The Politics of Public Space in Latin America  ANT 3097-01  Fall 2011

From Mexico's Zócalo to Buenos Aire's Plaza de Mayo

Tulane University – Department of Anthropology

Section 01 Wednesdays from 4:30 to 7:00 pm – Dinwiddie Hall 204
Professor Ana Servigna  Email aservign@tulane.edu  Office: Dinwiddie Hall 410 
Office Hours: Wednesdays and Fridays 9:30 -11:30 am or by appointment

1. Course Description and Goal.

Different cultures perceive and express their experience of space in different ways; we all recognize spaces
through our senses but interpret them through our unique cultural lenses. This course explores how culture is
expressed through space, focusing on public spaces in Latin America. Through an interdisciplinary survey of
literature and films we examine the social dynamic and struggles underlying the physical and symbolic forms of
public spaces in some of Latin America's capital cities.

2. Course Objectives.
The specific aims of this course are:
a. to understand the mutual relationships between the physical and symbolic dimension of public space
and society in Latin America;
b. to recognize how social differences are constructed and represented through space using an
anthropological approach.
c. to trace the historical political struggle over public spaces in Latin America.
d. to learn how contemporary structural transformation in Latin America’s economy has accentuated the
social and spatial polarization in the region’s capital cities and has affected democratic practice and
symbolic representation.

3. Learning Outcomes.
After completing this course students will be able to:
a. List and describe the characteristics of contemporary public places in Latin America
b. Identify characteristics of history, symbolism, and meanings of public places.
c. Interpret the production of public spaces in their cultural context
d. Analyze the appropriation, accessibility and social use of public space in Latin America

4. Books/Reading Materials.
There are three books that make up the readings of ANT 3097-01. You can buy them through Tulane Bookstore.
If you have problems doing so, please contact me.
1. Almandoz Marte, Arturo (2002) Planning Latin America's Capital cities, 1850-1950. New York:
Routledge.
2. Irazábal, Clara, ed. (2008) Ordinary Places, Extraordinary Events. Citizenship, Democracy and Public
Space in Latin America. Oxfordshire: Routledge.
3. Low, Setha (2000) On the Plaza. The politics of Public Space and Culture. Texas: University of Texas
Press.
Additional readings will be provided along the semester.

5. Course Management.
5.1. Late papers or assignments: Papers and exams are due the day stipulated; the instructor does not
accept late papers, late presentations or make-up exams unless there are circumstances of a very serious
nature. Late papers and tests will be marked down.
5.2. Academic courtesy: All students are expected to follow simple rules of academic courtesy to their

Please come to class on time to avoid disrupting the class.

fellow students and instructor.

Once class begins, you must refrain from personal conversations.

You must put away all non-course reading materials (e.g. newspapers).
TURN OFF and put away computers, cell phones, and electronic gadgets.
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6. Requirements and Grading.

The course grade is the weighted sum of the individual grades earned in class discussions and participation,
attendance, a reading presentation, a midterm and a final paper. The discussion, class participation and
attendance are worth 15% of the total course grade; the reading presentation and midterm paper, 20% and
25% respectively and the final project presentation and paper 40%.
6.1. Class participation: Students are expected to come to class with the assigned readings completed in
advance, and to be prepared to discuss the main arguments and how they relate to the classroom
lectures and students’ presentations.
6.2. Class Presentation: Every week, one student will be assigned to lead 15 minutes of one class using the
material assigned for that particular week. Each student will be responsible for one presentation during
the semester. The presenting student must provide an outline of the presentation (about two pages in
length) at the time of presentation, which will also be graded by the instructor. The presentation counts
20% of the final grade. It is important not only to describe what you read but to express your own
reactions and interpretations of the reading.
6.3. Writing assignments: There will be one midterm paper (25%) and one final research paper and
presentation (40%). Choose a Latin American city and search the library archives and online for
recent or historical events in any public space.
Your final paper should include a description of the space chosen and an analysis/interpretation of
the events. The paper should be 8-10 pages. During the semester you will introduce/present your
project to the class. This presentation is to be between 10-12 minutes long. You are free to use
whatever presentational techniques you find most suitable for your project. (more information will be
posted on Blackboard)

Papers and exams are due the day stipulated; the instructor does not accept late papers or make-up
exams unless something of a very extreme nature.

7. Grading Summary:
Percent
1. Class participation 15%
2. Article presentation 20%
3. Midterm paper 25%
4. Final project & Presentation 40%
100%

8. Honor Code.
Remember that as part of your matriculation you pledged to uphold the Tulane University Honor Code,
therefore no plagiarism, cheating, unauthorized collaboration, fabrication, academic dishonesty, violation of
testing conditions, lying, or failure to report an honor code violation are allowed. Plagiarism will be strictly
punished. All work turned in for this class should be done by you. While you may receive help from
acquaintances with words or short phrases, copying texts from other sources and claiming them as your own is
considering cheating. Please be aware that improper citation can constitute plagiarism. Take care to learn and
follow the proper citation practices of the discipline of anthropology. See the AAA Style Guide in the
Resources folder on your Blackboard or visit this link: http://www.aaanet.org/publications/guidelines.cfm
If you have any doubt about the Honor Code please consult this link:
http://www.tulane.edu/~jruscher/dept/Honor.Code.html#Code

9. Learning Disability:
Tulane University is committed to equal access and does not discriminate unlawfully against persons with
disabilities in its policies, procedures, programs or employment processes. The University recognizes its
obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to provide an
environment that does not discriminate against persons with disabilities. If you anticipate needing any type of
academic accommodations in order to participate in your classes, please make timely arrangements by
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disclosing this disability in writing to register with the Goldman Office of Disability Services (ODS) at
Educational Resources and Counseling (ERC).

