The Historical Ecology of Latin America

This colloquium explores how the environment and natural resources have shaped Latin America and the Caribbean geopolitically, socially, and culturally as a distinct world region from the colonial period to the present. First, we will learn what historical ecology is and how it differs from and overlaps with environmental history in Latin America and the Caribbean. Second, we will read, discuss, and write about several monographs exploring topics (water access, capitalist commodities, and the role of animals) in various countries. Finally, we will apply what we learned from the region south of the United States to a local case study at Stanford, which was part of New Spain and Mexico before the United States conquered half of Mexico, including California, in 1848.