Identities and Stereotypes in Latin America
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University of Maryland, College Park College of Arts and Humanities School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures Spanish 269V-0101. Special Topics in Study Abroad II: Identities and Stereotypes in Latin America Course Information Instructor Information Spring 2017 Instructor: M Veronica Munoz, Ph.D. @University of Belgrano, Buenos Aires, Argentina Email: [email protected] Mondays & Wednesdays 11:00AM-12:30PM Office Hours: M-W 12:30PM-1:30PM Required Materials: ALL Required Materials are listed in the Calendar and under References (see below). They will be available on the Course Dropbox Folders Prerequisites: N/A Language of Instruction: English Course Description This education abroad course serves as an introduction to the study of Latin America and its representations and expressions. The course begins by challenging the way Latin America has been mapped since colonial times; it will ask how Latin America can be viewed as both an idea and a socio-cultural construct. The course continues with an analysis of the development of cultural stereotypes, which the class will subsequently work to deconstruct in order to understand how “identity” is an open-ended, unstable process based on cultural discourses and practices. As different agendas impact upon the making and unmaking of identities in different contexts, we will examine some of the most thought-provoking ones as they are represented in the current cultural production of cinema, literature, music, and visual arts of the region. Through the critical reading of contemporary films and literary texts, we will analyze how racial, gender, and political identities are challenged by a globalized Latin America, its urban spaces, and its revolutions. Thus, we will try to remap Latin American identities, drawing new lines and shapes on the Upside Down Map painted by the Uruguayan Joaquín Torres García in 1943. Several field trip and site visits will offer a hands-on experience of Latin America through Buenos Aires lenses. Course Goals and Outcomes: By the end of this course, students will be able to: Identify, think critically, and discuss social aspects of major political, historical, economic, and cultural issues in contemporary Latin America and their relationship to identities and stereotypes within the region and Argentina. Interrogate dominant modes of thinking in order to gain an understanding of how plural societies and systems of classification in the Americas were and are formed. Identify, think critically, and discuss relationships between power, language, and identity across cultures. Demonstrate knowledge of Latin American cultural production -films, music, and literature- and develop skills of critical analysis. Expand their awareness of Latin American cultures in order to enrich their approach to Hispanic culture and values in American society. Maryland in Buenos Aires Semester Abroad in Buenos Aires University of Maryland, College Park College of Arts and Humanities School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures Discuss, in comparative and cross-cultural perspective, issues of religion, race, gender, and social class through concepts, patterns, and trends that characterize contemporary global politics. Analyze major issues in international and intercultural relations, in particular how categories of difference are organized within and across cultures. The city of Buenos Aires serves as a key component of this pan-Latin America learning experience. By the end of the course, students will be able to: Explore the diverse makeup of the city of Buenos Aires and interrogate social constructions of cultural, historical, social, political, economic, and ideological difference with a particular emphasis on the construction of "otherness" through race and language. Relate their field trip and daily life experiences to their understanding of a global world. Compare and contrast similarities, differences, and intersections among different co-existing cultures within Buenos Aires. Read and discuss current newspaper articles on Argentina and the region, situating them in their appropriate cultural and historical contexts. Weigh the relationships between Argentina, Latin America, the USA, and Europe. Understand, through cultural artifacts produced by minority groups, how independently produced artifacts address specific community-based issues regarding ethnicity, culture, and identity. Evaluate the patterns of citizenship and migration in the Southern Cone. Explore career-oriented topics within a Latin American framework. Integrate multiple perspectives, research, and sources on a personal project connected to Argentina & Latin America. Assessment - Students must come prepared to every class for active participation. Critically read the assigned texts for each class and prepare each study guide. - Assignments are expected on the due date. NO make-ups. Assignments turned in late will not be accepted. - Evaluation will be based on reaction papers, final project, homework (discussion, journal, & readings), and in- class ACTIVE participation (debates, discussions, group work). - The Department of Spanish and Portuguese does not provide any kind of extra credit or additional activities. In addition, the department does not curve or round up grades. Grading distribution: Reaction Papers 30 % Cultural Awareness/Final Exam 20% Argentina Travel Journal 10% In-Class Participation & HW 10 % Final Project 30 % REACTION PAPER: The first paper will deal with theoretical approaches towards identity and bodies in Latin America. The second paper will focus on how human rights advocates and collective actions reshape cities and spaces. The last paper will work issues on immigration, refugees, and foreigners. Each paper will choose literary texts and a movie to comment on the key theoretical concepts. Critical attention will be given to such topics as: Which aspects of the texts impress you the most and are significant for the study of identities and cultural differences? Which observations can you make or what ideas do you question or find challenging in the texts? What are the implications of these texts for the construction of identities? How do they relate to theoretical concepts or insights we have discussed in this course?). Each essay should be 3-4 double-spaced pages in length. Maryland in Buenos Aires Semester Abroad in Buenos Aires University of Maryland, College Park College of Arts and Humanities School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures NOTE: Outside research is not required for this assignment, but students are welcome to explore other published writings on a topic similar to the assigned reading for comparative purposes. If you elect to do this, however, please be sure that you stick to the topic of evaluating the assigned reading; use your comparative analysis with other published writings to sharpen your analysis of the assigned reading’s contents and scholarly significance. Follow MLA style to citing the material and respect the Academic Integrity Code. CULTURAL AWARENESS REFLECTION (Final Exam): Buenos Aires is a cosmopolitan city comprised of individuals not only from other Latin American countries but also from countries from around the world. It is likely that the reception you receive in Argentina as a US American is quite distinct from the reception others receive. Students will deliver a short presentation consisting of an in-depth comparative analysis of your culture, Argentine culture, and a third culture of your choice. Your primary sources of information for this paper are the Argentines that you have met and the cultural encounters that you have had, along with at least one interview with someone from a different culture. Your secondary sources are the readings from this class and other pertinent literature. You should focus on similarities and differences between the cultures and communication misunderstandings, which could be attributed to such things as cultural values, ethnocentricity, language differences, high/low context communication, etc. You can then give suggestions on how to communicate/relate to overcome those misunderstandings and produce strong relationships. ARGENTINA TRAVEL JOURNAL: For each field trip, site visit and/or excursion, you will pick one photograph and write a short paragraph connecting it with the discussed readings and materials. Instagram or Twitter might be useful to share your experience and thoughts. You should complete Five Posts for this activity to receive full credit. HOMEWORK/IN-CLASS PARTICIPATION: This course is an intensive and personalized learning experience. A good part of the course will consist of active participation and discussion, which in turn will demand that students come to class prepared for that particular session. Homework will include articles, novels, and videos. While films might be watched in class, students are expected to web-search about them before our discussion. They should also prepare the assigned readings for each day, taking written notes. The instructor will collect homework or submit a Quiz at her discretion. The quality of one’s oral participation will undoubtedly depend upon completion of the daily reading homework and the web work assigned. In-class participation often turns out to be the most engaging portion of time spent in class, and everyone has a part to play in making this happen. If you are a talker, you'll learn to listen. If you don't see yourself as an oral contributor, I hope our work together leads you to a desire to contribute, not only because you have