French, Italian, and Spanish Placement Tests
If you are planning to take an elementary French, Italian, or Spanish class and you are a new student, freshman or transfer student, or you have not yet begun the elementary language sequence on the Ann Arbor campus, you must take the placement test in order to register for the correct course. You must register for the class into which you have been placed.
If you have registered for a class prior to taking the test, you will still be required to take the test in order to verify that you are in the appropriate level class.
If you have already taken French, Italian, or Spanish 101-232 on the Ann Arbor campus, or if you have already taken the placement test once, you are not eligible to take the test again. For questions regarding the LS&A language requirement, please see a general academic advisor or call POINT-10 (764-6810).
Please Note: With the reduction in the number of classrooms throughout LS&A, departments must limit the number of classes offered between 10 am and 4 pm. There will be more classes open before 10 am and after 4 pm. Please take advantage of the opportunity to register for these classes and avoid the "Lottery" (see 2b below).
Instructions for students requesting overrides for French or Spanish 101, 103, 231, or 232.
1. Try to find a section that will fit into your schedule, since the Department cannot guarantee every student
a space in a section of his/her own choice.
However, do not register for a class that
you cannot attend. You will not be eligible to
override into the section of your choice if you are registered
for any section of 101-232, even if you cannot
attend that section.
2. As it states in the Time Schedule any registered
student who misses one of the first four
class meetings will be dropped from the course, thereby leaving
some open spaces for those students who have been closed out.
If there is absolutely no section open which
will fit your schedule, you should follow this procedure:
(a) Start attending the section you would like to get into on the first day of class. You will receive a Proof of Attendance form which must be signed by your instructor every day. You must attend a class every day, but it does not need to be the same section. All students must take action through T-T Registration to make sure their official schedule of courses matches the courses they are taking.
(b) On Tuesday, September 10 at 7:00 p.m., there will be a meeting in the basement of the MLB, rooms to be announced later, for each of the above courses. At these meetings, students will be assigned to remaining vacated spaces in the most fair and equitable manner possible, using a lottery system. At no time, however, will any class be allowed to exceed 25 students. Students must bring their printout of classes and the Proof of Attendance form to the meeting!
3. Please note that you will not be allowed to change sections at these meetings. Beginning Wednesday, September 11, Elementary French Language Supervisors will hear requests for section changes and fill those requests to whatever degree is possible.
4. Please ensure when adding with the override that you also add modifiers for pass/fail, etc.
Take me to the Fall Time Schedule
Elementary Language Courses
Students who intend to continue a language begun in high school must take the Placement Test to determine the language course in which they should enroll. Spanish 102 is NOT open to students who have begun instruction in high school. It is strongly recommended that students who began Spanish at another college or university also take the placement test. Students must check with the Course Coordinator for any exceptions to the Placement Test level.
101. Elementary Spanish.
(4). (LR).
For students with little or no previous study of Spanish. Course
Objectives: the first part of an introduction to the Spanish language
and culture; task- and content-based approach integrates grammar
in a functional use through listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Language use encouraged through communicative activities
rather than a sequence of linguistic units. Videos, audio cassette, and computer materials incorporated. Goals: Students completing
Spanish 101 understand about different sociocultural norms, can
act with awareness of such differences; speak, using memorized
phrases and some original language; read short texts of familiar
or simple structure for detailed comprehension, less familiar
materials for gist and main ideas; write familiar material with
considerable accuracy. Work requirements/Evaluation criteria:
Regular attendance essential. Participation in class includes
asking and answering questions, initiating discussion, role playing, and other situational activities. Grade based on oral participation, homework assignments, in-class work, three exams, and a final
written and oral exam. (Dorantes)
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Times, Location, and Availability
102. Elementary Spanish, Continued. Spanish 101. No credit granted to those
who have completed or are enrolled in 103. Spanish 102 is NOT
open to students who have begun instruction at the high school
level. Open only to students who have completed 101 at the University
of Michigan. College or university transfer students who have
received credit for one term are encouraged to enroll in Spanish
103. (4). (LR).
