Prof. Jossianna Arroyo-Martínez AFR-370/SPC-320 (@Canvas AFR-370) Fall, 2020 [email protected] Office Hours-W @by Zoom 9-11 AM or by appointment
Literature and Media in Caribbean Cultures
This course focuses on contemporary Caribbean culture and the ways literature and culture in the Spanish Caribbean have incorporated the language of the spectacle to create what I define as “Caribbean mediascapes.” Caribbean mediascapes mixes these uses of media technologies derived from film, television, and new media and the ways they engage, are used and read in the Spanish Caribbean. In this course we will analyze the cultures of production, distribution, exhibition, reception, as well as the texts themselves from several Caribbean authors, from Puerto Rico, Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic and their respective U.S. enclaves in the diaspora (New York, Miami). Some of the questions we will discuss are: How are blackness and the body represented in contemporary visual culture in the Caribbean and the U.S? How “Caribbean diva stardom” influences U.S. media contemporary cultures (Iris Chacón, Rihanna, J.Lo, Nicki Minaj)? What is the link between Iris Chacón and Beyoncé? How are new forms of racialization shaping discourses around “whiteness,” blackness and Latinidad in the Caribbean and the United States? How new performing artists are using self-video platforms such as YouTube, Vine or TikTok? (Maluca, John Skiletz, Amara La Negra)? What is the role of writers and literary scholars vis à vis these views of spectacle, globalization and transnational media productions? Are there possible forms of agency in these Caribbean mediascapes? The literary, cultural and news platforms will be discussed in class as well as in a blog where students should add their own materials as well as post comments bi- weekly. We will watch some films and documentaries in class. The course will be taught in English.
TEXTBOOKS: Junot Díaz, The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. (Amazon) *Edwidge Danticat. Writing Dangerously (PDF) *Pedro J. Gutiérrez, Tropical Animal (Amazon) *Elizabeth Acevedo, Poet X (Amazon)
*Course Pack of Readings (available as PDF)
REQUIREMENTS: Students will write 3 essays from 6-7 pages each. You select ONE question of the two and answer in an organized analytical essay with quotes and examples from the literary and media materials discussed in class. (Essay questions will be provided by Prof. Arroyo- Martínez).
CLASS BLOG: Weekly entires on your BLOG will count for a full essay grade (20%)of your final grade. You need to add TWO entries per-week, with one media addition or link (from journals, newspapers etc); and one well-written, edited comment and answer from your peers-previous entries. The entries should be well-written, well-thought and candid at the same time as they will touch on the themes discussed in class: race, sexuality, the body and body politics; mostly, the bodies of Caribbean subjects, women and men as they are “seen” on-line, and in different media sites (television, cinema, YouTube).
This course main theme is the body as it is represented, performed in literary and media representations. We will read, watch, discuss and analyze images that will include some violence, nudity, and strong sexual content.
TEACHING ASSISTANT: Wilfredo J. Burgos-Matos will be the Assistant for the course assisting Prof. Arroyo with grading, teaching some course sessions as well as the maintenance and monitoring of the blog. He is completing this as a requirement for his Teaching Practicum for her doctoral degree. Please be respectful with him as you will be with Prof. Arroyo Martínez. He will not hold office-hours but he will be available to answer specific questions about his lectures or our class blog. His email is [email protected]
GRADE DISTRIBUTION: 3- Essays-(20 each) 60% Blog entries-20% Class participation 20% ————————————— 100%
ABSENCES: Students with more than THREE (3) unexcused absences without a proper medical excuse will be penalized in their final class/participation grade by 10 points less of their final grade (so if you are between an A and a B you will get a B, if you have a B you will get a C).
ACADEMIC HONESTY IS IMPERATIVE! I will refer all cases of academic dishonesty (i.e. cheating and plagiarism) to the Dean of Student’s Office. If you have questions about what constitutes academic dishonesty, visit the University’s official statement: http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/acint_student.php
Accommodations For Students With Disabilities In compliance with the UT Austin policy and equal access laws, I am available to discuss appropriate academic accommodations that may be required for students with disabilities. If accommodation are necessary, you are encouraged to this discuss this with me as soon as possible. Requests for academic accommodations are to be made during the first three weeks of the semester, except for unusual circumstances, so appropriate arrangements can be made. Students are encouraged to register with Student Disability Services to verify their eligibility for appropriate accommodations.
