Since 2015, UC Santa Barbara has proudly maintained our status as a ‘Hispanic Serving Institution.’ A significant, but unspecified, number of these students are sure to be of Central American heritage. Although there are similarities among all Hispanic (or Latinx) students, varying national origins are important for many reasons. This seminar’s point of departure will be the ‘revolutionary era’ in Central America (1970s-80s) a time of great hope for egalitarian social transformation, ultimately crushed by political, economic and military elites, with ample backing from the United States.

Its first objective will be to place the current crisis (desperate societal conditions, migration to the north, etc.) in historical perspective, by exploring this hypothesis: we are reaping now the consequences of seeds sown 50 years ago, during the revolutionary era. Its second objective is to explore culturalpolitical conditions in these societies today, going beyond the headlines of violence and economic distress. The third and final objective is to deepen our understanding of Central American- American experiences close to home, in California and on the UC Santa Barbara campus. Students with Central American backgrounds and command of Spanish are especially encouraged to enroll in this seminar.