Description

In 2011, Cuba announced the most significant economic reforms since the 1960s, the so-called Lineamientos (Guidelines). For Cuban officials these reforms should reinvigorate the Cuban Revolution and guarantee its survival well into the future. For others, the reforms represent at best cosmetic change, at worse, a type of regression, that in neither case will help save the Revolution. This course seeks to provide a context to study the origins and prospects of Cuba’s current political economy. We will first look at the history of the Revolution (the causes of the insurrection, the way a socialist state was built, the regime’s achievements and setbacks, etc.) and then discuss the current political and economic environment affecting Cuba (the rise of new societal actors, and the role of external actors such as Venezuela, China, the EU, the Vatican, and of course the United states, especially Miami exiles). We will also look at the question of regime change (or lack of) by drawing comparisons to the Arab Spring and other cases. While we will no doubt focus significantly on Cuba, this course should be seen as more than just a study of a rare case in comparative politics. The study of Cuba's politics in general presents opportunities to address issues of universal concern to social scientists and humanists in general, not just Latin Americanists. When is it rational to be radical? Why have Cuban politics forced so many individuals to adopt extreme positions? What are the causes of radical revolutions? What are the roles of foreign actors, existing political institutions, ethnicity, nationalism, religion and sexuality in this process of regime survival? To what extent are regimes capable of self-reform?

Form of Instruction and Assessment

Form of instruction will consist of mostly lectures interrupted by frequent interaction with the students in the form of discussion. Lectures will be accompanied by multiple media supplements (film clips, short videos, powerpoint presentations, songs). There will be approximately 100 pages of reading per meeting. Grades will be based on the student’s participation and a final paper.

Literature

The list of required literature will be announced on the website one month in advance.

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