The University of Texas at Austin Department of Radio-Television-Film
RTF 359/MAS 374: Latino/a/xs and U.S. Media Unique #08940 / 35150 Spring 2019
Class meets: 1-1:50pm MWF, 4.206 Belo Media Center (BMC) Screenings: 7:30 – 9:30/10pm Mondays, 3.116 Communication Building A (CMA)
Canvas site: https://utexas.instructure.com/courses/1248110
Professor: Dr. Mary Beltrán Office Hours and Location: 2-3pm Tuesdays, 2-4pm Wednesdays, and by appt. at 6.124B CMA Email: [email protected], Office phone: (512) 471-0021
Teaching Assistant: Latte Vidolova Email: [email protected] Office Hours and Location: 1-2pm Thursdays at 6.156 CMA
Course Description
Latino/a/xs & U.S. Media provides a critical survey of how Latinas and Latinos have been depicted and at times have participated in U.S. English-language film and television since the era of silent film. Through weekly lectures, screenings, readings, and discussion we will explore how Mexican Americans and other Latinxs have been depicted in U.S. film, television, and celebrity culture, with focus on how specific national origin groups have been portrayed and Hollywood’s construction of Latinidad more generally. Intersections with gender, race, citizenship, class, sexuality and other elements of identity also will be highlighted and explored. In the last half of the class we’ll survey the work of U.S. Latina and Latino media producers, paying special attention to the ways in which the images and media texts that they construct offer counter narratives to Hollywood films and television. We’ll also explore contemporary issues and debates related to Latinx representation and media production in the U.S., media industry shifts related to the representation of and outreach to Latinxs, and shifting and static notions of Latinidad in the national imaginary. Although a variety of media studies approaches are taken up in the readings, critical and cultural studies approaches will be emphasized.
This course carries the UT flag for Cultural Diversity in the United States. Cultural Diversity courses are designed to increase your familiarity with the variety and richness of the American cultural experience through exploring the beliefs, practices, and histories of at least one cultural group that has faced persistent marginalization in the U.S.
Required Reading: All of the readings will be made available to download and print from our “Modules” page on Canvas. There is no required textbook for the course. The assigned readings are meant to be read Before class; please come in prepared to discuss them and pose relevant questions. Please note that I’ve often listed readings here just for Mondays and Wednesdays, when in fact I’ll have you break 2 these readings down into sections for Monday, Wednesday and Friday in a particular week. A few readings may be substituted or added during the semester, with the amount of reading staying the same as you see listed here.
Grading Breakdown
In-Class Participation – 15%. An ‘A’ grade in Participation entails faithful attendance in class and at screenings and active, engaged, and respectful participation in class discussions and small-group exercises. I strongly encourage you to come in having done the reading and to speak up—and listen, to ask questions, get to know your classmates, and get actively involved in the class. You have three “freebie” unexcused absences. Each unexcused absence after three will result in a half letter grade off of this grade.
Reading Responses - 10%. Beginning the fourth week of class, by Monday or Wednesday before class every week (based on if you’re in Group 1 (A-L last names: Post Mondays) or Group 2 (M-Z last names: post Wednesdays), you’ll be expected to post an entry to our Canvas site responding to whatever stuck out for you in that week’s course material. These entries can be brief—150-250 words —and should consist of a comment, question, or connection you made based on personal experience. Be sure to respond at least partially to a reading from that week in your entries; you additionally can respond to the week’s screening or discuss relevant things you’re seeing on television (or television clips on YouTube or other sites) or in the news. When possible, I’ll use your postings as jumping off points for class discussion.
If class meets only one day in a week, both groups are expected to post on that day class meets. You do get one “freebie” week of your choosing when you don’t have to post, and there are no reading responses due the week of the midterm exam. In all, try to post 10 times during the semester. You’ll be graded on a 3-point scale for each post.
Midterm—20%. This exam will consist of true/false, multiple-choice, and short-answer questions and will cover material outlined in the lectures, readings, screenings, and class discussions in roughly the first half of the semester.
