Undergraduate Fields of Specialization: Latin America and the Caribbean

Some of the most important developments in world history have taken place in Latin America and the Caribbean: initial European encounters with indigenous peoples and the colonization of the Americas; the growth of early modern capitalism; African slavery and organized movements to challenge it; the formation of national identities and citizenship; and revolutions and rebellions that shaped the meanings of freedom in the modern world. The Latin American and Caribbean field of specialization allows students to explore the cultures and societies that emerged from the unequal, gendered interactions between people of indigenous, African, and European ancestry, and the ways that political and economic forces have shaped ecological and religious transformations. With Latinx people composing almost one sixth of the population of the United States, this field of concentration emphasizes the transnational connections, including migration and U.S. imperialism, that can inform a hemispheric historical perspective on American identities.