Latin America: an interdisciplinary perspective.

I currently am trying to do a double major. I started out at college studying Interdisciplinary Studies: International Studies with a focus in Latin America. Fortunately, I studied Spanish and Anthropology enough to have another major and minor in them respectively. Interdisciplinary Studies has given me a unique chance to study a wide base of knowledge on Latin America.

I must say that some of the most formative and best classes I have taken that pertain to my major were taught by Dr. Renee Horst in the History department. My freshman and sophomore years I took History of Modern Latin American history and history of the Southern Cone with Dr. Horst. Dr. Horst challenged me to learn a lot about Latin American History. The Watauga program through Appalachian challenged me to question a lot about my major, and was also very formative to my learning. I must also credit Dr. Schroeder who taught me about Latin American Geography. My class on Marx's Capital in my senior year has given me an incredible insight into Karl Marx's influence in Latin America. I have taken two short term trips while at Appalachian: one to Bolivia, and the other to Ecuador. Both Dr. Smith, and Dr. Boyer in the Anthropology department have taught me a lot about Latin American culture.

I do a majority of my learning through reading. Though I am indebted to my professors that have given me such valuable tools, I do consider myself an autodidact and a bit of a bookworm. These are some books that have been important in my learning process:

Born in Blood and Fire by John Chasteen

Open Veins of Latin America by Eduardo Galeano

Laberinto de la Soledad (Labyrinth of Solitude)by Octavio Paz

A Survey of Sustainable Development by various

Cien Años de Soledad (One Hundred Years of Solitude) by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Campesino a Campesino by Eric Holt-Gimenez

Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo