Week One - Thoughts on Latin America

My reaction to the lecture:

While watching the video lecture, I found myself questioning for the first time, “Where is latin America”? My whole life I had just assumed that anything in central/south america was or is Latin America. However, while watching that video I found myself to be mistaken. By saying that countries in central/south america made up what I know to be Latin America was leaving out countries such as Cuba and the Dominica Republic and including countries that could not consider themselves to be Latin American. This continued my thinking into what makes a country Latin American? As I continued to think of all the possible things that could link these countries into a collective known as latin america I found it harder and harder to think of connections. This is because there is not one language, history, or culture that link all of these places. This led me then to the question that was presented in both the podcast and the video, Why is there a notion of Latin America?

My reaction to video and podcast:

While watching the video “Introduction to latin american studies” I thought the question the narrator was asking “why does the notion of latin america persist” interesting. If it is so difficult to define Latain america then why are there so many stereotypes, assumptions, and views on a people group who don’t share a country, one language, or even a common history.  This same theme occured in the podcast by Alec Dawson. I find it fascinating how pevelant the concept of latin america is despite the difficulties that occur when trying to define where or what latin america is.

My personal opinion:

I think that the notion of Latin America is so prevalent because it is an easy way for people who are not familiar with the variety of cultures to lump them together in a category in which makes them feel comfortable. Although many if not most of these assumptions and stereotypes are false about any given country, it gives people who don’t have a knowledgeable grasp on the multiple cultures, histories, and languages a feeling of comfort and familiarity when presented with the topic of Latin America or any of the countries that could be defined as Latin American. Because the term Latin America appears to be beneficial for those who do not understand it instead of those who would be labeled as Latin American, I think that sometimes this term may have misleading or stereotypical connotations that perside along with it.