ECO 3325 201: Latin American Economics Iss

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ECO 3325 - Latin American Economics Iss

Spring 2025 Syllabus, Section 201, CRN 25647

Instructor Information

Rafael Zago

Email: rafael.zago@tamiu.edu

Office: WHT-E

Office Hours:
MTueWF - 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Times and Location

MWF 9:40am-10:35am in Bullock Hall 224

Course Description

Additional Course Information

Course Description: This course provides students with a deep background into the Economic History of Latin American Countries. Topics covered in this course include the economic consequences of colonization, when and under what conditions countries joined the international economic system, the attempts at modernization in the XIX century, and how and why it was successful only in the XX century, the change of paradigm faced in the 1990s and its consequences, and a discussion of current problems faced by Latin American Countries derived from the late industrialization process.

Program Learning Outcomes

Course Goals: The course aims to equip students with the ability to analyze the key economic challenges faced by Latin American countries today, emphasizing the historical factors that have shaped these issues. Spanning from the XV century to the present, the course provides a comprehensive understanding of the region’s economic history. By its conclusion, students will be able to explain the economic consequences of colonization and how these have hindered industrialization in the region. They will also assess whether and how countries have overcome these obstacles, evaluate the economic and social impacts of industrialization, and critically examine the persistent economic and social challenges Latin American countries face in modern times.

Student Learning Outcomes

Course Objectives:
• CO1: Identify the characteristics of the process of colonization in Latin American Countries and the type of society that was formed
• CO2: Point out the economic consequences of colonization in Latin America
• CO3: Describe and Explain the theory of Center and Periphery
• CO4: Characterize and explain the process of Industrialization of Latin American Countries in the XX century and its limitations
• C05: Explain the “Washington Consensus”, the change to neo-liberal policies, and its consequences in the 1990s
• CO6: Describe the changes in currency regimes in the 1990s and explain the currencies crises in Latin American countries
• CO7: Identify and discuss the socio-economic challenges faced by Latin American Countries in the XXI century

Important Dates

Visit the Academic Calendar (tamiu.edu) page to view the term's important dates.

Textbooks

Other Course Materials

Papers are provided by the Instructor.

Grading Criteria

Grading Policy: Weekly Reports (20%), Discussions (20%), Project (30%), Final (30%).

GRADE PERCENTAGE
A 90-100
B 80-89.9
C 70-79.9
D 60-69.9
F Below 60

Course Activities

The course is based on readings and discussions. Thus, I expect that you come to class prepared. Participation will be required and graded (daily) in terms of how often you participate and the quality of your participation. Every week, I will select a specific reading that will serve as the basis for three activities. First, you will have to summarize the reading in 3 different ways: (1) a tweet, (2) a memo to a policymaker, and (3) a letter to a high school student. 

1. Tweet (X): Summarize the key argument or insight from the reading in a single tweet (maximum 280 characters). 

Example: “Trade liberalization in Latin America helped reduce tariffs but widened inequality due to uneven access to global markets”. #EconInLatAm 

2. Policy Memo to a Government Official: Write a brief memo (200–300 words) to a policymaker in a Latin American country, summarizing the reading’s findings and proposing one actionable policy recommendation. 

Focus: Highlight what is most relevant for a policymaker and ensure the tone is formal and practical. 

3. Letter to a High School Student: Explain the main idea of the reading in a 200-word informal letter to a curious high school student in Latin America. Simplify technical terms and emphasize why the issue matters to their daily life or future. 

Focus: Make the issue relatable and engaging for someone without a background in economics.

Secondly, you will need to formulate a discussion question based on the material you have read. This question should not be one that can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no," nor should it be something that is directly and easily addressed in the reading itself. Instead, your question should encourage deeper thinking, interpretation, or application of the concepts. It should be inspired by the content of the reading and designed to spark meaningful discussion during class. In essence, the question should demonstrate your engagement with the material and invite others to explore its broader implications or unresolved aspects. 

