Spanish/Hispanic Cultures

This course focuses on the historical, political, intellectual, artistic, and social aspects of Latin America in order to familiarize students with the main trends in the development of the region. After a review of major historical events, students will explore trends and differences among regions of Latin America. The study focuses on textual readings, but also examines some representative examples of cultural production in the fields of art, literature, music and film.

3 CreditsI, H, CSPrerequisite: SP230 or equivalent. Students should not take this course if they already took SP285.

An introduction to the many facets of Spanish civilization: art, music, history, literature, philosophy and everyday life.

3 CreditsH, I, CSPrerequisite: SP210.

An intensive introduction to twentieth and twenty- first century Spain. Topics to be studied include: Spain's peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy, economic development, and social change. Spain's role in the European Union, mass and elite cultural movements and the challenges facing Spain's younger generation. 

3 CreditsH, I, CSPrerequisites: SP210.

Note: Meets with SP265. Additional work is assigned.

3 CreditsH, I, CSPrerequisites: SP250 or SP255 or or SP260 or approval of the instructor.

The testimonial genre developed in Latin America during the 1960s to give voice to the voiceless and bear witness to the world of the marginalized and oppressed. A representative sample of testimonial narratives will be read to examine topics such as the testimonial pact established with readers, social realities represented, processes of textual production, and narrative forms incorporated. Text will be read in English translation and the class will be conducted in English. 

3 CreditsCA, I, H, WK-HTPrereq: FYC-101 or EN-110 or EN-109. (Previous course title: Latin American Testimonio)

Studies art --literature, film, music, plastic arts, etc.--that denounces social injustice and seeks to trigger fundamental reforms in Latin American societies. Known as arte comprometido or committed art in Latin America, selected violence, economic exploitation, racism, and machismo. The course is conducted in Spanish.

3 CreditsI, H, CSPrerequisites: SP210 or by permission of the instructor.

Note: Meets with SP255. Additional work is assigned. 

3 CreditsH, I, CSPrerequisites: SP250 or equivalent and study abroad experience or approval of the instructor.

Students will explore poetic expression in popular culture music genres, including the corrido, tango, nueva canci n, and reggaeton, as well as works of iconic poets. They will reflect critically on the practice of categorizing art according to dichotomies such high and low-brow, poetic or vulgar, crap or canon.

3 CreditsI,H,SW-GEPre-reqs: Two 200-level Spanish courses.

Studies art --literature, film, music, plastic arts, etc.--that denounces social injustice and seeks to trigger fundamental reforms in Latin American societies. Known as arte comprometido or committed art in Latin America, selected artistic texts treat topics such as political violence, economic exploitation, racism, and machismo. The course is conducted in Spanish.

3 CreditsI, H, CSPrerequisites: SP250 or SP255 or by permission of the instructor.

Provides courses not covered by the regular offerings. These are developed to meet the needs of students of advanced standing.

1-4 Credits  

Students continue to develop advanced Spanish language and Hispanic cultural proficiency as well as critical thinking skills through the study of contemporary Spanish American novels.

3 CreditsH, I, CW, CSPrerequisite: SP250 or SP255 or permission of the instructor.

This course, formerly titled Women in Hispanic Fiction, examines gender constructs in works by Latin American and Spanish authors. Among the topics that will be examined are the construction of gender and identity roles, historical spheres of participation for men and women, and the changing definition of such identity markers and roles. The course will focus on a broad historical range of literary works, examining how gender identities are presented in these works through their intersectionality with sexuality, class, race, age, and politics. In addition to the primary texts, students read critical essays on gender and discuss films and podcasts that develop topics parallel to those in the texts. 

3 CreditsI, H, CWPrerequisites: SP-250 or SP-255.(Previous Course Title: Women in Hispanic Fiction)

Metafiction is fiction that, rather than transparent, is opaque. In the metafictional moment, the reader looks at rather than through the fictional illusion. As Patricia Waugh writes in Metafiction: The Theory and Practice of Self-Conscious Fiction, Metafictional novels tend to be constructed on the principle of a fundamental and sustained opposition: the construction of a fictional illusion (as in traditional realism) and the laying bare of that illusion. In this course, students engage with the theory of metafiction and study examples from Hispanic fiction, which include works by Allende, Borges, Cortazar, Cervantes, and Garcia Marquez.

