Latin American/Latino Studies

Overview

Three Intercultural Concentrations provide coherent interdisciplinary structures through which students can explore issues of cultural diversity and global interdependence focused on a specific region of the world: Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.

A required seminar for each concentration integrates the study of societies in these regions with an exploration of U.S. ethnic groups whose cultural origins lie outside the borders of the United States. Concentrators also examine the economic, political, and cultural connections between these regions and the West.

The Concentration in Latin American/Latino Studies is an interdisciplinary program which enables students to enhance their understanding of the Latin American countries and their peoples, U.S. Latinos, and the interconnectedness of Latin America and the United States. The concentration invites students in any major to explore Latin America and Latinos in the United States through topics such as the nature of social and political change, economic development, social mobility and discrimination, the role of women in society, the changing nature of Hispanic life, patterns of migration and adaptation, and challenges to cultural and artistic traditions.

General Education Credit

Courses that fulfill General Education requirements are listed in the Class and Lab Schedule.

Off-Campus Courses

Students participating in the Middle East Semester, Global Semester, or other relevant off-campus programs are urged to contact the concentration coordinator before their departure to certify that the courses they pursue will count for the concentration.

Requirements for the Concentration

A concentration in Latin American/Latino Studies is arranged through an individual contract negotiated between the student and the director of Hispanic Studies. Hispanic Studies majors may not obtain a concentration in Latin American/Latino Studies. A minimum of five approved courses, subject to the following requirements, must be taken for the concentration.

1. One of the courses must be the interdisciplinary seminar, Intercultural Concentrations 333, "The United States and the People of Latin America."

2. A maximum of two courses in a given discipline may be counted.

3. A maximum of two courses from off-campus programs may be counted. (Possibilities for off-campus study may be identified by consulting the list found under Hispanic Studies in this catalog.)

4. An interdisciplinary paper focusing on a theme related to the concentration must be written for one of the courses offered for the concentration. This paper will be developed in consultation with faculty advisers from two different disciplines.

Courses

Required Seminar

Intercultural 333: The United States and the Peoples of Latin America

Latin Americans have struggled to influence a system of international security and economic relations dominated by Great Powers. Simultaneously, the increasing presence of Latinos in the United States has underscored debates about ethnic pluralism in North America. Highlighting the deepening interactions among the peoples of the Western Hemisphere, this seminar explores topics such as Latino migration and cultural and political incorporation, revolution and hemispheric security, economic internationalization and the export of American jobs, and the North American response to Latin American literature.

Elective Courses

Elective courses must be relevant to the focus of the concentration. For some electives, students may be required to negotiate specific assignments with the instructor and the concentration coordinator. Other courses not identified in this list may also be acceptable, depending on the relevance of their content to the concentration. One of either ARMS 121 or Sociology/Anthropology 244 may be included in the concentration, but not both.

American Racial and Multicultural Studies 121: Introduction to American Racial and Multicultural Studies
Economics 243: Development Economics
English 245: Literature of the American Minorities
English 385: Topics in Minority Literature
History 281: Progress and Poverty in Modern Latin America
History 282: Modern Mexico
History 283: Brazil
Political Science 252: Politics of Developing Nations
Political Science 386: Problems in Political Development
Sociology/Anthropology 237: Forging a Latin American Culture: Indians, Conquerers, and Revolutionaries
Sociology/Anthropology 244: Race and Class in American Culture
Spanish 254: Culture and Civilization of Latin America
Spanish 387: Latin American Literature to 1940
Spanish 388: Latin American Literature from 1940 to the Present

Interim

The following Interim courses were offered in January 1996:

History 276 Revolutionary Cuba
Sociology/Anthropology 233
The Indigenous Experience of the Central Andes (off-campus)

Faculty

The faculty of interdisciplinary programs are drawn from a variety of departments. See faculty listing under department for individual degree information.

Nancy Paddleford (Coordinator)
Associate Professor of Music, 1974-75, 1976-
Music

Gwendolyn Barnes-Karol
Associate Professor of Romance Languages, 1988-
Hispanic culture and literature

Linda Burdell
Assistant Professor of Romance Languages, 1992-
Hispanic culture and literature

Sylvia G. Carullo
Associate Professor of Romance Languages, 1990-
Hispanic culture and literature

John F. Day
Assistant Professor of Romance Languages, 1995-
Hispanic culture and literature

Jeane DeLaney
Assistant Professor of History, 1989-
Latin American history

James Dunlop
Professor of Romance Languages, 1968-
Hispanic culture and literature

Michael Hasbrouck
Instructor in Spanish, 1994-
Hispanic culture and literature

Walter (Terry) Hoops
Assistant Professor of Anthropology, 1990-
Sociology/anthropology

León Narváez
Professor of Romance Languages,1970-
Hispanic culture and literature, migration studies

Bruce Nordstrom
Associate Professor of Sociology, Paracollege Tutor, 1982-
Sociology/anthropology

Frank Odd
Associate Professor of Romance Languages, 1972-
Hispanic culture and civilization

David Schodt
Professor of Economics, 1977-
Economics

Kathleen Shea
Associate Professor of Biology, 1985-
Tropical biology

Kris Thalhammer
Assistant Professor of Political Science, 1995-
Political science