The class is actually really easy, I would suggest taking it for your GE. Just never show up to the lectures, and you'll be fine by doing the reading. All grading is based on papers so there is no need to show up for lectures. By far the worst lecturer I've ever had, please don't take this class if you don't like doing reading.

I honestly should have listened to the reviews :(

so so so baddddddd

Worthless presence in the classroom and earth in general. Shouldn't be allowed to respirate. Makes you wish a hero would do a service to everyone else at this university.

Very disorganized. This was probably the most chaotic course I have ever taken at UCSB. She did not necessarily teach as she had guest professors do a lecture once a week and when she did lecture the material she would go over was in tangents as she would get off topic. Assigned reading with 80+ pages and did not clearly lecture her own research.

Professor Mendez is very knowledgeable about Latin American history, however, her methods in teaching are a bit disorganized. The TAs carried the class, filling in the context of the week's lectures (and explaining more than Mendez). We had weekly quizzes, weekly discussion posts, and 2 papers. Overall, it is manageable but become close to your TA!