The Long 1960s in Latin America: Utopian Dreams and Harsh Realities

The 1960s was a decade of dramatic changes around the world, and Latin America was not an exception. In January 1959, the Cuban Revolution triumphed and made a significant impact on the island, the Western Hemisphere, and the on-going Cold War. Guerrillas and other types of social movements developed; the United States launched an aggressive crusade against Cuba and other efforts at social change in the region; and new intellectual, literary, and artistic trends. This seminar will review key episodes, processes, and actors during that turbulent decade, from 1959 through the 1973 coup against socialist President Salvador Allende in Chile.