INDI, Mesoamerican Cultures and History 1 (E26)

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

Knowledge and understanding of:

• the defining characteristics of Mesoamerica as a cultural area
• the geography of Mesoamerica, including its natural resources and staple crops
• the broad outlines of Mesoamerican history and archaeological periods, and their significance for understanding the region’s development
• the principal civilisations of Mesoamerica, their social structures, interactions, and mutual similarities and differences
• the various types of empirical data and source materials used in the study of Mesoamerican history and cultures

Skills in:

• defining and applying key concepts in Mesoamerican archaeology and history
• distinguishing between and contextualising different forms of data (e.g. archaeological evidence, historical sources, etc.)
• situating individual cultures within a broader cultural and historical framework
• describing and discussing the principal historical periods and associated issues in Mesoamerican cultural history

Competences to:

• reflect on complex historical and cultural relationships in a clear and structured manner
• communicate the aforementioned, effectively in both written and oral forms
• synthesise new knowledge from course readings and engage critically with research-based material
• apply comparative perspectives to enhance understanding of processes of societal development