This course is a continuation of Spanish 101. Course Objectives:
Introduction to Hispanic language and culture; task- and content-based
approach integrates grammar in a functional use through listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Language use encouraged through
communicative activities rather than a sequence of linguistic
units. Videos, audio cassette, and computer materials incorporated.
Goals: Students completing Spanish 102 will speak in short spontaneous
conversations involving everyday topics, observing basic courtesy
requirements; understand gist of one-way communications like radio
and television; read for practical information; writer simple
correspondence and short compositions on familiar topics, with
good control of basic sentence structure. Work requirements/Evaluation
criteria: Regular attendance essential. Participation in class
includes asking and answering questions, initiating discussion, role playing and other situational activities. Grade based on
oral participation, homework assignments, in-class work, four
exams, and a final written and oral exam. (Hilberry)
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Times, Location, and Availability
103. Review of Elementary
Spanish. Assignment by placement test or permission
of department. Transfer students elect Spanish 103 if they have
completed the equivalent of Spanish 101 elsewhere. No credit granted
to those who have completed or are enrolled in 102. (4). (LR).
Accelerated refresher course for students with two or three years
of high school Spanish whose previous study did not occur within the preceding two years. Equivalent to 101 and 102 condensed into
one term. Course Objectives: Introduction to the Spanish language
and culture task- and content-based approach integrates grammar
in a functional use through listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Language use encouraged through communicative activities
rather than a sequence of linguistic units. Video, audio cassette, and computer material incorporated. Goals: Student completing
Spanish 103 will hear about different sociocultural norms, can
act with awareness of such differences; speak in short spontaneous
conversations involving everyday topics, observing basic courtesy
requirements; understand gist of one-way communication like radio
and television; read for practical information; write simple correspondence
and short compositions on familiar topics, with good control of
basic sentence structure. Work requirements/Evaluation criteria:
Regular attendance essential. Participation in class includes
asking and answering questions, initiating discussion, role playing, and other situational activities. Grade based on oral participation, homework assignments, in-class work, four exams, and a final written
and oral exam. (Dorantes/Hilberry)
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Times, Location, and Availability
231. Second-Year Spanish.
Spanish 102 or 103; or assignment by placement test.
No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled
in 112 or 230. (4). (LR).
This course is designed to improve the speaking, listening, reading
and writing skills of students; to review the fundamentals of
Spanish grammar; to build vocabulary; and to provide some insight
into the literature and culture of Spanish-speaking peoples. Course
grade based on a series of quizzes and exams designed to assess
ability to read, write and understand Spanish plus periodic written
work, and oral class participation. (Gonzalez)
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Times, Location, and Availability
232. Second-Year Spanish, Continued. Spanish 231; or assignment by placement
test. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled
in 230 or 112. (4). (LR).
This course is designed to develop fluency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Spanish and to provide a deeper understanding
of the literature, history, culture, and outlooks, of Spanish-speaking
peoples. Course grade is based on exams, designed to assess ability
to speak, understand, read, and write Spanish, plus periodic written
work (including compositions) and oral class participation.
Section 002 – El espa – ol en su contexto: imágenes de la Espa – a moderna. This course is designed to improve the speaking, writing, reading, and listening skills of students through a cultural and social approach. Students will be exposed to texts and visuals which will enhance their knowledge of modern Spain, as well as to fundamental notions of Spanish grammar. Some of the topics that will be dealt with are: problems of modern youth, recent historical events in Spain, traditions, geography, news, etc. The final grade is based on exams, daily participation in class discussions, compositions, and grammar exercises.
