Faith, Migration and Diasporas in Latin American Culture
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Faith, Migration and Diasporas in Latin American Culture SPAN 680-75 Summer 2018 Instructor: Dr. Manuel F. Medina Date/Time: M,T,W,R,F 15:00 - 18:00 pm. Office: 329B Bingham Humanities Building Class room: TBA E-mail: [email protected] Class website: Phone number: 502-852-0501 http://medina502.com/classes/faith_lac Office Hours: by appointment Course Description: The course analyzes the cultural production created by Diaspora and Migrant Latin American cultures within the context of faith and assimilation and adaptation regarding to faith. The students examine different cultural artifacts such as visual art (popular and high culture), literature, film, documentaries, websites, music, and mass media. The class concentrates on texts published since the mid-20th century but includes works published during colonial times. The introductory section will deal with pre-Columbian religions and it will trace their evolution and cultural adaptation through the centuries. Pre-requisites: Permission of the Director of the University Honors Program or instructor’s consent. Faith, Migration and Diasporas in Latin American Culture Summer 2018 Page !1 Goals: • The course will explore the representation of topics related to faith, migration and the diaspora in the cultural production of Latin American and US Latino authors and artists. • The class will use a cultural studies theoretical framework to study the wide diversity of belief systems present in Latin America. • It will will study global religions (e.g, Christianity, Islamic, Judaism) concentrating on more localized manifestations and religious practices such as syncretism, Afro-Hispanic (including Brasil). • The class will study Hispanic fiction and film within a global context. • The class will identify the multiple dimensions of reasoning, assumptions and perspectives generally excluded from these forms of cultural and ethnic expression. • The course will emphasize student collaboration, in-class discussion and lectures. Objectives Upon successful completion, the students will be able to accomplish the following tasks: • Have a broaden knowledge of the representation of faith in Latin American culture • Discuss topics as migration and exile, otherness, memory, and the African Diaspora and the Holocaust by giving specific examples of how they are represented in literature, film, music and the visual arts. • Discuss the Latin American cultural production, as it relates to faith, migration and the diaspora using a cultural studies analytical framework. • Be able to discuss the Latin American Jewish cultural production with the context of the “other” as it relates to Latin American cultural production. Required textbooks/films Books: (No available from the campus bookstores. Please order them from amazon.com or any other online or traditional bookstore) Laub, Michel. Diary of the Fall. Translated by Margaret Jull Costa, London, Vintage Books, 2015. García, Cristina. Dreaming in Cuban. New York: Knopf, 1992. Films: Available from the Ekstrom Library Access and User Services Desk (1st floor) Camus, Marcel. Black Orpheus (Orfeu Negro) (1959). New York: Criterion Collection, 1999. Call number: DVD PN1997 .O64713 1999 Llosa, Claudia, director. Madeinusa. Film Movement, 2007. Call number: DVD PN1997.2 .M337 2007 Film: Sayles, John. Men with Guns. 1997. Culver City, Calif. Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, 2003. Call number: DVD PN1997 .M43445 2003 Trapero, Pablo. White Elephant. Call number: DVD PN1997.2 .E392 2013 Faith, Migration and Diasporas in Latin American Culture Summer 2018 Page !2 Additional materials: And additional materials made available via the class website and Blackboard. Grading Policy and Distribution Grades are final and not negotiable Submitting work: To get full credit, you must submit your homework or related assignments at the start of the class on the date stated in the assignment schedule. If you turn it in late, (at any time after the beginning of class), I will deduct 50% of its original value. I will not accept late papers unless you and I have mutually agreed upon an extension before the paper's deadline. I very seldom grant extensions. Exams and oral presentations are due on the previously assigned dates. Grading policies: Assignments & Percentages 1. Class Participation & attendance: . 