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Fall 2009
The following upper-division courses are being offered:
305 VISIONS OF THE HISPANIC WORLD: ORAL AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION
Toni Dorca, Humanities 202, x 6489
Alexandra Bergmann, Humanities 229, x 6548
Primarily designed to improve oral communication and to strengthen the student’s written proficiency and his or her awareness of grammar intricacies in relation to writing, it serves as a bridge to upper-level courses. Conversations and compositions are based on cultural and literary topics. Class activities vary according to the instructor but usually include five to fifteen minute presentations, interviews with native speakers, commentary on videos and movies, short stories, plays and short novels, writing strategies, and self-correction exercises. It often involves extensive reading appropriate to the level. Prerequisite: 204, 220, or consent of the instructor.
307 INTRODUCTION TO THE ANALYSIS OF HISPANIC TEXTS
Teresa Kupin-Escobar, Humanities 222, x 6390
(Same as Latin American Studies 307)
This course presents the student with some basic tools for the systematic analysis of a broad range of topics and forms of cultural production (literature, cinema, art, e-texts...) in the Hispanic world. It also seeks to develop advanced language skills in composition and presentation. Prerequisite: 305 or consent of the instructor.
308 LOCATING US LATINO STUDIES: INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES
Alicia Muñoz, Humanities 221, x 6509
By 2003, individuals of Latin American descent living in the United States numbered approximately 38 million, constituting the country’s largest “minority” group. In this course, we will study the interdisciplinary field of contemporary U.S. Latino Studies that has emerged in response to this growing population. Here we will trace the fundamental questions and concerns within Latina/o Studies, ranging from the field's activist origins in the Chicano and Puerto Rican movements of the 1960s and 70s to its current emphasis on pan-Latino, comparative, and “new Latino” avenues of inquiry. For example, what is a U.S. Latina/o? What is U.S. Latina/o Studies, and how is it different from (and similar to) Latin American Studies? Where does U.S. Latina/o Studies “belong” in institutions of higher learning? In addition to these questions regarding the academic location of U.S. Latina/o Studies, in this class you will learn to describe the main demographic features of the various U.S. Latino communities and compare each group's unique (im)migration history, settlement patterns, and transnational activities. Finally, we will devote a significant portion of the course to a broader discussion of U.S. Latina/o identity as it relates to questions of class, race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and national origins. Prerequisite: 305 or consent of the instructor.
309 INTRODUCTION TO HISPANIC LINGUISTICS
Cynthia Kauffeld, Humanities 200C, x 6389
A linguistic survey of the Spanish language aimed at improving pronunciation and increasing comprehension of the structure of the language, deepening students’ understanding of the sound system, word formation, grammar and meaning. Study will emphasize phonetics and provide an introduction to transcription, phonology, morphology and syntax, as well as provide an overview of linguistic change and geographic variation. Prerequisite: 305 or consent of the instructor.
(Area 3)
418 ACTING OUT: THE COMEDIA ACROSS THE ATLANTIC
Alexandra Bergmann, Humanities 229, x 6548
Amor, aventuras, guerra, imperio, personajes legendarios como Don Juan y otros muchos temas y personajes fascinantes llenan las obras teatrales del Siglo de Oro español que vamos a estudiar en esta clase. También conoceremos a un poeta que llegó a escribir más de mil obras de teatro, a una monja mejicana que asombró al mundo entero con su prodigioso intelecto y a un veterano de guerra lisiado que escribió una de las novelas más importantes de la historia de la literatura. Por medio de la discusión en clase y de la expresión de nuestras opiniones y creatividad en trabajos escritos y la representación de algunas escenas de teatro, tendremos la oportunidad de descubrir por qué estas obras fueron tan populares en su época y cómo nos hablan a nosotros y a nuestro mundo de hoy. Prerequisite: 307 or consent of the instructor.
(Area 1)
425 DICTATORS, REVOLUTIONS AND INSURRECTIONS
Galo González, Humanities 218, x 6133
En este curso se explorará la producción cultural latinoamericana que resulta del trauma de los regímenes autoritarios en el continente. Se enfocará en la producción literaria, cinematográfica y artística del Cono Sur, incluyendo el discurso cinematográfico de Brasil. L@s estudiantes leerán y asistirán a una variedad de textos literarios, críticos y fílmicos y analizarán cómo estos resultan, reaccionan y/o critican sus respectivos contextos sociales y políticos. A la vez, examinaremos cómo la producción cultural latinoamericana dialoga con el trauma de la violencia política, social y económica desde el contexto post-dictatorial. En específico, los textos/películas examinados en el curso reflejan los regímenes dictatoriales del Cono Sur. De tal suerte, leeremos textos de autores como Sergio Chejfec (Argentina); Rafael Courtoisie (Uruguay) y Carlos Franz (Chile). También asistiremos a películas como Lamarca (Sérgio Rezende, 1994) y Acción entre amigos (Beto Brant, 1998) que retratan la realidad (post)dictatorial en Brasil. Como parte de la clase, l@s estudiantes y la profesora visitán la exposición Los desaparecidos que estará en exhibición en el Weisman Museum of Art, Minneapolis, MN (Octubre 10, 2009 – Enero 10, 2010). Prerequisite: 307 or consent of the instructor.
(Area 2)
430 ADVANCED SPANISH GRAMMAR: MEANING AND COMMUNICATION
Cynthia Kauffeld, Humanities 200C, x 6389
This course will provide an in-depth overview of the intricacies of Spanish grammar with the goal of fine-tuning students’ reading, writing and speaking skills. To that end, comprehensive grammar study will provide the backdrop for intense oral and written practice that will continue throughout the semester. The oral component will consist of presentations and conversations derived from literary and journalistic readings as well as movies, art and current events. The writing component will include a variety of assignments, including two written exams, designed to improve students’ grammatical accuracy as well as their overall understanding of the structure of the language. Prerequisite: 305 or 309 or consent of the instructor.
(Area 3)
494 TOPIC: CONSTRUCTIONS OF A FEMALE KILLER
Alicia Muñoz , Humanities 221, x 6509
The rise in femicide across Latin America, most shockingly exhibited in the city of Juárez, Mexico, has resulted in broad discussions of women’s relationship with violence. However what happens when the traditional paradigm is inverted and we explore women as perpetrators, rather than victims, of violence? This class will dialogue with selected Latin American and Latino narratives (including novels, short stories, films, and newspapers) constituting different representations of women who kill. Why are violent acts perceived to be more disturbing when a woman commits them? What type of language is used to describe a woman’s violence? How do archetypes such as the femme fatale or scorned woman filter our perception? These questions will motivate our reading, discussion, and writing for the semester. Course taught in Spanish. (Area 4)
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