Spanish 316

Latin American Civilization and Culture

  The course proposes the study of the Latin American cultures by means of a wealth of materials, both written (literary and cultural) and visual (films, videos, slides, maps, etc.). The course will explore the diverse complexity of Latin American culture from the pre-Colombian times to the independence movements. Questions of ethnicity, religion and gender will consistently be addressed. The course will focus on the multifaceted roots (Indian, European, African, and Asian) of Latin American culture as well as on the complex, conflictive and rich interaction between the cultures of Spain and Latin America. The term "culture", as applied in this class, is taken not only to mean historical, artistic or political characteristics but also attitudes and values, stereotypes and clichés, which we will explore in order to foster dialogue and understanding of a cultural reality which might differ from the students’ own. 

General education credit in Cultural and Historical Change

Required text:

Course packet, which will include the following materials (content may change with professors):

• William Mejías López. "La relación ideológica de Alonso de Ercilla con Francisco de Vitoria y Fray Bartolomá de las Casas" Revista Iberoamericana 170-171 (1995): 196-217.
• Alvaro Felix Bolaños. "Antropofagia y diferencia cultural: construcción retórica del caníbal del Nuevo Reino de Granada". Revista Iberoamericana (1995) 81-95.
• René Jara and Nicholas Spadaccini: "Allegorizing the New World" in 1492-1992. Re/Discovering Colonial Writing. Minneapolis: the Prisma Institute, 1989. Pp 9-49
• Xavier Rubert de Ventós. El laberinto de la hispanidad [Selecciones] Barcelona: Planeta 1987.
• Margarita Zamora "Christopher Columbus’s Letter to the Sovereigns" announcing the Discovery" in Stephen Greenblatt (ed) New World Encounters. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1993.
• Cristóbal Colón. "Carta a Santangel" en "Textos y documentos completos"
• R. Koeztke Colección de documentos para la historia social de Hispanoamérica (vol I)  [Selecciones: Las leyes de Burgos]
• Bartolomé de Las Casas Brevísima relación de la destrucción de las Indias.
• ---------------------------. Controversia entre Las Casas y Sepúlveda.
• Carlos Fuentes "El barroco del Nuevo Mundo" y "El precio de la libertad: Simón Bolívar y José de San Martin". En El espejo enterrado

Course requirements:

  The students should read the pertinent course readings before coming to class.  The student should bring to class a written summary of the aspects he/she considers most important about the reading.  Active oral participation is obligatory.  There will be three individual oral presentations and three brief analytical papers. At the end of the semester a written paper of no less than 10 pages is due.