| Unit name | Colonial Encounters: Spanish America c. 1492-1700 |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HISPM0002 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Williams |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of Hispanic, Portuguese and Latin American Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
This unit ranges widely across colonial Spanish America - from major Indian societies of Mesoamerica and the Andes, to the smaller native groups on the frontiers of settlement - and considers key themes in a formative period of Latin American history. In addition to examining the aims, motivations, methods and outcomes of European conquest, students will consider, among other issues, the part played by the political development and religious ideologies of the Aztec and Inca states in the speed and effectiveness of conquest, Indian responses to Spanish efforts to reorganise native social, political and economic structures and to replace native religions and rituals with Christian alternatives and the contribution made by indigenous culture, religion and institutions to the creation of Spanish American colonial culture. Students will be exposed to primary sources where appropriate, and will be expected to have become familiar with new approaches and interpretations drawn from a variety of fields, including anthropology, ethnohistory and critical theory.