Writing Assignments - 55% (Four short papers – one worth 5%, one worth 10%, one worth 15%, and a take-home final essay or final project worth 20%). These assignments will consist of a personal essay, a critical screening response, a film or television episode critique and an opinion essay on an ongoing debate in relation to Latina/o representation and authorship, and a take-home final essay asking you to respond to course material in the last half of the semester. Guidelines will be passed out well before their due dates. For students who wish to write a research paper or complete a research-based creative project on a topic related to Latina/os and U.S. media in place of the last assignment, see Dr. Beltran by the middle of the semester to discuss the option of a substitution.
Class Policies
Final grades will be based on a standard scale and will include + and – grades: A (93%+), A- (90- 92%), B+ (88-89%), B (83-87%), B- (80-82%), C+ (78-79%), C (73-77%), C- (70-72%), D+ (68- 69%), D (60-67%), and F (less than 60%).
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Late paper policy: Late papers and projects will be penalized by 1/2 letter grade per day late.
Attendance: Class attendance is mandatory. Excused absences include absences discussed in advance for religious holidays, or absences related to serious illness. Please let me know via email if you ever have to miss a class. If you miss an assignment due to an excused absence you will be given an opportunity to complete it within a reasonable time afterward. Each student is granted three personal leave credits during the semester, meant to be used for emergencies that keep you away from class, after which your participation grade will be lowered by a half letter grade for each unexcused absence. Excessive tardiness also will result in grade sanctions, so be sure to arrive on time and to let me know if you will have to be late for class.
The class screenings are like assigned books in a literature course; for this reason, attendance at screenings is mandatory (unless excused prior to the screening). If you do have to miss a screening, be sure to arrange with Dr. Beltrán to watch what you’ve missed before the next class.
On class discussion: Everyone’s participation is important to what I consider a successful class. I strongly encourage you to share your reactions throughout the semester. Also, please keep in mind as well that students come from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds and with varying levels of experience with Latino/a/x culture. Be careful not to assume who is already familiar with the topics we discuss, what a person’s ethnic background may be, who is fluent in Spanish, and so on. Also help to make this a comfortable place for students who have no familiarity with these topics. Everyone is here to learn. Aim to engage with each other with openness, patience, careful listening, and mutual respect. Part of my job is to keep the classroom a safe space for everyone; please let me know if you have any concerns about interactions that take place in class.
Except for approved exceptions, the usage of laptops will not be allowed in class. If taking notes on a computer is important to your learning process, please come talk to me.
Name and Personal Pronoun Preferences. Class rosters are provided to me with your legal name. I will gladly honor your request to address you by a name that is different from what appears on the official roster, and by the gender pronouns you use (she/he/they/ze, etc). Please advise me of this preference early in the semester.
Academic Integrity: The University defines academic dishonesty as cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, falsifying academic records, and any act designed to avoid participating honestly in the learning process. Scholastic dishonesty also includes, but is not limited to, providing false or misleading information to receive a postponement or an extension on a test, quiz, or other assignment, and submission of essentially the same written assignment for two courses without the prior permission of the instructor. By accepting this syllabus, you have agreed to these guidelines and must adhere to them. Scholastic dishonesty damages both the student’s learning experience and readiness for the future demands of a work career. Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. You are responsible for understanding the University Honor Code: deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/acint_student.php.
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Writing and Learning Support The Moody College Writing Support Program,
The Undergraduate Writing Center,
Counseling and Mental Health Services. Taking care of your general wellbeing is an important step in being a successful student. If stress, anxiety, feeling unmotivated or anything else is getting in your way, there are options available for support. Visit or call the Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC) on the Student Services Building (SSB) 5th floor, cmhc.utexas.edu. For brief assessments, referral services, and appointments, call their Common Student Concerns line at 512.471-3515. If you need immediate support, call the CMHC Crisis Line at 512.471.2255, 24hourcounseling.html.
Please inform me early in the semester if you have a learning difference or other issue that could affect your performance in class or your work outside of class.