Section 006 – Literatura fantástica. This course will focus on the discussion and examination of fantastic literature and magical realism in contemporary Latin American literature. The principle objectives will be to develop an understanding of the origins, themes, methods, and purposes of fantastic literature through selected readings of literature and criticism. Texts will include short stories and a short novel by Carlos Fuentes, Julio Cortázar, Jorge Luis Borges, and others. Students will be required to purchase a course pack, a grammar reference text, and a reader. In addition to the focus on the development of fluency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Spanish, important functional aspects of language will also be addressed. Evaluations will be based on class participation, midterm and final exams, an oral exam, homework, and in-class activities. Special emphasis will be placed on writing and the writing process through reaction papers as well as analytic and creative compositions. (Boys)
Section 007 – Spanish through Dramatic Performance. In this section of Spanish 232, students will develop their language skills through reading, writing, and performing dramatic texts. We will read contemporary plays from Spain and Latin America, while informally dramatizing scenes in class. Students will also produce original dialogues on a variety of suggested themes, designed to promote practical knowledge of languages and culture while at the same time fostering creativity. Any and all dramatic genres (except mime) may come into play – comedy, tragedy, slapstick, mystery, adventure, romance, soap opera, commercials, theater of the absurd, musicals, and even puppet theater – depending upon students' interests. Hispanic film and television will serve as resources for artistic material and for developing performance skills. Grammar will also play a role – as a tool for effective language use. For the final project, students working in groups will stage, perform, and videotape a scene or one-act play of their choice. No previous stage experience is required. (Highfill)
Section 009 – Historietas para leer la Historia/ Comic Books to Read History. This course corresponds to the standard 232 class but is designed for those seeking a subject approach to their language learning experience. The four language skills (reading, writing, speaking, and aural comprehension) will be emphasized through a cultural studies approach. Some of the most popular comic strips of Latin America will be read and analyzed as a way of understanding other writings on the contemporary history of the region. The course has a very strong component on reading and composition. "Comics to Read History" is open to all students but is strongly recommended for concentrators in social sciences and literature with a special interest in Latin America. (Chavez)
Section 010 – A Film Tour through the Spanish-speaking World. Using movies as a resource that provides different models of native speakers, we will study regional varieties of Spanish as it is spoken in Latin America and Spain. Students will deal here with colloquial language, idioms, and shared cultural knowledge. The movies, strategically chosen will provide examples of cross-cultural differences as can be perceived in customs, values and ways of thinking, feeling, and acting in the Spanish-speaking world. We will see masterpieces such as: El Norte (Guatemala, Mexico, USA), Danzón (Mexico), La historia oficial (Argentina), Lucía (Cuba). In addition, we will read texts and examine cultural artifacts from the countries of the films we will watch. All four skills: listening, speaking, reading and, writing will be integrated in the group discussions and individual homework. (García-Alvite)
Section 012 – La Juventud en Espa – a. What does being joven in Spain mean? Are young Spaniards different from Americans? These questions and more will be answered in this course, which depicts young people in Spain regarding: ideology (moral codes, political, and religious views), lifestyle (entertainment, activities, eating habits, language, sex, etc.), education (life at universities and other institutions), professional world, generation conflict (political and ideological changes, relationship with parents...), youth problems (unemployment, lack of perspectives, drug abuse...), young foreigners in Spain, etc. Students will have the chance to deal with a series of audio and video materials (songs, interviews, films...) as well as texts from newspapers, magazines, literature, etc. the instructor Although most material will be provided in class, a course pack will be offered. The course requirements include tests, two compositions, short projects, a final project, and an oral exam. This course is specially recommended for students wishing to spend a semester abroad in Spain. (Perez-Bazan)