Third, I will randomly select 4 students who will sit in an inner circle with the rest of the class seated outside the circle. The 4 students will conduct a 15-20 minute discussion with each other, while the rest of the students listen, take notes, and later pose questions and comment on what they have observed. You will use the questions you prepared to engage the discussion. A report with the tweet, the policy memo, the letter to a high school student, and the question should be submitted by midnight before the class. Late submissions will not be accepted - no exceptions. From all your reports and discussions, the two lowest grades will be dropped. 

The final exam format will be composed of short answer questions. Unless something unique happens, do not expect that to change. Answers are graded solely upon their content and not upon their intent. This means that I cannot and will not grade you based on what you “meant to say” but instead on what you actually write (even if you “knew the answer but just couldn’t say it correctly”). At the same time, this means that answers that are illegible, rambling, or poorly organized will not receive high marks. You must cover everything that is required by the question to receive full credit for a question. The content of the final exam will be all the topics discussed throughout the course. Finally, in pairs, students will carry out research on the country of their choice. Research results will be presented in the classroom in the form of 15-20-minute seminars (12% of your overall grade). Based on the researched information and bibliography, students must present (1) a proposal for an article to be developed during the semester (3% of your overall grade), (2) a midterm draft of the project (3% of your overall grade), and (3) a final project (12% of your overall grade). You are free to select any country you are most interested in (countries cannot be selected more than once) and any topic, fact, or phenomenon, about that country. The goal of the project is to use the knowledge acquired in the course to discuss the topic selected. You may use extra bibliography to write your final project, which has to be between 10-15 written pages with the following: 

1. Format: 

• Times New Roman, 12 pt. 

• 1.5 space between lines. 

• Text justified (select your text and press ctrl + j). 

2. Structure: 

(a) Index 

(b) Introduction 

• Why is this an important topic (why should we care?)?

• What is written about it? 

• Briefly explain what you want to do. 

(c) Describe, Explain, and Discuss your topic 

• Write about the topic and relate it to what we discuss in class (remember to cite everything you use). 

• You can use graphs, figures, or any other thing, but you must describe and discuss everything you use. 

• Feel free to use as many subdivisions as you need. 

(d) Conclusion 

• What have you found? 

• What do the findings teach us? 

• What would be interesting to do in the future regarding your research? 

(e) References:

• What books, websites, data sources, movies, etc. you used to write this paper.

Use of AI Tools


Students are permitted to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT or other platforms, as long as their use adheres to the principles outlined in the Academic Integrity Code. AI may be used to enhance learning, support research, or assist in drafting assignments, but all work submitted must be the student’s own, properly cited, and free from plagiarism. Misuse of AI tools, such as presenting AI-generated content as your original work without acknowledgment, is considered a violation of academic integrity. If you have questions about acceptable use, please consult the instructor. 

By submitting an assignment for evaluation, you assert that it accurately reflects the facts and to do so you need to have verified the facts, especially if they originate from generative AI resources; you assert that all your sources that go beyond common knowledge are suitably attributed. Common knowledge is what a knowledgeable reader can assess without requiring confirmation from a separate source; you assert that you have respected all specific requirements of your assigned work, in particular requirements for transparency and documentation of the process, or have explained yourself where this was not possible. If any of these assertions are not true, whether by intent or negligence, you have violated your commitment to truth, and possibly other aspects of academic integrity. This constitutes academic misconduct.

All ideas that are not originally one’s own have a source and that source must be attributed. Please be aware that generative AI tends to invent sources. You have a two-fold obligation. (1) you need to document the process, and (2) you need to find and attribute the original source of the idea, identify the location within the source, and provide a working link to the location. If you quote the AI itself, label it as “synthesized communication” and reference it like the conventions for a “personal communication”. Note that such a “synthesized communication" is not a valid source for facts, only for the conversation itself. 

Besides inventing sources, generative AI may invent facts as well. Verification is your responsibility: submitting factually wrong material is an academic offense, and whether the source of the error is you or the AI makes no difference. You need to check the facts, the quotes, the arguments, the logic, and document what you did to validate your material.

