LACS 30.21 History of Cuba

Despite its modest size, the Caribbean nation of Cuba has long possessed an outsized mystique and influence within Latin America and across the globe. From the indigenous Taino people who first encountered Europeans, to the Afro-Cubans who fought for independence from Spain, to the revolutionary army that overthrew Batista, to the exile community in the US, Cuban history has been marked by extraordinary peoples and events that have changed fate not only for the island, but for the region and the world. This course explores the complicated, entangled and at times contradictory history of Cuba to better understand how the island has come to occupy such a unique position in geopolitics and within the popular imagination. Beginning in prehistory, this course will trace the evolution of Cuba from native homeland, to colony, to vassal state, to independent nation, to a revolutionary and anti-imperialist beacon to the Global South, to a leader in the global conservation and the agroecology movement. It will culminate with a critical examination of modern-day Cuba and the contemporary issues--such as immigration, telecommunications, tourism, economic crisis, rapprochement with the US, an aging population and a post-Revolutionary transition--all of which will lead to radical and far-reaching changes as the future of Cuba continues to unfold. 

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Department-Specific Course Categories

Latin American Latino and Caribbean Studies