Section 013 – The Blending of Spanish and Native Cultures in Peru and Mexico. The objective of this course is to study the effects of the mixture of the Indigenous and Spanish culture on Spanish spoken in Peru and Mexico. The method of instruction includes lectures, discussions, and cooperative learning techniques. A grammar textbook and a course pack will be required. The course pack will cover four topics: (1) The beginnings of mestizaje, emphasizing the impact of the Spanish conquistadores arrival on the lives of the natives; (2) language and literature showing the reciprocal influence between Spanish and Quechua or Nahualt; (3) arts and architecture indicating the artistic expressions as seen in paintings, pottery, music, textiles, architecture, etc.; and (4) festivities displaying their Spanish and native roots. Course evaluations will be the same as those required by a regular Spanish 232 course. (Frisancho)
Section 021 – Images of U.S. Latinos in Film. In this section of Spanish 232, students will explore images of U.S. Latinas and Latinos in both mainstream and independent films with an emphasis on four central themes: identity, borders and immigration, language, and oppression and resistance. We will study both a historical and social reality of Latinas and Latinos in the U.S. as well as how this reality contrasts with cinematic depictions. In addition, and effort will be made to analyze the effect images of U.S. Latinos have on latino and anglo consumers of mass media, as well as the latino actors, directors, writers, and producers who take part in their production. Within this framework, students will develop skills in Spanish to write and speak about cinematic representation. Course requirements include: weekly film screenings, background readings, three papers, three in-class exams, one oral presentation, and active participation class discussion. Films screened may include: El Mariachi, Nueba Yol, Mi Familia, El Norte, The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez, Stand and Deliver, Zoot Suit and Salt of the Earth. In addition to feature films, other media such as performance (John Leguizamo, Coco Fusco) and documentary may be used for background and comparison. (Cashman)
Section 026 – Hispanic Culture through Community Service.
This course will be a query into the nature of the Hispanic community through the topic of culture. Not only will we be discussing Hispanic
in a seminar setting, but we will be providing two hours a week
of community service in after-school tutoring to the Hispanic
community in southwest Detroit. The goals of this course, then, are two-fold, and encompass the objectives of both a service-learning
course and a fourth-term Spanish language course. You will be
exploring and "testing" different cultural understandings
of service, including, and especially, your own. This class in
not just about providing a service in terms of logging hours, but to go beyond, through analysis, reflection and evaluation
to address the variety of needs of the Hispanic culture in our
community. Note: Class meets M 4-6pm. Students must also reserve
ONE of the following time slots to complete the service component
of the course: Tues, Wed, or Thurs 2-6pm. Students MUST register
for both section 026 and ONE of the service sections 027, 028, or 029. (Figueras)
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Times, Location, and Availability
Special Elementary Reading Courses
Spanish 111 and 112 are designed for juniors, seniors, and graduate students interested in gaining a reading knowledge of the language.
Other Language Courses
270(358). Spanish Conversation
for Non-Concentrators. Spanish 232. No credit granted
to those who have completed or are enrolled in Spanish 275(361)
or 276(362). A maximum of six credits of Spanish 270, 275, and 276 may be counted toward graduation. (3). (Excl).
Spanish 270 is a practical Spanish course for non-concentrators
interested in the Spanish language and in contemporary Hispanic
culture. Texts include journalistic prose, Internet materials, movies, and songs aimed at increasing students' knowledge of current
affairs in Spain and Latin America. Class format includes group
discussions, debates, oral presentations and role-playing. Attendance
and participation will be mandatory and will constitute a large
part of the course grade. Grades will also be determined by examination
of students' listening and expressive skills. Finally, students
will practice writing in various practical formats such as letters, book or movie reviews, etc. These written exercises will
form the final component of the course grade. (Pollard)
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Times, Location, and Availability
275(361). Grammar and Composition. Spanish 232. A maximum of six credits
of Spanish 270, 275, and 276 may be counted toward graduation.
(3). (Excl).
Spanish 275 is intended to increase the accuracy of students'
Spanish and to increase vocabulary and cultural knowledge through
readings. The course is centered on a grammar-review text. Students
do readings in Spanish, prepare translations, compositions, and expand vocabulary. Time is allotted to class discussion of readings
and especially to the treatment of recurrent problems of grammar.
Classes are taught in Spanish. The final grade is based on translations, compositions, tests, and class participation. (Pollard)
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Times, Location, and Availability
276(362). Reading and Composition. Spanish 232. A maximum of six credits
of Spanish 270, 275, and 276 may be counted toward graduation.