If you receive accommodations through Services for Students with Disabilities, pIease share your accommodations letter with me as soon as possible. I will work to accommodate you and will maintain the confidentiality of these discussions. For information on learning accommodations, contact Services for Students with Disabilities, 512-471-6259 (voice) or 1-866-329- 3986 (video phone).
Topics and Reading Schedule I. Foundations
Week 1: Introduction to the Course (W 1/23 & F 1/25)
Reading (F): Manuel Betancourt, “This Diversity Report is All the Proof Latinos Need to Start Boycotting Hollywood;” Pew Research Center, “Latinos and Discrimination”
Week 2: Latino/a/x Identities, in Tejas & Beyond (M 1/28, W 1/30 & F 2/1)
Reading (M): Yara Simón, “Hispanic vs. Latino vs. Latinx,” Rosa Linda Fregoso, “Ghosts of a Mexican Past”
1/28 screening: Chulas Fronteras (1976, Les Blank & Chris Strachwitz, 58 min); Las Marthas (2013, Cristina Ibarra, 53 min.)
Reading (W): Charles Ramírez Berg, “El Genio del Género” 5
Week 3: Hollywood’s Latina/o/x Imagery, and Tools to Critique It (M 2/4, W 2/6, & F 2/8)
Reading (M): Mary Beltrán, “Introduction: Latina and Latino Stars in U.S. Eyes;” Paper 1 due
2/4 screening: Quinceañera (2006, Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland, 90 min.)
Reading (W): Beltrán, “Representation”
Reading (F): Charles Ramírez Berg, “Stereotypes in Film” – pages 38-54
II. Histories
Week 4: Early Hollywood, 1910s-1930s (M 2/11, W 2/13, & F 2/15) First reading responses due
Reading (M): Mary Beltrán, “When Dolores Del Rio Became Latina”
2/11 screening: Flying Down to Rio (1933, Thornton Freeland, 89 min.)
(W): Alberto Sandoval-Sánchez, “Carmen Miranda and Desi Arnaz: Foundational Images of ‘Latinidad’ on Broadway and in Hollywood”
(F): In-class screening: Bordertown (1935, Archie Mayo), part 1
Week 5: 1940s-50s Films (M 2/18, W 2/20 & F 2/22)
Reading (M): Charles Ramírez Berg, “Bordertown, the Assimilation Narrative, and the Chicano Social Problem Film” In-class screening: Bordertown (1935, Archie Mayo), part 2
2/18 Screening: Salt of the Earth (1954, Herbert Biberman, 94 min.)
Reading (W): Baker, Introduction, On Strike and On Film
Week 6: Early Radio & Television, and Questions of Language (M 2/25, W 2/27 & F 3/1)
Reading (M): Mary Beltrán, “Image Analysis and Televisual Latinos” Paper 2 due
2/25 screening: Break of Dawn (1988, Isaac Artenstein, 105 min.)
Reading (W): Christine List, “Break of Dawn: A Latino Politics of Language”
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Week 7: Latino/a/xs & Hollywood Barrios (M 3/4, W 3/6 & F 3/8)
Reading (M): Beltrán, “A Fight for Dignity and Integrity: Rita Moreno in Hollywood’s Post-war Era”
3/4 screening: West Side Story (1961, Jerome Roberts and Robert Wise). 3 hour screening
Reading (W): Richie Pérez, “From Assimilation to Annihilation;” Excerpt, Daniel Solorzano, “Teaching and Social Change” p. 352-358 only
III. Latino/a/x Activism, Media Makers, and Negotiations
Week 8: The Birth of Chicano and Puerto Rican Cinemas / Midterm Exam (M 3/11, W 3/13 & F 3/15)
Reading (M): Chon Noriega, “Imagined Borders: Locating Chicana/o Cinema in America /América;” Cine Aztlán, “Ya Basta con Yankee Imperialist Documentaries!”
3/11 screening: Chicano! “Taking Back the Schools” (1996, p. Susan Racho, 60 min.) / Los Vendidos /The Sellouts (Luis Valdez, 1972 version of 1967 play, 20 min.)
