Contextualization

The 20th century was marked by numerous social, political, and economic events that shaped the way we live today. Among these events, the dictatorships that occurred in Latin America are notable for their impact and lasting consequences. Many Latin American countries, during the Cold War, were the scene of authoritarian regimes, marked by human rights violations, censorship, and extremely repressive state policies. The roots and legacy of these dictatorships continue to be an important topic in the history of Latin America.

Latin America found itself in a situation of political and social instability after World War II. The fear of the spread of communism pushed the US to support military dictatorships in the region as a preventive measure. The consequences of these actions are still felt today in the economy and society of Latin American countries. Knowing and understanding this period is essential to comprehend the current political, economic, and social reality of these countries.

Key Theoretical Concepts

To deepen our understanding of dictatorships in Latin America, it is important to establish key theoretical concepts.

The first is the concept of Dictatorship. Dictatorship is a form of government characterized by absolute power and/or the absence of a division of powers. In a dictatorial regime, there is a concentration of power in the hands of one or more leaders who have total control over society and politics and have the authority to make decisions without the need to justify or obtain them through consensus.

Next, we have the concept of Censorship. Censorship is the control or suppression of speech and public expression by the state. Dictatorial governments typically implement censorship to prevent the spread of information that may encourage resistance or revolt against the state.

Lastly, the concept of Economic Reform which involves the implementation of changes in a country's economic policies aimed at improving the country's economy. During the dictatorships in Latin America, several of these reforms were implemented, but their results were mixed and, in some cases, led to economic instability.

Practical Activity

Activity Title: "Dictatorships in Latin America: Seeing Through Time"

Project Objective:

This project aims to allow students to deepen their knowledge about Latin American dictatorships in a creative and collaborative way. Students will be challenged to create a short documentary (10-15 minutes) that analyzes a particular aspect of a specific dictatorship in Latin America.

Detailed Project Description:

Students will be divided into groups of 3 to 5 members, and each group will be responsible for choosing one of the countries that went through dictatorship in Latin America. They will research deeply about their dictatorship, focusing on a particular aspect such as censorship, economic reforms, popular resistance, repression, or social and cultural impact. The groups will then create a short documentary using the available technology at their disposal (smartphones, digital cameras, free editing software). The documentary should be historically and factually accurate, including simulated interviews, reenactments, archival footage, and comments from fictional experts.

Required Materials:

• Filming equipment (can be a cellphone with a camera)
• Internet access for research
• Video editing software (available for free on the internet)
• Notetaking materials for planning and script writing

Detailed Step-by-Step Guide for the Activity:

1. Group Formation and Country Selection: Students should organize themselves into groups and choose which country they will research.

2. Research: The groups should research about the dictatorship of their chosen country, focusing on the chosen aspect (censorship, economic reforms, popular resistance, repression, social and cultural impact). This research should be thorough to provide a good foundation for the written document and the documentary creation.

3. Documentary Planning: Based on the research conducted, the groups should plan their documentary. This should include the documentary script, task division among group members (who will film, who will be the interviewer, who will be the interviewee, who will be the editor, etc.), and the schedule for the work execution (remembering that the work needs to be delivered in one week).

4. Documentary Production: The groups will produce the documentary according to their planning.

5. Writing the Written Document: After finishing the documentary, the groups will write the written document. The document should follow the structure already indicated above (Introduction, Development, Conclusions, and Bibliography). In the Introduction, students should contextualize the theme, explain why they chose that aspect to focus on, and what the project's objective was. In the Development, they should detail the theoretical concepts they studied, describe the activity in detail and the methodology used, and discuss the results obtained. In the Conclusion, they should recap their main points and explain the learnings and conclusions drawn about the project. In the Bibliography, they should list all sources used in the research.

Project Deliverables:

At the end of this activity, the groups must deliver:

1. The produced documentary, which will be watched in the classroom and evaluated based on its historical accuracy, creativity, clarity of presentation, and production quality.
2. The written document, which will be evaluated based on its clarity, depth of analysis, historical accuracy, and adherence to the proposed structure (Introduction, Development, Conclusions, and Bibliography).

By engaging in this activity, students will not only learn more about dictatorships in Latin America but will also practice skills such as research, planning, teamwork, problem-solving, creativity, and oral and written expression.

It is expected that by the end of the project, students will be able to better understand the period of dictatorships in Latin America and its consequences.