3 CreditsI, HPrerequsite: SP210 or permission.

Students continue to develop advanced Spanish language and Hispanic cultural proficiency as well as critical thinking skills through study of contemporary Spanish novels.

3 CreditsH, I, CS, CWPrerequisites: SP250 or SP255 or approval of the instructor.

In this course. students analyze selected essays, fiction, drama, and poetry of this key group of writers who accomplish a major renovation of Spanish thought and literary forms during the early decades of the twentieth century.

3 CreditsH, I, CSPrerequisite: SP250 or SP255 or permission of the instructor.

Note: Meets with SP255. Additional work is assigned. 

3 CreditsH, I, CSPrerequisites: SP250 or equivalent and study abroad experience or approval of the instructor.

Students will explore poetic expression in popular culture music genres, including the corrido, tango, nueva canci n, and reggaeton, as well as works of iconic poets. They will reflect critically on the practice of categorizing art according to dichotomies such high and low-brow, poetic or vulgar, crap or canon.

3 CreditsI,H,SW-GEPre-reqs: Two 200-level Spanish courses.

Note: Meets with SP265. Additional work is assigned.

3 CreditsH, I, CSPrerequisites: SP250 or SP255 or or SP260 or approval of the instructor.

Studies art --literature, film, music, plastic arts, etc.--that denounces social injustice and seeks to trigger fundamental reforms in Latin American societies. Known as arte comprometido or committed art in Latin America, selected artistic texts treat topics such as political violence, economic exploitation, racism, and machismo. The course is conducted in Spanish.

3 CreditsI, H, CSPrerequisites: SP250 or SP255 or by permission of the instructor.

This course focuses on the historical, political, intellectual, artistic, and social aspects of Latin America in order to familiarize students with the main trends in the development of the region. After a review of major historical events, students will explore trends and differences among regions of Latin America. The study focuses on textual readings, but also examines some representative examples of cultural production in the fields of art, literature, music and film.

3 CreditsI, H, CSPrerequisite: SP230 or equivalent. Students should not take this course if they already took SP285.

Provides courses not covered by the regular offerings. These are developed to meet the needs of students of advanced standing.

1-4 Credits  

Students continue to develop advanced Spanish language and Hispanic cultural proficiency as well as critical thinking skills through the study of contemporary Spanish American novels.

3 CreditsH, I, CW, CSPrerequisite: SP250 or SP255 or permission of the instructor.

This course, formerly titled Women in Hispanic Fiction, examines gender constructs in works by Latin American and Spanish authors. Among the topics that will be examined are the construction of gender and identity roles, historical spheres of participation for men and women, and the changing definition of such identity markers and roles. The course will focus on a broad historical range of literary works, examining how gender identities are presented in these works through their intersectionality with sexuality, class, race, age, and politics. In addition to the primary texts, students read critical essays on gender and discuss films and podcasts that develop topics parallel to those in the texts. 

3 CreditsI, H, CWPrerequisites: SP-250 or SP-255.(Previous Course Title: Women in Hispanic Fiction)

Metafiction is fiction that, rather than transparent, is opaque. In the metafictional moment, the reader looks at rather than through the fictional illusion. As Patricia Waugh writes in Metafiction: The Theory and Practice of Self-Conscious Fiction, Metafictional novels tend to be constructed on the principle of a fundamental and sustained opposition: the construction of a fictional illusion (as in traditional realism) and the laying bare of that illusion. In this course, students engage with the theory of metafiction and study examples from Hispanic fiction, which include works by Allende, Borges, Cortazar, Cervantes, and Garcia Marquez.

3 CreditsI, HPrerequsite: SP210 or permission.

Students continue to develop advanced Spanish language and Hispanic cultural proficiency as well as critical thinking skills through study of contemporary Spanish novels.

3 CreditsH, I, CS, CWPrerequisites: SP250 or SP255 or approval of the instructor.

In this course. students analyze selected essays, fiction, drama, and poetry of this key group of writers who accomplish a major renovation of Spanish thought and literary forms during the early decades of the twentieth century.

3 CreditsH, I, CSPrerequisite: SP250 or SP255 or permission of the instructor.

Allows the department to offer subjects not on the normal schedule.

1-4 CreditsPrerequisites vary by title.