POL 280

Politics 280, spring 2023

This course uses theories of regime transition, social movements, democratic stability, institutional change, and others to examine selected current events in Latin America. Readings, written assignments, presentations, and discussions are conducted in Spanish. Prerequisite: SP 202 or permission of instructor, and one course from POL 102, POL 103, or POL 104. Liberal Arts Core Designation: Breadth in Social Science (SS), Depth in Science (DSCI). (3)

This course is open to Marymount students and students outside of Marymount registering through the consortium who have had at least one political science course and who are ready to take a course that will be taught primarily in Spanish. Four semesters of Spanish, or the equivalent experience, is recommended.

Meeting time and place

Once per week on Thursdays, 6:45 to 9:30 p.m. Ballston Center, Room 4088. The Marymount Ballston building is three blocks from the Ballston/Marymount metro station, which serves the Orange and Silver lines.

Instructor – Franco Gamboa-Rocabado

Franco was born and grew up in La Paz, Bolivia. He initially studied political sociology at the largest public university of Bolivia, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA); then traveled to the United States to get a Master’s degree in public policy at Duke University, and finally got his PhD in political science and international relations from the London School of Economics, UK. Franco worked in many public and international institutions such as the Ministry of the Presidency, the Ministry of the Interior, the La Paz City Hall, and as an associate professor of political science at UMSA. He also consulted with the Inter-American Development Bank, USAID, UNESCO, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Save the Children International. Franco is now very happy to have the chance to exchange his experience and knowledge at Marymount University, thanks to a Fulbright fellowship.