Due Date: Friday, December 10

A cynic might argue that there is little anyone can do about the unequal practices of power and their effects that we have studied in this course.  However, if we are to take seriously our political rights and obligations as citizens (if indeed we are "citizens") of this republic but also the possibility of determining a larger set human rights and obligations (or other alternative principles of political/social mobilization), we then have to find ways of understanding not alnernative paths and policies but also figuring out how to act in order to enable those alternative paths and possibilities.  In other words, if we are to act as empowered citizens and solidary ("for others") individuals or communities we have to figure out how to act within (or without?) our political system to change things AND envision and develop concrete alternative policies or agendas.

With this challenge in mind, discuss how your specific "controversy" involving your selected country and the US can be framed in the context of larger 20th century US-Latin America relations (as studied during in this course). What are the trade-offs, actors and policies involved in your case/controversy and how would you formulate both a criticism of the policies or decisions involved in it and set of alternative paths, considerations or recommendations that might produce a more desirable (to you) outcome.  Make sure you clarify what standards, ideals, theories, or  perspectives (principles) you are using in developing this criticism and alternative policies.

In other words, how does your controversy fit within the larger history of US-Latin American relations.  How would you criticize or analyze the decisions or policies involved (especially on the US side) in this controversy, and what soundly-argued alternatives can you come up with (in case you ever have the power to alter the policies).

It is important that you NOT come up with simplistic or idealistic recommendations that are not clearly framed in terms of real issues, possibilities or forces.  In other words, don't recommend some thing that just does not mean much.  If you have some alternatives, make sure you develop them and link them to the social and political actors and institutions  involved in your case.