LATI 283 - Amazon: A Cultural History

Cross-Listed as

This course traces depiction of the Amazon rainforest from the 16th century to the present with an emphasis on three central allegories - the Amazon as cultural crossroads; the Amazon as untapped economic resource; and the Amazon as a-historical paradise (or hell). This course seeks to contextualize the rhetorical process of image-making in “the Amazon, ” highlighting the contingency of history, discourse, and violence in this process. Besides introducing students to the specific history of cultural representations of the forest, the class seeks to draw resonances between historical discourses and contemporary views of the forest. Moreover, it seeks to add to the college’s commitment to sustainability by considering the culturally contingent nature of this term in an arena often thought of as “pristine” despite the extensive human history of interaction with the forest. Given the interlacing of these cultural histories within specific economic development models, the course will not only add to the offerings in History and Latin American Studies, but also count toward the International Development concentration. Every other year. (4 Credits)