CLAS Summer Institute for Teachers

Mexico in the 20th Century:
Themes of the History Curriculum 2002

"Mexico at a Crossroads"
Prof. Alex Saragoza, Ethnic Studies, UCB

Introducing the topic, the talk will give a broad overview of Mexico in the 20th century to contextualize the more specific presentations to come later in the Institute.

"Revolutions and Borders"
Prof. Suzanne Pasztor, History and International Studies, University of the Pacific

This talk will provide a historical perspective on the Mexican Revolution and will explore some of the legacies of that Revolution. We will focus particularly on the Revolution in northern Mexico, including the role of the U.S.-Mexico border.

"The Rise and Fall of the PRI"
Ben Goldfrank, Political Science, UCB

The talk will emphasize both a historical perspective and an analysis of current trends and issues. It will focus on political regimes and the course of political change, including democratic consolidation, that have characterized Mexico in the 20th century.

"The Agrarian Origins of Mexican Poverty"
Marcelo Bucheli, History, Stanford Univ.

The territories now known as Mexico and the United States were colonized by the Europeans around the same time in history. Even though both societies began with an abundance of rich natural resources, presently there is a striking difference between the standards of living. I will explain why, despite the fact that Mexico is a young and rich country in natural resources, most of its population remains poor. We will discuss how inequalities in the rural sector were the main cause of the Mexican Revolution and why this revolution did not solve the problem of poverty for most Mexicans.

"Environmental and Political Conflict in Chiapas"
Aaron Bobrow-Strain, Geography, UCB

The struggles commonly referred to as,"the Chiapas conflict" are, in fact, multiple conflicts--a while warscape that has unfolded differently over time and space. This talk surveys the causes and consequences of the iconic 1994 Ejercito Zaptatista de Liberacion Nacional (EZLN) uprising, but also examines the "other" Chiapas: lesser known struggles and what they tell us about forms of rule and political change in Mexico.