Schedule of Topics and Assignments

Day Date Agenda/Topic Reading(s) Due
Wed 2/5 Final Project -Proposal Due
Fri 3/21 Midterm Draft Due
Mon 4/28 Final Project Due
Presentations
Wed 4/30 Presentations
Wed 5/7 Final Exam

University/College Policies

Please see the University Policies below.

COVID-19 Related Policies

If you have tested positive for COVID-19, please refer to the Student Handbook, Appendix A (Attendance Rule) for instructions.

Required Class Attendance

Students are expected to attend every class in person (or virtually, if the class is online) and to complete all assignments. If you cannot attend class, it is your responsibility to communicate absences with your professors. The faculty member will decide if your excuse is valid and thus may provide lecture materials of the class. According to University policy, acceptable reasons for an absence, which cannot affect a student’s grade, include:

  • Participation in an authorized University activity.
  • Death or major illness in a student’s immediate family.
  • Illness of a dependent family member.
  • Participation in legal proceedings or administrative procedures that require a student’s presence.
  • Religious holy day.
  • Illness that is too severe or contagious for the student to attend class.
  • Required participation in military duties.
  • Mandatory admission interviews for professional or graduate school which cannot be rescheduled.

Students are responsible for providing satisfactory evidence to faculty members within seven calendar days of their absence and return to class. They must substantiate the reason for the absence. If the absence is excused, faculty members must either provide students with the opportunity to make up the exam or other work missed, or provide a satisfactory alternative to complete the exam or other work missed within 30 calendar days from the date of absence. Students who miss class due to a University-sponsored activity are responsible for identifying their absences to their instructors with as much advance notice as possible. 

Classroom Behavior (applies to online or Face-to-Face Classes)

TAMIU encourages classroom discussion and academic debate as an essential intellectual activity. It is essential that students learn to express and defend their beliefs, but it is also essential that they learn to listen and respond respectfully to others whose beliefs they may not share. The University will always tolerate different, unorthodox, and unpopular points of view, but it will not tolerate condescending or insulting remarks. When students verbally abuse or ridicule and intimidate others whose views they do not agree with, they subvert the free exchange of ideas that should characterize a university classroom. If their actions are deemed by the professor to be disruptive, they will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action (please refer to Student Handbook Article 4).

TAMIU Honor Code: Plagiarism and Cheating

As a TAMIU student, you are bound by the TAMIU Honor Code to conduct yourself ethically in all your activities as a TAMIU student and to report violations of the Honor Code. Please read carefully the Student Handbook Article 7 and Article 10 available at https://www.tamiu.edu/scce/studenthandbook.shtml.

We are committed to strict enforcement of the Honor Code. Violations of the Honor Code tend to involve claiming work that is not one’s own, most commonly plagiarism in written assignments and any form of cheating on exams and other types of assignments.

Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else’s work as your own. It occurs when you:

  1. Borrow someone else’s facts, ideas, or opinions and put them entirely in your own words. You must acknowledge that these thoughts are not your own by immediately citing the source in your paper. Failure to do this is plagiarism.
  2. Borrow someone else’s words (short phrases, clauses, or sentences), you must enclose the copied words in quotation marks as well as citing the source. Failure to do this is plagiarism.
  3. Present someone else’s paper or exam (stolen, borrowed, or bought) as your own. You have committed a clearly intentional form of intellectual theft and have put your academic future in jeopardy. This is the worst form of plagiarism.

Here is another explanation from the 2020, seventh edition of the Manual of The American Psychological Association (APA):

“Plagiarism is the act of presenting the words, idea, or images of another as your own; it denies authors or creators of content the credit they are due.  Whether deliberate or unintentional, plagiarism violates ethical standards in scholarship” (p. 254).  This same principle applies to the illicit use of AI.

