Revolution, Intellectuals and the State in 20th-Century Latin America
Intellectuals are actors of civil society and, at the same time, perform state-oriented functions. In this course we will examine the ways in which Latin American intellectuals have dealt with change and instability in times of revolutionary turmoil. The activity of intellectuals is central to the state's claim of representativity, especially when an old order is collapsing and a new one is dawning. We will focus on the relationship between intellectuals and the state during Latin American revolutions, from the Mexican revolution of 1910 to the Bolivian Nationalist Revolution of 1952. Using literary, historical and cinematic texts we will learn how cultural activity is essential for the formation of a new post-revolutionary state. We will read, among others, texts by Alfonso Reyes, Martín Luis Guzman, Juan Rulfo, Nellie Campobello, Franz Tamayo, Oscar Cerruto, Carlos Medinaceli, and Carlos Montenegro; and films by Cuban filmmaker Tomas Gutierrez Alea and Bolivian documentary director Jorge Ruiz. (Senior majors with at least two Spanish courses numbered 0350 or above, or by waiver.) 3 hrs. sem.