Cultivate an understanding of cultures and places across Latin America and the Caribbean, drawing on case studies by anthropologists and others. Develop a synthetic understanding of both regions and their sub-regions, cultures, peoples, and places. Analyze common themes, important social and cultural issues, and shared histories. Topics may include colonialism; imperialism and underdevelopment; society and culture before the Europeans; gender and sexuality; political economy and development; climate change; conflict and violence; race and ethnicity; religion and spirituality; rural change and urbanization; environmental and ecological movements; and Indigenous and Afro-descendent movements.