Literature, Linguistics and Culture: 2010-2011 Courses

*Note: Unless otherwise indicated, the following are taught in Spanish

FALL 2010

SPAN 360 A1 Latin America in its Literature (in English Translation). Cross listed with C LIT 363 A1 and LA ST 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.

SPAN 399 A1 Special Topics: Unreal Fictional Worlds. M. Bortolussi. ◆Hypnosis, telepathy, clairvoyance, necromancy, magic, inexplicable coincidences, shape-shifting, spells and enchantments; witches, sorcerers and wizards, vampires, ghosts, monsters, fairies and elves have populated literary narratives throughout the world from time immemorial. In Latin America, fantasy is one of the prominent fictional modes of the twentieth century, practiced by many of its most prominent writers. But far from promoting escape, it has functioned as a commentary on historical and social situations, a response to scientific and technological developments, an expression of philosophical and existential themes, a means of evoking alternate worldviews, and as a reflection on the very nature of literature. In this course we will explore a variety of fantasy forms, such as the marvellous, allegory, the uncanny, magic realism, mythic realism, supernatural horror (the fantastic and neo-fantastic), and post-modern fantasy, through some of its most representative short stories and novellas. By the end of the course students will be familiar with the conventions associated with a range of unreal fictional worlds, and they will have a good understanding of the ways in which these works interpret and communicate many facets of Latin American reality

SPAN 499 A1 Special Topics: Literary Theory. C. Caufield. ◆The development of hermeneutic philosophy is grounded in philological and exegetical tradition. It has made innovations to thought regarding figurative activity through a responsive dialogue with psychology, historicity, structuralism and postmodernism. This course provides an introduction to the origin and development of contemporary hermeneutics, situating its perspective on interpretation within metaliterary discussions about literature and meaning. The exposition of Mario Valdés' methodology for hermeneutical literary criticism is presented simultaneously with the work of Hans-Georg Gadamer and Paul Ricoeur, the hermeneutic tradition from which Valdés' innovation has emerged. Its application to written and other kinds of narrative is demonstrated through the analysis of a comparative selection of fiction, film and painting from different countries in the geographical entity recognized as Latin America.

WINTER 2011

SPAN 303 B1 Popular Culture and its Traditions. A. De León . ◆The focus of this course is the study of popular culture and its traditions in Spanish America and Spain. The course will look at how to read questions of nation, class, race and gender in Hispanic popular cultural production. Texts to be studied will be taken from films, art, festivals, sports, music, comics and television.

SPAN 314 B1 Civilization and Culture of Spain. M. Bortolussi. ◆This course provides an overview of the history of Spain and its various cultures from antiquity to the modern age. Following an integrated multidisciplinary approach, it introduces students to Spanish painting, sculpture, architecture, and literature in their historical, socio-political, and cultural context. By the end of the course, students will have a good appreciation of Spain’s unique position within Europe and the world. They will understand the factors that lead to both its formation and decline as a world power, as well as the challenges it has been facing in its post-dictatorship period. In particular, students will be able to recognize a variety of architectural, artistic, and literary styles such as the romanesque, gothic, baroque, renaissance and modernist, and some representative paintings of great masters such as Velázquez, El Greco, Goya, Sorolla, Picasso, and Dalí. Students should notice a significant improvement in their oral and written Spanish skills. This course provides the basis for higher-level literature and culture courses

SPAN 322 B1 Foundationals Fictions of Spanish America. M. Bortolussi. ◆Building on the historical and cultural knowledge obtained in Spanish 314, this course provides a broader and more in-depth coverage of some of Spain’s most influential literary texts from the Middle Ages through the twentieth century. Selected reading materials represent a variety of poetic, narrative, and dramatic genres and conventions, ranging from the jarca, romance, letrilla, sonnet, picaresque, parodic romance, golden age ‘comedia’, to the fantastic legend, realist satire, modernist prose, and lyrical poetry. By the end of the course, students will have acquired: a) a high degree of cultural literacy, b) a good understanding of the way literature communicates the myths, values, and norms that have shaped Spanish society, c) sharper critical thinking and analytical skills, and d) greater oral and written proficiency in the Spanish language. Students completing the course will be well equipped to handle language 400 level Spanish content courses.

SPAN 372 B1 History of the Spanish Language. G. Zapata . ◆This course focuses on the history of Spanish from the Middle Ages until the present and of the different dialects spoken in the Americas. Throughout the semester, students will broaden their knowledge of the development of Spanish phonology and grammar and the evolution of the language in the Americas from the time of the Spanish conquest to its present forms. Students will work with literary texts that reflect different historical and linguistic stages. New concepts will also be applied in the completion of a variety of practical activities and projects whose main objective will be the development of
students' understanding of the linguistic, historical, and social processes that shaped Spanish in Spain and the Americas.

SPAN 425 B1 Hispanic Filmmakers: All About Almodóvar. V. Ruétalo. ◆Pedro Almodóvar is considered one of the most important cultural symbols of the restoration of democracy in Spain after nearly 40 years of the right wing military dictatorship of Francisco Franco. Starting off as an underground filmmaker in the 1970s and 1980s, Almodóvar has become the most internationally known Spanish filmmaker of his generation. This course will study his films to establish his 'trademarks' and how these have evolved throughout his oeuvre: a quirky and campy style full of kitschy elements, outrageous humour, a vexed relationship to the nation, the use of intertextuality and references to popular culture and melodrama, and his play with gender. Furthermore we will study what defines a filmmaker as an 'auteur' and explore issues of creative control.

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