COURSE DESCRIPTION
Costa Rica constitutionally abolished its military in 1949, the first country in the world to do so. This is a point of pride in Costa Rica, and it has allowed for significant investment in social programs. The Costa Rican “model” of demilitarization merits close study. By contrast, the USA has the largest defense budget in the world, spending well over $1 trillion each year in military expenditures. This course will study the concept and history of “militarism,” and the histories of these two systems. These opposing political models will be compared and analyzed.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The course will examine the history of anti-militarism in Costa Rica and compare it to what has been called “modern American militarism” in the USA. The course will study the concept of “militarism” and how it has been studied and measured by scholars.
Student Outcomes. Students who successfully complete this course will:
-Understand the concept of “militarism” and the history of “hyper-militarism” as a cause of war.
-Understand the history of Costa Rica’s anti-militarism and consider it as a “model” for other states.
-Understand the history of the USA’s early anti-militarism and later embrace of a large military, with at least moderate “militarism.”
-Understand the social consequences of militarism and recognize the institutionalization and norms of militarism.
-Students will learn to critically analyze modern political systems and will learn to use arguments and evidence effectively to communicate original analysis.