HS 394 - The Beautiful Game: The History of Modern Latin America

(3.00 cr.)

Prerequisite: One HS 100-Level course. Soccer is the world's most popular sport. But fútbol or futebol, is more than just a sport in Latin America. Soccer defines national identity and losing is seen as a national tragedy. It expresses social class, racial, and gender politics. Military dictators have promoted it while drug lords have bought teams and built stadiums. Students see how a game—introduced by foreigners and seen as too violent—changed into a sport characterized by grace, agility, and passionate group dynamics, both in and beyond the stadium. GT/IL