Latin American Philosophy 20th Century

Course Description

This course offers an in-depth exploration of the major philosophical currents that shaped Latin American identity throughout the 20th century. Rather than focusing exclusively on academic philosophy, it investigates the broader intellectual tradition where philosophy intersects with literature, anthropology, sociology, and cultural criticism. Through a study of essays and seminal texts from Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and Cuba, we will examine the development of key concepts such as the "American Being," cultural cannibalism (antropofagia), telluric determinism, and the baroque imagination.

Latin American philosophy in the 20th century is profoundly shaped by the tension between utopia and failure, between civilization and barbarism, and by the persistent quest to articulate a singular yet plural continental identity. This course traces these tensions across different national contexts and intellectual traditions, providing a dynamic and nuanced perspective on the philosophical underpinnings of Latin America’s cultural history.

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Understand and critically analyze the main philosophical ideas that emerged in Latin America during the 20th century.
• Contextualize philosophical concepts within the historical, cultural, and political realities of Latin American countries.
• Recognize the interdisciplinary character of Latin American philosophical production, especially the strong link between philosophy, literature, and social sciences.
• Examine the contributions of major Latin American thinkers and assess their influence on contemporary debates about identity, history, and post-colonialism.
• Develop skills in critical reading, comparative analysis, and argumentative writing based on complex philosophical and literary texts.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Identify key themes and figures in 20th-century Latin American philosophy.
• Analyze primary philosophical and literary texts with a critical and contextualized approach.
• Compare philosophical approaches from different Latin American nations, highlighting their unique contributions and shared concerns.
• Apply philosophical methods to discuss concepts such as mestizaje, the baroque, anthropophagy, solitude, and historical fatalism.
• Synthesize insights from the course to produce coherent academic essays on Latin American philosophical thought.

Course Structure and Content

The course is divided into five main modules, each focused on a national tradition and its leading figures.

Module 1: Is There a Latin American Philosophical Thought?

• Overview of the development of philosophical ideas beyond the strict academic field.
• The 19th-century debate on civilization versus barbarism.
• The transition to the 20th-century focus on failure, identity, and foundational myths.
• The emergence of arielismo (Arielism) and its critique through the figure of Caliban.
• Reading:
  • Introduction to José Enrique Rodó’s Ariel.
  • Overview of the Anthropophagy movement and Roberto Fernández Retamar's Caliban.

Module 2: Brazil — Atavistic Barbarism, Anthropophagy, Creative Lust

• The complexity of Brazilian cultural identity: miscegenation, syncretism, and exuberance.
• The Anthropophagy movement as a strategy for cultural self-affirmation.
• Key thinkers:
  • Euclides da Cunha (Backlands. The Canudos Campaign)
  • Gilberto Freyre (The Masters and the Slaves)
  • Oswald de Andrade (Cannibal Manifesto)
• Reading:
  • Selected excerpts from Da Cunha and Freyre.
  • Cannibal Manifesto.

Module 3: Argentina — Historical Invariants, Irrational Forces, and the Epic of Failure

• The dichotomy of civilization and barbarism in Argentine history and philosophy.
• The mythologization of the gaucho and the significance of Martín Fierro.
• Key thinkers:
  • Ezequiel Martínez Estrada (X-ray of the Pampa)
  • Jorge Luis Borges (The Argentine Writer and Tradition)
  • Arturo Jauretche (A Guide to Argentine Nonsense)
• Reading:
  • Excerpts from Martínez Estrada and Jauretche.
  • Borges' essay on Argentine tradition.

Module 4: Mexico — The Mask of Death and the Dialectics of Solitude

• Mestizaje and the baroque as elements of Mexican identity.
• The exploration of solitude, violence, and invention in Mexican thought.
• Key thinkers:
  • Alfonso Reyes
  • José Vasconcelos (The Cosmic Race)
  • Samuel Ramos (Profile of Man and Culture in Mexico)
  • Octavio Paz (The Labyrinth of Solitude)
  • Edmundo O’Gorman (The Invention of America)
• Reading:
  • Selected passages from Vasconcelos, Ramos, Paz, and O’Gorman.

Module 5: Cuba — Cannibalism and Baroque Identity

• The Cuban baroque and the legacy of cultural transculturation.
• Resistance and anti-imperialism through literary-philosophical figures.
• Key thinkers:
  • Alejo Carpentier (Prologue to The Kingdom of This World)
  • José Lezama Lima
  • Roberto Fernández Retamar (Caliban)
• Reading:
  • Selected excerpts from Carpentier and Retamar.

Suggested Essay Topics

• How have the baroque and anthropophagy become strategic concepts of Latin American identity?
• How do the different traditions of Latin American essay writing address the issue of mestizaje?
• What is the importance of the figure of the gaucho in Argentine philosophical thought?

Key Skills Developed

• Critical reading and textual analysis
• Comparative philosophy
• Academic writing and argumentation
• Understanding interdisciplinary approaches to philosophy
• Engaging with post-colonial and identity debates from a Latin American perspective

Bibliography (Primary Texts)

• Euclides da Cunha, Backlands. The Canudos Campaign (excerpts)
• Gilberto Freyre, The Masters and the Slaves (excerpts)
• Oswald de Andrade, Cannibal Manifesto
• Ezequiel Martínez Estrada, X-ray of the Pampa (excerpts)
• Jorge Luis Borges, The Argentine Writer and Tradition
• José Vasconcelos, The Cosmic Race (selected chapters)
• Octavio Paz, The Labyrinth of Solitude (excerpts)
• Roberto Fernández Retamar, Caliban (selected excerpts)

Conclusion

This course is a journey through the intellectual landscapes of Latin America during a century of profound self-questioning and identity building. Students will emerge with a deeper understanding of the philosophical richness of Latin America, beyond stereotypes and superficial readings, gaining tools to appreciate the complex interplay of culture, politics, history, and thought that continues to shape the continent today.