Spring 2027

Latin America: an Introduction

Introduction to Latin American culture and society from an interdisciplinary perspective, covering historical developments from pre-Columbian times to the present.

offering recorded3–4 credits
Recorded instructors · Spring 2027 Levi Cross3.9/5Kathryn Sanchez3.9/5

Summary

1 / 6

Past student reviews · Kathryn Sanchez

One student reported the course involved three midterms with note sheets and no final, plus extensive readings. Another noted lectures relied on oral details, requiring careful note-taking for multiple-choice tests.

What you’ll be able to do

  • Analyze Latin American culture and society from an interdisciplinary perspective.

  • Examine historical developments from pre-Columbian times to the present.

  • Identify political movements, economic problems, social change, and ecology in Latin America.

Source: UW Guide 1 UW Guide 2 UW Guide 3 UW Guide 4 UW Guide 5 UW Guide 6 UW Guide 7 UW Guide 8 UW Guide 9

Grade history

↗
average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

None

  • None
AFROAMER/ANTHRO/C&ESOC/GEOG/HISTORY/LACIS/POLISCI/SOC/SPANISH 260

This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree
  • None

Professors

Spring 2027
Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 5.00/5 from 4 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

For this course: 5.0/5 raw quality · 1.0/5 difficulty · 1 reviews

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Past student reviews · Levi Cross

A former student described Levi Cross as a caring and funny TA who made everyone feel comfortable. The student reported a low difficulty rating for the course.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2026: 3.61 GPA, 78.7% A/AB (n=47 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.14/5 from 14 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

For this course: 4.0/5 raw quality · 2.8/5 difficulty · 5 reviews

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Past student reviews · Kathryn Sanchez

Kathryn Sanchez's lectures included little text on slides, requiring students to take extensive notes because multiple-choice tests focused on specific details mentioned once. Students described her as knowledgeable and personable, noting that the course involved substantial readings, but they reported the exams were manageable with note sheets provided for each test.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2017: 3.49 GPA, 69.8% A/AB (n=106 letter grades); Spring 2019: 3.43 GPA, 71.7% A/AB (n=53 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.61 GPA, 78.7% A/AB (n=47 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

Past student reviews · Patrick Iber, Marcella Hayes

Patrick Iber taught engaging lectures with culture breaks; students described his grading as involving three midterms, a final paper, and TopHat attendance, or three exams and a paper that weren't difficult with review. Marcella Hayes taught story-style lectures supplemented with quotes and images, requiring essays and a writing-heavy exam, while students appreciated her focus on argumentation and caring structure.

KATHRYN SANCHEZ is recorded teaching in Spring 2009, Spring 2011, Spring 2013, Spring 2015, Spring 2017, Spring 2019, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

LEVI CROSS is recorded teaching in Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

MARCELLA HAYES is recorded teaching in Spring 2022, Spring 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

PATRICK IBER is recorded teaching in Spring 2018, Spring 2020, Fall 2023. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

STEVE J. STERN is recorded teaching in Spring 2008. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Calendar & sections

Spring 2027

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 800
DIS 301Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 302Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 303Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 304Classroom Instruction0 / 200
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 800
DIS 301Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 302Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 303Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 304Classroom Instruction0 / 200
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 800
DIS 301Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 302Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 303Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 304Classroom Instruction0 / 200
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 800
DIS 301Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 302Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 303Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 304Classroom Instruction0 / 200
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 800
DIS 301Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 302Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 303Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 304Classroom Instruction0 / 200
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 800
DIS 301Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 302Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 303Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 304Classroom Instruction0 / 200
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 800
DIS 301Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 302Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 303Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 304Classroom Instruction0 / 200
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 800
DIS 301Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 302Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 303Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 304Classroom Instruction0 / 200
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 800
DIS 301Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 302Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 303Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 304Classroom Instruction0 / 200

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records
Download part 1

Student experience

the class

Past student reviews · Kathryn Sanchez

Students described the course as incredibly interesting, particularly regarding ancient civilizations, and highly recommended it due to the instructor's enthusiasm.