10. Scheduled of Required Readings:

Introduction.
Week 1 Aug. 29-
31 Defining “public” and “space”
- "The Production of Space" H. Lefebvre. (Blackboard)

Sept. 05 Labor Day Holiday (No Classes)

- “The imperative of Public Space." (Low and Smith)
Week 2 - “The Political Economy of Public Space." D. Harvey. (Low and Smith)
Sept. 07
- “Introduction: Geography, Philosophy, and Public Space” Light and Smith (Hand-out).
- “Public and private, Power and Space.” Kilian, T. (Hand-out)
Latin America’s public space.
- “Incidental Urbanism: The Structure of the Prehispanic City in Central Mexico” K. Hirth
(Blackboard)
Week 3 Sept. 14
- “The Plaza in Latin America: From Teotihuacán to Recife.” Hardoy & Hardoy (Blackboard).
- “Indigenous Architecture and the Spanish American Plaza in Mesoamerica and the
Caribbean.” Low, S. (Blackboard)
- “Introduction: Europa Transfer: A historiographic Survey of Latin American Capitals”
(Almandoz, A.)
- “Cultural Meaning of the Plaza: The History of the Spanish-American Gridplan.” Low, S.
Week 4 Sept. 21
(Blackboard).
- “Fortified Enclaves: the new urban segregation.” Caldeira, T. (Blackboard)
- “How Private Interests take Over Public Space.” (Low and Smith).
Ordinary Places, Extraordinary Events in Latin America. (Prologue)
- “Citizenship, Democracy, and Public Space in Latin America” Irazábal, C. (Irazábal, C.)
Week 5 Sept. 28
- “Urbanization and urbanism in Latin America” (In Almandoz, A.). (G/Z)
- “Whose Culture? Whose City?” Zukin, S. (Blackboard).
Cities, Democracies and Powers.
- “The Urban Development of México City, 1850-1930” (C. Reese In Almandoz, A.)
Week 6 Oct. 05
- “Political Appropriation of Public Space. Extraordinary Events in the Zócalo of México City”
Tamayo and Pallamin (Irazábal, C.).
- “The Time of the Capitals. Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo: Words, Actors and Plans. Da
Silva Pereira, M. (M. da Silva Pereira In Almandoz).
Week 7 Oct. 12 - “Reinventing the Void: Sao Paulo’s Museum of Art and Public Life along Avenida Paulista.
Lima and Vera. (Irazábal, C.)
Fall Break (No Classes)
- “Cities within the City.” Pérez Oyarzun and Vera (In Almandoz, A.)
Week 8 Oct. 19 - “A Memorable Public Space: The Plaza of the central Station in Santiago de Chile” Rojas
and Timmling (Irazábal)
- “The Script of Urban Surgery: Lima, 1850-1940.” Ramón, G. (In Almandoz, A.)
- “Lima’s Historic centre: Old Places Shapping New Social Arrangements.” Chion and
Week 9 Oct. 26 Ludena Urquizo (Irazábal, C.)
- “The Plaza Bolívar of Bogotá: Uniqueness of Place, Multiplicity of Events.” Saldarriaga Roa
(Irazábal, C.).
Place, Citizenship and Nationhood.
- “Caracas, Territory, Architecture and Urban Space.” González Casas (Almandoz, A.)
Week 10 Nov. 02 - “Space, Revolution and Resistance.” Foley and Irazábal. (Irazábal C.)
- “Geography of Fear.” Dawson, A. (Low and Smith)
Film: TBA.
- “Buenos Aires, A Great European City.” (R. Gutiérrez In Almandoz, A.)
- “The Struggle for Urban Territories: Human Rights Activists in Buenos Aires.” Kaiser, S.
Week 11 Nov 09
(Irazábal, C.).
- “Clean and Safe?.” Mitchell and Staeheli. (Low and Smith).
- “Havana from Tacón to Forestier.” (R. Segre Almandoz, A.)
- “Iconic Voids and social Identity in a Polycentric City: Havana from the Nineteenth to the
Week 12 Nov. 16
Twentieth Century.” Segre, R. (Irazábal, C.)

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Week 13 Nov 23 Thanksgiving Holiday! (No Classes)

- “Unresolved Public Expression of Anti-Trujilloism in Santo Domingo.” González, R.

(Irazábal C.)
- “Urbanism, Architecture, and Cultural Transformation in San José, Costa Rica, 1850-1830.”
Week 14 Nov. 30
(F. Quesada In Almandoz, A.)
- “Constructing Difference: Spatial Boundaries and Social Change in Two Costa Rican
Plazas.” Low, S. (Blackboard)

Week 15 Dec. 07 Final project presentation.

Week 16 Dec. 14 Final project due.

Recommended Films:
- さI am Cubaざ
- さSin Nombreざ.
- さCity of menざ
- さThe Milk of Sorrowざ
- さThe year my parents went on vacationざ
- さSicarioざ
- さLas madres: The Mothers of Plaza de Mayoざ
- さThe Official Storyざ
- さAugusto Pinochet: The Dictator in His Labyrinthざ
- さCrossing Our Borders: The Legacy of Dictators in Latin Americaざ