The Caribbean Crucible: Colonialism, Capitalism, and Post-Colonial Misdevelopment in the Region

Caribbean societies are largely the economic and political creations of Western imperial powers and are among the earliest products of globalization. Though in the West, they are only partly of it, and their popular cultures are highly original blends of African, European, and Asian forms. This course examines the area as a system emerging through genocide, piracy, plantation slavery, colonialism, and globalization, from a situation of great social and cultural diversity to the present tendency toward socioeconomic and cultural convergence. Patterns of underdevelopment and government are explored through national case studies (Puerto Rico, Cuba, Jamaica, and Haiti) and selected, region-wide modern issues (hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters; migration and transnationalism; crime and drug trafficking), as are cultural adaptations through studies of Afro-Caribbean religions, folkways, and music. America's special role in the region is emphasized.