AUGUST 27— Class Intro: Mediascapes and Spectacle. Read: A. Appadurai, “Disjuncture and Difference in the Global Cultural Economy”
SEPTEMBER 1—Global Caribbeans Read: “Gothic Americas” Colin Dayan
3—Colonialism and Slavery: Taxonomies of Race in the Caribbean Read: Silvio Torres-Saillant, “Tribulations of Blackness”
8—Cultural Transvestisms: Bodies, Freedom and Subjugation Read: Jossianna Arroyo, “Roots”, Deborah Thomas, “Exceptional Violence”
10—Performance, Folklore, Survival Read: Juan Flores, “Diaspora Strikes Back”, Grosfoguel and Georas “Latino Diasporas in NY”
15—Nuyorican, DominicanYork, Cuban-American—REVIEW OF PAPER #1
17—Nuyorican, Dominicanyork, Cuban-American Read: Junot Díaz, “Monstro” https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/06/04/monstro
22—Junot Díaz, “Monstro”— PAPER #1 DUE Read: The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
24—Oscar Wao
29—Oscar Wao
OCTOBER 1—Oscar Wao
6—Oscar Wao
8—Oscar Wao (Conclusions) Read: Poet X, Elizabeth Acevedo
13—Feminine erotics: writing Caribbean women bodies Frances Negrón, “Jenniffer’s Butt”; Mia Mask, “Divas on Screen” ;“Monique Mc Eachern, Respect my Ratchet”
15—Feminine erotics: Caribbean Divas, J. Lo, Rihanna—REVIEW PAPER #2 Watch: Iris Chacón in David Letterman, “Coolant” Commercial, clip from “El cantante” J.Lo, Rihanna’s hair, dress, Lemonade, twerking videos
20—Twerking, Nudity and Excessive “Caribbeanness” Watch: Maluca, “El tíguere”, John Skilletz, “Shit Spanish Girls Say” and “Selfie-Video”, Amara La Negra Read: Irma García, Twerking in the Dominican Republic
22—Twerking, Nudity and Excessive “Caribbeanness”—PAPER #2 DUE Read: Marvette Díaz “Interview with Celia Cruz”, Frances Aparicio, “Celia’s Shoes” Watch: Fania Concert in Zaire, videos from Celia Cruz’s funeral.
27—“La negra tiene tumbao” Reading Celia Cruz Watch: “La Lupe: Queen of Latin Soul”, La Lupe in David Letterman (YouTube) Read: Delia Poey, “La Lupe: Performance, Race, Gender Excess”
29— La Lupe: Excessive Affect and Cubanidad Watch: Ricky Martin “La vida loca”, Shakira “Hips don’t Lie”, “Waka, Waka” “Despacito” Petra Rivera, “The Colors and Flavors of My Puerto Rico: Mapping Despacito Crossovers”
NOVEMBER 31-From Latino Pop to “Despacito” Watch: La Vampy de Lajas, “class-less whiteness”, Blackface, ethnic and humor in the Caribbean, LeJuan James and Cuban Miami.
5—Classless Whiteness/ Ethic Latinidad/ Cuban Blackface Watch: U.S. Blackface? (Key and Peele, Dave Chappelle, Tracy Morgan, Wayan Brothers)
10—U.S. Blackface? Performing Black Caribbean Others Read: Pedro J. Gutiérrez, Tropical Animal.
13—Sexuality, transexuality: the fetish of Cubanidad
17—Sexuality in Havana Read: Denise Brennan, “What’s love got to do with it?”
19—Performing Love —REVIEW PAPER #3
24—Summary: Caribbean Mediascapes Evaluations (CIS’s) for course Online
December 1st—PAPER #3 DUE