Plagiarism: Researchers do not claim the words and ideas of another as their own; they give credit where credit is due. Quotations marks should be used to indicate the exact words of another. Each time you paraphrase another author (i.e., summarize a passage or rearrange the order of a sentence and change some of the words), you need to credit the source in the text. The key element of this principle is that authors do not present the work of another as if it were their own words. This can extend to ideas as well as written words. If authors model a study after one done by someone else, the originating author should be given credit. If the rationale for a study was suggested in the discussion section of someone else's article, the person should be given credit. Given the free exchange of ideas, which is very important for the health of intellectual discourse, authors may not know where an idea for a study originated. If authors do know, however, they should   acknowledge the source; this includes personal communications (p. 11). For guidance on proper documentation, consult the Academic Success Center or a recommended guide to documentation and research such as the Manual of the APA or the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. If you still have doubts concerning proper documentation, seek advice from your instructor prior to submitting a final draft.

TAMIU has penalties for plagiarism and cheating.

  • Penalties for Plagiarism: Should a faculty member discover that a student has committed plagiarism, the student should receive a grade of 'F' in that course and the matter will be referred to the Honor Council for possible disciplinary action. The faculty member, however, may elect to give freshmen and sophomore students a “zero” for the assignment and to allow them to revise the assignment up to a grade of “F” (50%) if they believe that the student plagiarized out of ignorance or carelessness and not out of an attempt to deceive in order to earn an unmerited grade; the instructor must still report the offense to the Honor Council. This option should not be available to juniors, seniors, or graduate students, who cannot reasonably claim ignorance of documentation rules as an excuse. For repeat offenders in undergraduate courses or for an offender in any graduate course, the penalty for plagiarism is likely to include suspension or expulsion from the university.
    • Caution: Be very careful what you upload to Turnitin or send to your professor for evaluation. Whatever you upload for evaluation will be considered your final, approved draft. If it is plagiarized, you will be held responsible. The excuse that “it was only a draft” will not be accepted.
    • Caution:  Also, do not share your electronic files with others. If you do, you are responsible for the possible consequences. If another student takes your file of a paper and changes the name to his or her name and submits it and you also submit the paper, we will hold both of you responsible for plagiarism. It is impossible for us to know with certainty who wrote the paper and who stole it. And, of course, we cannot know if there was collusion between you and the other student in the matter.
  • Penalties for Cheating: Should a faculty member discover a student cheating on an exam or quiz or other class project, the student should receive a “zero” for the assignment and not be allowed to make the assignment up. The incident should be reported to the chair of the department and to the Honor Council. If the cheating is extensive, however, or if the assignment constitutes a major grade for the course (e.g., a final exam), or if the student has cheated in the past, the student should receive an “F” in the course, and the matter should be referred to the Honor Council. Additional penalties, including suspension or expulsion from the university may be imposed. Under no circumstances should a student who deserves an “F” in the course be allowed to withdraw from the course with a “W.”
    • Caution: Chat groups that start off as “study groups” can easily devolve into “cheating groups.” Be very careful not to join or remain any chat group if it begins to discuss specific information about exams or assignments that are meant to require individual work. If you are a member of such a group and it begins to cheat, you will be held responsible along with all the other members of the group. The TAMIU Honor Code requires that you report any such instances of cheating.
  • Student Right of Appeal: Faculty will notify students immediately via the student’s TAMIU e- mail account that they have submitted plagiarized work. Students have the right to appeal a faculty member’s charge of academic dishonesty by notifying the TAMIU Honor Council of their intent to appeal as long as the notification of appeal comes within 10 business days of the faculty member’s e-mail message to the student and/or the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement. The Student Handbook provides more details.

Use of Work in Two or More Courses

You may not submit work completed in one course for a grade in a second course unless you receive explicit permission to do so by the instructor of the second course. In general, you should get credit for a work product only once. 

AI Policies

Your instructor will provide you with their personal policy on the use of AI in the classroom setting and associated coursework.

TAMIU E-Mail and SafeZone

Personal Announcements sent to students through TAMIU E-mail (tamiu.edu or dusty email) are the official means of communicating course and university business with students and faculty –not the U.S. Mail and no other e-mail addresses. Students and faculty must check their TAMIU e-mail accounts regularly, if not daily. Not having seen an important TAMIU e-mail or message from a faculty member, chair, or dean is not accepted as an excuse for failure to take important action.

Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to download the SafeZone app, which is a free mobile app for all University faculty, staff, and students.  SafeZone allows you to: report safety concerns (24/7), get connected with mental health professionals, activate location sharing with authorities, and anonymously report incidents.  Go to https://www.tamiu.edu/adminis/police/safezone/index.shtml for more information.

Copyright Restrictions

The Copyright Act of 1976 grants to copyright owners the exclusive right to reproduce their works and distribute copies of their work. Works that receive copyright protection include published works such as a textbook. Copying a textbook without permission from the owner of the copyright may constitute copyright infringement. Civil and criminal penalties may be assessed for copyright infringement. Civil penalties include damages up to $100,000; criminal penalties include a fine up to $250,000 and imprisonment. Copyright laws do not allow students and professors to make photocopies of copyrighted materials, but you may copy a limited portion of a work, such as article from a journal or a chapter from a book for your own personal academic use or, in the case of a professor, for personal, limited classroom use. In general, the extent of your copying should not suggest that the purpose or the effect of your copying is to avoid paying for the materials. And, of course, you may not sell these copies for a profit. Thus, students who copy textbooks to avoid buying them or professors who provide photocopies of textbooks to enable students to save money are violating the law.

Students with Disabilities

Texas A&M International University seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all qualified persons with disabilities. This University will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal education opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to register with the Office of Student Counseling and Disability Services located in Student Center 126. This office will contact the faculty member to recommend specific, reasonable accommodations. Faculty are prohibited from making accommodations based solely on communications from students. They may make accommodations only when provided documentation by the Student Counseling and Disability Services office.

Student Attendance and Leave of Absence (LOA) Policy

As part of our efforts to assist and encourage all students towards graduation, TAMIU provides
LOA’s for students, including pregnant/parenting students, in accordance with the Attendance Rule (Section 3.07) and the Student LOA Rule (Section 3.08), which includes the “Leave of Absence Request” form. Both rules can be found in the TAMIU Student Handbook (URL: http://www.tamiu.edu/studentaffairs/StudentHandbook1.shtml).

Pregnant and Parenting Students

Under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, harassment based on sex, including harassment because of pregnancy or related conditions, is prohibited. A pregnant/parenting student must be granted an absence for as long as the student’s physician deems the absence medically necessary. It is a violation of Title IX to ask for documentation relative to the pregnant/parenting student’s status beyond what would be required for other medical conditions. If a student would like to file a complaint for discrimination due to his or her pregnant/parenting status, please contact the TAMIU Title IX Coordinator (Lorissa M. Cortez, 5201 University Boulevard, KLM 159B, Laredo, TX 78041,TitleIX@tamiu.edu, 956.326.2857) and/or the Office of Civil Rights (Dallas Office, U.S. Department of Education, 1999 Bryan Street, Suite 1620, Dallas, TX 75201-6810, 214.661.9600). You can also report it on TAMIU’s anonymous electronic reporting site: https://www.tamiu.edu/reportit.

TAMIU advises a pregnant/parenting student to notify their professor once the student is aware that accommodations for such will be necessary. It is recommended that the student and professor develop a reasonable plan for the student’s completion of missed coursework or assignments. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity (Lorissa M. Cortez, lorissam.cortez@tamiu.edu) can assist the student and professor in working out the reasonable accommodations. For other questions or concerns regarding Title IX compliance related to pregnant/parenting students at the University, contact the Title IX Coordinator. In the event that a student will need a leave of absence for a substantial period of time, TAMIU urges the student to consider a Leave of Absence (LOA) as outlined in the TAMIU Student Handbook. As part of our efforts to assist and encourage all students towards graduation, TAMIU provides LOA’s for students, including pregnant/parenting students, in accordance with the Attendance Rule and the Student LOA Rule. Both rules can be found in the TAMIU Student Handbook (https://www.tamiu.edu/scce/studenthandbook.shtml).

