LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES: 2010-2011 COURSES

Fall 2010

LA ST 210 A1 Introduction to Latin American Studies: South America. R. Cobb. ◆This introductory course will provide students with a panoramic view of the cultural, historical, economic, and socio-political contexts of South America. The course will rely mainly on a historical approach as a means to understand the issues that have shaped South American identities, but it will also explore other means of cultural expression to better convey the rich diversity that makes up the South American continent. Class time will be devoted to the discussion of different texts, movies, art, music etc. in relation to their historical, political, and social contexts. The active participation of students in debates and discussions is fundamental.

LA ST 360 A1 Latin America in its Literature (in English Translation). Cross listed with C LIT 363 A1 and SPAN 360 A1. Taught in English. M. Bortolussi. ◆ Discover the tortuous history and the rich and multifaceted cultures of Latin America through the imagination of some of its prominent writers. Topics can include: the colonial heritage, the trials of national consolidation, the repercussions of war, revolution, and military dictatorship, cultural contacts and clashes, the plight and representation of indigenous peoples, and conceptions of identity. Some attention will be paid to paintings. Documentary videos will help contextualize the literary works. Note: It is highly recommended that students have at least *3 in a 200-level English course.

LA ST 399 A1 Topics in Latin American Studies: Latin American Revolutions. M. Polushin. ◆This course is largely concerned with the formulation of historical memory within the context of the fabrication and manipulation of primary texts pertaining to revolutions and revolutionary movements in Latin America during the twentieth century. One of the major goals of this course is to encourage students to consider interrelated cultural, economic, political, social and geographical themes at the intersection of cultural interaction and exchange between the different ethnicities that comprise the Americas, past and present. Another major thematic thread followed in this class is the way diverse groups and individuals within various revolutionary and counter-revolutionary sectors of Latin American societies endeavoured to contest, assert and articulate their vision of change or responded to challenges towards what they viewed as the traditional social order and its supporting institutions. Special emphasis, moreover, is given to the enhancement of reading, writing, and speaking skills consistent with the development of critical thinking abilities. A core feature of this course is the exposure of students to advanced research techniques and multidisciplinary interpretations directed towards a wide array of original sources, including images and literary works. In addition to two in-class book reviews and a final research paper, the other major requirement for this course is a mini-conference during the final week of the term in which students will present their original research findings on the course topic.

LA ST 414 A1 Travel Writing in Latin America. R. Cobb. ◆This course will examine travel narratives from the Conquest to the contemporary period, focusing on how travel writing constructs regional, ethnic, and political identities. Of special interest here is the encounter between the traveler and the Other. We begin with the colonial period and then shift into 19th century travel narratives of Europeans in the newly independent continent. We conclude by examining some contemporary journalistic accounts of Latin America from the Anglo-American perspective.

WINTER 2011

LA ST 205 B1 Introduction to Latin American Studies: Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. A. De León. ◆This introductory course will provide students with a panoramic view of the cultural, historical, economic, and socio-political contexts of Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Through a number of units of study, organized around specific social/cultural moments in Latin American and Caribbean history, the course will explore both high intellectual versions of cultural history as well as more popular genres (popular music, cinema, oral traditions, and folklore) that shape Latin American and Caribbean identities. Class time will be devoted to the discussion of different texts, movies, art, music etc. in relation to their historical, political, and social contexts.

LA ST 321 B1 Religion in Latin America. C. Caufield . ◆A survey course examining a selection of texts produced by adherents of a diversity of religions in Latin America including Christianity, Judaism, Islam and African-based religions. Expressions of religiosity will be examined, as well as the ways in which these texts express Jewishness or Christianness, etc. together with Latin Americanness. The texts studied form the core of the course and our understanding of religion in Latin America will be deepened through discussion around how the texts articulate with their historical setting and by introducing ourselves to the commentaries and criticisms of the literature selected for the course.

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