This course is designed as an introduction to the politics of Latin America and the Caribbean. Given that Latin America is a diverse region, instead of learning about each country in isolation, topics such as racism, discrimination, social exclusion, and inequality will serve as lenses through which we comparatively examine the history, politics, and economics of the region. This course will also introduce students to the basics of social science research. Students should leave this course with greater familiarity in understanding and communicating social science research, as well as how to better analyze these issues on their own.