The United States and Mexico have always enjoyed (or suffered through) a close relationship. So close that until 1836, Texas was part of Mexico. Now that territorial disputes are (mostly) settled, United States-Mexico relations center on (im)migration, trade of legal goods and services, and illegal drug trafficking, all of which flow over the most frequently crossed land border in the world. This interdisciplinary course provides an introduction to Mexico’s 20th century development and then examines the three major transnational flows. The course pays special attention to the politics and economics of cross-border flows, but will also use film, literature, and art to present personal stories and illuminate some of the social and psychological pressures experienced by ordinary citizens affected by trade, immigration, and drug trafficking. Although the course is about both the United States and Mexico, greater attention will be paid to Mexico because I assume that most students are less familiar with it.  

By completing this course, students will gain new knowledge and skills. They will have a better understanding of Mexico’s society, politics, and economy, they will be more knowledgeable about the benefits and drawbacks of increasing closeness between the two countries, they will comprehend the challenges of encouraging legal cross-border flows and managing illegal ones, and they will be able to critically analyze debates in the United States about important contemporary issues. Along the way, students will learn some fundamental social science concepts and tools for analysis, improve their writing, public speaking, and group project skills.