Catastrophe in Social Space and Its Representations in Latin America and the Caribbean (1950-2005)

A catastrophe can be a disaster or a new beginning. In this course we will study catastrophes in Latin America and the Caribbean during the second half of the 20th century, for example: U.S. militarism in the Caribbean between the 1950s and 1970s, the 1985 earthquake in Mexico City, and the transitions to democracy in the Southern Cone during the 1990s. Why is a specific event perceived as a catastrophe? How have catastrophes functioned as foundational images in literature, film, popular music, and architecture? What are the emotions and thoughts conveyed by catastrophes in such representations? When and why have catastrophes been redefined as new beginnings or utopias?