Anti-Discrimination/Title IX

TAMIU does not discriminate or permit harassment against any individual on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation or gender identity in admissions, educational programs, or employment. If you would like to file a complaint relative to Title IX or any civil rights violation, please contact the TAMIU Director of Equal Opportunity and Diversity/Title IX Coordinator, Lorissa M. Cortez, 5201 University Boulevard, Killam Library 159B, Laredo, TX 78041,TitleIX@tamiu.edu, 956.326.2857, via the anonymous electronic reporting website, ReportIt, at https://www.tamiu.edu/reportit, and/or the Office of Civil Rights (Dallas Office), U.S. Department of Education, 1999 Bryan Street, Suite 1620, Dallas, TX 75201-6810, 214.661.9600.

Incompletes

Students who are unable to complete a course should withdraw from the course before the final date for withdrawal and receive a “W.” To qualify for an “incomplete” and thus have the opportunity to complete the course at a later date, a student must meet the following criteria:

  1. The student must have completed 90% of the course work assigned before the final date for withdrawing from a course with a “W”, and the student must be passing the course;
  2. The student cannot complete the course because an accident, an illness, or a traumatic personal or family event occurred after the final date for withdrawal from a course;
  3. The student must sign an “Incomplete Grade Contract” and secure signatures of approval from the professor and the college dean.
  4. The student must agree to complete the missing course work before the end of the next long semester; failure to meet this deadline will cause the “I” to automatically be converted to an “F”; extensions to this deadline may be granted by the dean of the college. This is the general policy regarding the circumstances under which an “incomplete” may be granted, but under exceptional circumstances, a student may receive an incomplete who does not meet all of the criteria above if the faculty member, department chair, and dean recommend it.

WIN Contracts

The Department of Biology and Chemistry does not permit WIN contracts. For other departments within the college, WIN Contracts are offered only under exceptional circumstances and are limited to graduating seniors. Only courses offered by full-time TAMIU faculty or TAMIU instructors are eligible to be contracted for the WIN requirement. However, a WIN contract for a course taught by an adjunct may be approved, with special permission from the department chair and dean. Students must seek approval before beginning any work for the WIN Contract. No student will contract more than one course per semester. Summer WIN Contracts must continue through both summer sessions.

Student Responsibility for Dropping a Course

It is the responsibility of the student to drop the course before the final date for withdrawal from a course. Faculty members, in fact, may not drop a student from a course without getting the approval of their department chair and dean.

Independent Study Course

Independent Study (IS) courses are offered only under exceptional circumstances. Required courses intended to build academic skills may not be taken as IS (e.g., clinical supervision and internships). No student will take more than one IS course per semester. Moreover, IS courses are limited to seniors and graduate students. Summer IS course must continue through both summer sessions.

Grade Changes & Appeals

Faculty are authorized to change final grades only when they have committed a computational error or an error in recording a grade, and they must receive the approval of their department chairs and the dean to change the grade. As part of that approval, they must attach a detailed explanation of the reason for the mistake. Only in rare cases would another reason be entertained as legitimate for a grade change. A student who is unhappy with his or her grade on an assignment must discuss the situation with the faculty member teaching the course. If students believe that they have been graded unfairly, they have the right to appeal the grade using a grade appeal process in the Student Handbook and in the Faculty Handbook.

Final Examination

All courses in all colleges must include a comprehensive exam or performance and be given on the date and time specified by the Academic Calendar and the Final Exam schedule published by the Registrar’s Office. In the College of Arts & Sciences all final exams must contain a written component. The written component should comprise at least 20% of the final exam grade. Exceptions to this policy must receive the approval of the department chair and the dean at the beginning of the semester.

Mental Health and Well-Being

The university aims to provide students with essential knowledge and tools to understand and support mental health. As part of our commitment to your well-being, we offer access to Telus Health, a service available 24/7/365 via chat, phone, or webinar. Scan the QR code to download the app and explore the resources available to you for guidance and support whenever you need it. The Telus app is available to download directly from TELUS (tamiu.edu) or from the Apple App Store and Google Play.