15% Reading, analytical thinking, questioning, challenging old beliefs, expressing one's own opinions and writing represent the main components of this course. Please, make sure to complete all the assigned reading before class so you can participate in class discussions. Attendance: I expect you to be present in all class sessions. If you don’t attend class, you’ll miss important information that will help you better understand the subject matter, the readings and to do well on the exams. You will also loose class participation points. I will deduct points from your grade for every un-excused absence, after the first two, using the following scale: ___ Three to five: 5% deduction from the class grade ___ Six to eight: a one letter grade reduction ___ Nine or more: a failing grade (F) in the class Note: Please, contact me regarding excused absences such as medical and family emergencies, jury duty, and other I could include in this category. 2. Quizzes, and other assignments . 15% These assignments must be submitted at the beginning of class. 2. Exam . 15% These assignments must be submitted at the beginning of class. 3. Oral Presentation . 15% I have posted information in the class website. 4. Term Paper. 40%: I have posted information in the class website. Faith, Migration and Diasporas in Latin American Culture Summer 2018 Page !3 Grading scale: 95.5%-100% A+ 85.5%-89.4% B+ 75.5%-79.4% C+ 65.5%-69.4% D+ 0%-59.4% F 92.5%-95.4% A 82.5%-85.4% B 72.5%-75.4% C 62.5%-65.4% D 89.5%-92.4% A- 79.5%-82.4% B- 69.5%-72.4% C- 59.5%-62.4% D- Letter Grade Definitions 100 to 90 = A, Exceptional Student strongly exceeds all requirements as provided by the instructor. The work product not only meets the requirements of the project but also goes above and beyond the scope of work. 89 to 80 = B, Above Average Student completes all requirements as provided by the instructor. Student is well prepared for every class, with daily assignments as requested by the instructor and participates in class discussions. Written work demonstrates good craft with acceptable attention to detail. 79 to 70 = C, Average Student completes all requirements as provided by the instructor. The work products reflect basic comprehension of class objectives and work is completed to meet requirements only. Student is prepared for most class sessions with assignments as requested by the instructor. 69 to 60 = D, Poor Student does not complete all requirements as provided by the instructor. The work products fail to reflect basic class principles and demonstrate lack of comprehension of course material. Student is often ill- prepared for class sessions. Written work and assignments are incomplete, poorly crafted and show a lack of attention to detail. 59 to 0 = F, Failing Student completes a small portion of requirements as provided by the instructor. The work products fail to reflect basic class principles and demonstrate lack of comprehension of course material. Student is generally ill-prepared for class sessions. Written work and assignments are incomplete, poorly crafted and show a lack of attention to detail. Rubric for Assessing Student Participation Exemplary (90%- Proficient Developing Unacceptable 100%) (80%-90%) (70%-80%) (>70%) Frequency of Student initiates Student initiates Student initiates Student does not participation in contributions contribution once contribution at initiate class more than once in in each class. least in half of the contribution & each class. classes needs instructor to solicit input. Faith, Migration and Diasporas in Latin American Culture Summer 2018 Page !4 Quality of Comments Comments mostly Comments are Comments are comments always insightful insightful & sometimes uninformative, & constructive; constructive; constructive, with lacking in uses appropriate mostly uses occasional signs appropriate terminology. appropriate of insight. Student terminology. Comments terminology. does not use Heavy reliance on balanced Occasionally appropriate opinion. between general comments are too terminology; impressions, general or not comments not opinions & relevant always relevant to specific, to the discussion. the discussion. thoughtful criticisms or contributions. Listening Skills Student hears Student is mostly Student is often Does not listen to what others attentive when inattentive and others; regularly speak & others present needs reminder of talks while others contributes to the their comments. focus of class. speak or does not dialogue. Student Student Occasionally pay attention never or rarely occasionally makes disruptive while others sends text sends text comments while speak; detracts messages or e- messages or e- others are from discussion; mails in class. mails in class. speaking. sleeps, etc. Student Student occasionally excessively sends text sends text messages in messages or e- class. mails in class. English Excellent control Good control of Some control of Almost no control Grammar of the mechanics the mechanics of the mechanics of of the mechanics of English. May English. May English. May of English. contain contain minor contain errors in occasional errors errors in spelling spelling or in spelling or or punctuation. punctuation. punctuation. Based on the “Rubric for Assessing