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2023: 3.60 GPA, 79.7% A/AB (n=74 letter grades); Spring 2025: 3.65 GPA, 88.2% A/AB (n=17 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.61 GPA, 78.7% A/AB (n=47 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

Past student reviews · Kathryn Sanchez

One student reported the course involved three midterms with note sheets and no final, plus extensive readings. Another noted lectures relied on oral details, requiring careful note-taking for multiple-choice tests.

Past student reviews · Kathryn Sanchez

Some students found lectures hard to follow because slides contained pictures rather than text, forcing reliance on personal notes. Others found the instructor kind and personable.

Topics

  • Historical developments from pre-Columbian times to the present
  • Political movements, economic problems, social change, and ecology
  • Legal systems, literature, arts, and US-Latin America cultural contrasts
  • Land reform, labor movements, capitalism, socialism, imperialism, and mass media

Skills

  • Interdisciplinary analysis of culture and society
  • Examining historical developments
  • Identifying political, economic, and ecological factors

Grades

Latest available · Spring 2026— not enough history to project Spring 2027.

average GPA
A / AB grades
letter grades
Instructor

Grade distribution · % of letter grades

A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

Grades over time

Through Spring 2026

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Where this course fits relative to

Latest available grades · Spring 2026 · all course levels

GPA

Higher than % of other courses in this group.

Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range

letter grades

More recorded grades than % of other courses in this group.

Typical course in this group: letter grades.

About this comparison

1280 courses over the same term, each with at least 30 recorded letter grades. Cross-listed courses count once. GPA is not a measure of difficulty or teaching quality. The typical course is the median by recorded grade count; tied values are not counted as lower. Grade counts describe course scale, not unique students or typical section size.

Descriptions compare GPA with this group’s average: at least 0.20 higher or lower; otherwise close to average. Section size uses median recorded enrollment: small up to 30, mid-sized 31–99, large 100+. Lectures and discussion/lab sections are described separately.

Sources & history

UW–Madison

Catalog & offerings

Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.

Catalog observation history

Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.

Download part 1
Selected offering source records
AFROAMER/ANTHRO/C&ESOC/GEOG/HISTORY/LACIS/POLISCI/SOC/SPANISH 260 · Spring 2027

Latin America: An Introduction

Recorded 2026-10-29
AFROAMER/ANTHRO/C&ESOC/GEOG/HISTORY/LACIS/POLISCI/SOC/SPANISH 260 · Spring 2027

Latin America: An Introduction

Recorded 2026-10-29
AFROAMER/ANTHRO/C&ESOC/GEOG/HISTORY/LACIS/POLISCI/SOC/SPANISH 260 · Spring 2027

Latin America: An Introduction

Recorded 2026-10-29
AFROAMER/ANTHRO/C&ESOC/GEOG/HISTORY/LACIS/POLISCI/SOC/SPANISH 260 · Spring 2027

Latin America: An Introduction

Recorded 2026-10-29
AFROAMER/ANTHRO/C&ESOC/GEOG/HISTORY/LACIS/POLISCI/SOC/SPANISH 260 · Spring 2027

Latin America: An Introduction

Recorded 2026-10-29
AFROAMER/ANTHRO/C&ESOC/GEOG/HISTORY/LACIS/POLISCI/SOC/SPANISH 260 · Spring 2027

Latin America: An Introduction

Recorded 2026-10-29
AFROAMER/ANTHRO/C&ESOC/GEOG/HISTORY/LACIS/POLISCI/SOC/SPANISH 260 · Spring 2027

Latin America: An Introduction

Recorded 2026-10-29
AFROAMER/ANTHRO/C&ESOC/GEOG/HISTORY/LACIS/POLISCI/SOC/SPANISH 260 · Spring 2027

Latin America: An Introduction

Recorded 2026-10-29
AFROAMER/ANTHRO/C&ESOC/GEOG/HISTORY/LACIS/POLISCI/SOC/SPANISH 260 · Spring 2027

Latin America: An Introduction

Recorded 2026-10-29
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Rate My Professors

Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

Read original reviews
Download part 1
Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-10-29

View the dataset on Hugging Face
Model outputs & technical records
Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Download part 1Download part 2
Model & dataset provenance 
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  "output_id": "2f1cdd18bb9e16c49fffa535e4f792baecbfa22e0b88a660c5009f37980c7382",
  "requirements_status": "valid",
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