Modernismo- literary movement in Spanish America. I hope to discover the type of writing style modernismo originated from, and how it influenced literature. Wikipedia doesn’t have a lot of information on it.

Noticias Discussion Questions

Leave a reply

Read the posts by Tanaka & Jovi

Come to class prepared to discuss the readings and the following questions:

What is at stake for Latin America in 2017?

1: What are some examples of inequality in the Latin group you see in everyday life?

2: What do you think is the key factor in addressing the issues in Latin America?

3: With all problems stated in the articles by Naomi, which would you feel to be the most important to tackle and why?

California Sues Trump Administration Over DACA Elimination

1: How does the repeal of DACA correlate to the course’s central theme of identity for Latin Americans living in the United States since most people that are being affected in DACA are from Latin America?

2: What is your opinion on Trump’s action on DACA and how California decided to take action?

For context, the original resource is hyperlinked. So, if you need to see the original news, just click on the name of the issues.

Coffee and Latin America

Leave a reply

http://e360.yale.edu/digest/latin-america-could-lose-up-to-90-percent-of-its-coffee-growing-land-by-2050.

Latin America Could Lose Up to 90 Percent of its Coffee-Growing Land by 2050

I chose to read this short article because it relates to a subject the intrigues me – Economics.

Latin American countries currently produce most of the coffee consumed worldwide, with Colombia and Brazil being the leading producers. Both Arabica and Robusta beans are produced throughout Latin America. Second, in total coffee production, Columbia in contrast to Brazil is known for its high-altitude coffee estates

Coffee is not just a drink. It’s a global commodity. As one of the world’s most traded products-second in value only to oil-the coffee industry employs millions of people around the world through its growing, processing and trading. But while the coffee trade is vital to the politics, survival and economies of many nations in Latin America.

As a note I would like to add that coffee accounts for nearly half of the total net exports from tropical countries and is representative of the economic and agricultural issues that  latin  countries face today. There was a crisis once in 2001, coffee prices had fallen to their lowest levels ever, totaling less than one third of their 1960 levels. This fall in prices has impacted more than 25 million households in coffee-producing countries and has undermined the economic sustainability of countries in Latin America, Asia and Africa.

If just the fall in price could have such a great effect , what would the effect be on the economy of Latin America when they won’t be able to produce a product that was a source of the daily livelihood of millions of people?

Latin America’s Campus Revolution

Leave a reply

https://www.economist.com/news/americas/21722867-region-has-had-boom-universities-now-it-needs-make-them-better-latin-americas?zid=305&ah=417bd5664dc76da5d98af4f7a640fd8a

In the article “Latin America’s Campus Revolution” I read about how areas in the Latin American region have established better higher education opportunities. Though dated from the summer of 2017, the article mentions that the problem with higher education in these areas was a problem at the beginning of the century and the improvements being made are still incredibly relevant today. The article looks into the campus revolution through the eyes and experiences of current student César Huamán.

César Huamán is a current student at one of the new private universities in the area. Human and his family all contribute to the costs of education which adds up to approximately $137 a month. Huamán’s family says that they don’t mind paying the price because they want “to have a professional in the family, even if it’s only one”. This quote genuinely surprised me because where I grew up in the U.S. seniors in high school were, for the most part, expected to go to college after completing some form of high school. I think that this expectation is so widely spread in the U.S. because there is a wider variety of schools in North America. I find this article interesting because I had never really thought long and hard about higher education and universities in Latin American countries, so to hear a mother saying that she wanted at least one professional in her family was really off putting to me and a moment of realization that the access to education is not the same throughout the world.

The article applauds the growth of universities in the Latin American region, however, it discusses that the education is still not up to standards. There are still many problems with the education system including that there are few engineering and science students, and the poor-quality education that the newer institutions provide. Due to this fact, higher education is risky for many Latin American students because their families try to pay the high tuition and costs, but the student does not receive an adequate enough education  for the money to be worth it. Thus discouraging the idea of students attending a University at all.

The pope in Colombia

Leave a reply

In the New York Times article Pope Francis Urges Colombia to Seize ‘Second Chance’, Nicholas Casey and Susan Abad discuss Pope Francis’ trip to Colombia. They begin by quoting a few of the pope’s messages and as the article continues, the authors provide a brief overview of the FARC agreement and discuss public opinion of the FARC agreement. The article tells the reader that the FARC agreement is a tough subject because while most Colombians are exited about the end of a brutal conflict that killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions, they are also disappointed because many feel that the Marxist rebels got off too easy in the agreement while others are concerned about the lack of resources available to the former rebels.

The pope’s visit and his message for the Colombian people could be very significant for Colombia moving forward because Christianity and Christian values are very strong in Colombia. Pope Francis acknowledged the fact that making peace and moving forward would be very difficult for the citizens of Colombia but advised that they move forward peacefully, drawing parallels to biblical challenges that Jesus had to face. In Colombia, there are very few officials whose word carries as much weight at the pope so maybe the pope’s advice for the Colombian people will lead to significant social change in the politically charged country; only time will tell.

This First Year seminar is about encounters and identity in Latin America. This article is significant for our course because it discusses the aftermath of the FARC which is one of the most significant problems that Latin America faces today. This article is also significant because it gives us some insight into the Christian identities of many Colombian citizens. Finally, this article is very significant for our course because many Colombians have to totally change their identity as they change from guerrilla fighters and rebels to productive, active members of Colombian society and members of the Colombian political system. While this article was mainly informative, it left me hopeful that the pope’s visit may positively effect relations between the former rebels and the rest of Colombian society.

Casey, Nicholas and Abad, Susan. “Pope Francis Urges Colombia to Seize ‘Second Chance’” New York Times. 7th Sept. 2017.

Review of Vice President Pence’s Recent Visit To Latin American Countries

Leave a reply

In the New York Times article In Latin America, Pence Aims to Soften ‘America First’ Message, the author, Ernesto Londono, outlines a recent trip by Vice President Mike Pence to several countries in Latin America. The purpose of his visit being to President Trumps “America first” message, however little action is actually being taken. The US plans to create deals to open imports of avocados from Columbia, and exports of rice to Columbia, with the author regarding Pence’s actions as doing “ little in the way of concrete measures to announce,” (Londono). Many Latin Americans are hesitant to believe that the Trump administration truly intends to work towards a greater compromise for the US and its allies. Instead, many have stated that they are fearful of the common theme of the US being a bully. The severity is of this current crisis is apparent when a Member of the US Congress notes that, “unsure of what the White House’s intentions are and fear either a return to the days of U.S. arrogance and bullying or, at best, benign neglect,” (Member of US congress).

 

Furthermore, this statement comes from Mexican media outlets, giving the weight of the Member of Congress’s statement further magnitude. Camila Capriglioni, 21, a medical student in Buenos Aires proclaims that,.“if I put myself in the shoes of an American citizen, I understand the appeal of trying to prioritize your national interests.” The US has no reason to act so hostile towards Latin American countries; his intents are extreme.

The strong-willed Latin American community coming forth and visualizing their opinions to the Vice President of the United States, personifies nothing less than the bully that Donald Trump has become in concordance with Latin America. The class theme of Identity can be seen here with the Latin American decisiveness portrayed by general population that inhabits Latin america.

 

Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/16/world/americas/latin-america-pence-trump-relations-united-states.html

Link to video: https://nyti.ms/2vBDvsb