DVST9014 Indigenous Peoples and Development

2012

4.5

1 x 2-hour seminar weekly

1 of DVST7014, POLI9007 has been successfully completed

Graduate Diploma in International Development; Graduate Certificate in International Development; Master of Arts (International Development) by coursework

This topic will consider the relationship between ethnicity and development in Mexico. Mexican politico-economic development from pre-conquest to present day will be covered to explore the interaction between indigenous and Spanish culture, and what this has meant for development. The topic contrasts Aztec and Spanish society and culture. The impact of Spanish colonisation on indigenous society is explored. Students will discuss the role of indigenous Indians in key historical turning points including Mexican independence, authoritarian liberalism, the 1910 Mexican Revolution, and 20th C neoliberal economic policies. What impact did these events and trends have on indigenous land, society and culture? Contemporary indigenous popular and armed mobilisations are discussed, particularly the Zapatista uprising. The topic aims to provide an opportunity for students to acquire some understanding of the impact western capitalist development has on non-Western cultures, and gain insights into how politics and development can be shaped by ethnicity.

The aims of this topic are to provide students with a broad understanding of:

• Aztec and Spanish society and culture prior to Spanish conquest
• Mexican politico-economic development since 1521
• the post conquest interaction between indigenous and Spanish economies and cultures
• the consequences of colonisation for indigenous society and culture
• the role of indigenous peoples in key turning points in Mexican history
• indigenous popular and armed resistance to Spanish colonialism and modern capitalist development
• the impact of ethnicity on development trajectories in Mexico and other developing societies

On successful completion of this topic, students should be able to:

• recognise key cultural differences between Spanish and indigenous Mexican cultures
• identify the major issues related to ethnicity and development in Mexico
• recognise changes and continuities in attitudes towards indigenous peoples in post-conquest Mexico, especially in relation to major politico-historical turning points, including Independence, the 1910 Revolution, the 1982 debt crisis, and the emergence of the Zapatista guerrilla movement in 1994
• relate ethnic diversity to the course of Mexican development and have the capacity to appreciate how this might apply in other developing countries with multiple ethnicities
• develop the critical analytical and research skills necessary for devising, planning, and writing a substantial research paper