HST 276 - Natural Disasters in Latin American History

Course Units: 1

Natural Disasters in Latin American History What is a “natural” disaster? How does a natural disaster change the relationship between a government and its people? How do communities make sense of living at the mercy of forces they cannot control? In this class we will look for answers to these questions by exploring five hundred years of Latin American history through the lens of hurricanes, earthquakes, and fires. This course will also explore the development of scientific, religious, and moral ideas about nature and
risk since the sixteenth century. Students will learn how gender, race, and economics matter in social responses to disaster and will conduct their own research into contemporary
natural disasters as well. CC: LCC, GCHF, GSPE, WAC & WAC-R ISP: LAS