W 3/13: Midterm Exam
Reading (F): Lillian Jimenez, “From the Margin to Center: Puerto Rican Cinema in New York” On-line class: Watch film clips and video lecture on Canvas, then complete and submit worksheet
March 18-22: Spring Break. Enjoy!
Week 9: Latina Voices & Narratives (M 3/25, W 3/27 & F 3/29)
Reading (M): Rosa Linda Fregoso, “Interview with Lourdes Portillo”
3/25 screening: Señorita Extraviada (2001, Lourdes Portillo) / Real Women Have Curves (2002, Patricia Cordoso, sc. Josefina Lopez). 3 hour screening
Reading (W): Jillian Baez, “Latinidad Feminista”
Friday, 3/29: If you want to do a final project: Proposals due in class
Week 10: 1980s-90s Films and Filmmakers (M 4/1, W 4/3 & F 4/5)
Reading (M): Mary Beltrán, “The Face of the Decade of the Hispanic”
4/1 screening: El Norte (1983, Gregory Nava, 141 min.)
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Reading (W): Rosa Linda Fregoso, “The Chicano Familia Romance. ” Watch part 1 of El Súper (1979, León Ichaso, Orlando Jiménez Leal)
F 4/5: Ana M. López, “Cuban Cinema in Exile: The ‘Other’ Island.” In-class screening, part 2 El Súper (1979, León Ichaso, Orlando Jiménez Leal)
Week 11: Latinidad and 1970s-1990s Television (M 4/8, W 4/10 & F 4/12)
Reading (M): Beltrán, “The Burden of Playing Chico: Freddie Prinze and Television Stardom in the Era of ‘Relevance’” Paper 3 due
4/8 screening: Chico and the Man episode (1974); other television episodes TBD
(W): – Mary Beltrán, “False Starts: Failed Series of the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s” excerpt. – Watch online lecture, then complete and submit worksheet
Reading (F): In-class screening and discussion. Excerpt, Brown is the New Green: George Lopez and the American Dream (2007, Phillip Rodriguez)
Week 12: 1980s and ‘90s “Crossover” Constructions of Latinidad (M 4/15, W 4/17 & F 4/19)
Reading (M): Christine List, “Self-directed Stereotyping in the Films of Cheech Marin”
4/15 screening: Latino USA podcast / Born in East L.A. (1987, sc/d. Cheech Marin)
If possible: Attend guest lecture by NPR’s Latina USA anchor and managing editor, Maria Hinojosa T 4/26 3:30-5pm, BMC 1.202
Reading (F): Deborah Paredez, “Becoming Selena, Becoming Latina”
IV. Trends & Ongoing Debates
Week 13: Millennial Trends in Television (M 4/22, W 4/24 & F 4/26)
Reading (M): Vicki Mayer, “Living Telenovelas/Telenovelizing Life”
4/22 screening: George Lopez, Cristela, Jane the Virgin episodes
Reading (W): Guillermo Avila-Saavedra, “Ethnic Assimilation Versus Cultural Assimilation: U.S. Latino Comedians and the Politics of Identity”
Week 14: Latina/o/x Independent Producers (M 4/29, W 5/1 & F 5/3) Last week of reading responses
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Reading (M): Vittoria Rodriguez and Mary Beltrán, “From the Bronze Screen to the Computer Screen”
4/29 screening: On My Block and Vida episodes / Mosquita y Mari (2012, Aurora Guerrero). 3 hour screening
Reading (W): Mosquita y Mari Educator Guide; Selected reviews for Mosquita y Mari, On My Block, Vida Take-home essay exam questions & guidelines passed out
Week 15: Latina/o/x Digital Media Futures (M 5/6, W 5/8 & F 5/10)
Reading (M): Jillian M. Baez, “Spreadable Citizenship: Undocumented Youth Activists and Social Media”
5/6 screening: TBA
W: Presentations of final projects and papers
F: Presentation of final projects and papers, and class wrapup /party Take-home essay exam due, beginning of class
Final Projects and Research Papers: Due in Dr. Beltrán’s mailbox during Finals Week, date TBA (but can be turned in any time earlier)