(3). (Excl).
Spanish 276 is intended to improve students' ability to read Spanish
prose, as well as their skills in conversational and written Spanish.
To this end, students are presented with a variety of materials
to stimulate discussion, both written and oral. A major component
of this course is an interactive computer program based on a movie
version of the short story Instrucciones para John Howell. This
computer application is designed to improve students' ability
to read and interpret fiction. Compositions are assigned regularly
and oral presentations by students are required, as well. Classes
are conducted exclusively in Spanish. The final grade is based
on compositions, exams and participation in class discussions.
(Pollard)
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Times, Location, and Availability
305. Spanish for Business
and the Professions. Spanish 275 and 276. (3). (Excl).
This course's objective is to prepare students who will be working
in medical fields to interact with the Spanish speaking population.
Students will build up their Spanish vocabulary and will hone their linguistic skills to prepare them to communicate effectively
in Spanish in situations relating to the medical professions.
The course will be conducted entirely in Spanish and will require
active daily participation on the part of the students as great
emphasis will be placed on pair work and small group work. The
final grade will be based on class participation, written assignments, a written midterm exam, and an oral final exam.
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Times, Location, and Availability
310. Advanced Composition
and Style. Spanish 275 and 276. (3). (Excl).
Students in this course will acquire an advanced understanding
of grammatical structures while further developing their writing
skills in Spanish. They will engage in extensive writing practice
using a process approach that involves successive revisions. In
addition students will acquire research skills and learn strategies
for writing description, narrative, and argumentative essays.
Course requirements: 3 essays, 3 exams, research paper. Course
conducted in Spanish. Intended audience: Spanish concentrators
and other students with significant training in Spanish language.
(Gallego)
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Times, Location, and Availability
411. Advanced Syntax.
Spanish 275 and 276. (3). (Excl).
This course is an introduction to the analysis of the major morphological
and syntactic structures of Spanish. The course begins with a
consideration of morphology, with topics such as the function
of inflexional suffixes, the role of derivational suffixes, word
order rules, verb morphology, etc. and then moves to the description and analysis of the simple and complex sentence, their syntax and their use. The course will be complemented by
practical exercises, and the identification, segmentation and analysis of the various types of sentences studied. There will
be a midterm, a final exam, and a required research project. (Gallego)
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Times, Location, and Availability
413/Rom. Ling. 413/EducationD
455. Teaching Spanish/Applications of Linguistics. Spanish
275 and 276. (3). (Excl).
This course will assist teachers of Spanish as a foreign language, and students interested in language learning in the process of
clarifying their own beliefs about language learning and teaching, both in terms of theoretical issues and practical implications
for classroom instruction. The course will review second/foreign
language acquisition theories and examine their pedagogical application
of the classroom. Students will become familiar with different
methodologies and teaching techniques. Emphasis will be given
to curriculum design and material development for teaching and testing all four skills within a student-centered philosophy of
teaching. A portion of each class session will be devoted to microteaching
sessions as a means of providing students with hands-on teaching
experience and concrete input on their teaching techniques, allowing
students to gain a better understanding of what is needed to become
an effective teacher of Spanish. (Gonzalez)
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Times, Location, and Availability
Literature
320. Introduction to the Study of Literature. Spanish 275 and 276. (3).
(HU).
Section 001. This course introduces students to narrative
fiction, poetry, drama, argumentative essays, and critical literature.
It emphasizes the formal aspects of each genre, including appropriate
terminology and analytical/interpretive approaches. (Anderson)
Section 002. In this introduction to the study of literature, specifically literature written in Spanish, we will consider topics of literary study and methods of analysis. We shall examine three of the most commonly-taught literary genres - prose fiction, lyric poetry, and drama. In addition, we will study the essay. The discussion of each reading will focus on one or more specific aspects of literary style appropriate to the genre under consideration. The principal text for the course, Aproximaciones al estudio de la literatura hispánica, will be supplemented by other readings from the four literary modes. The basic class format is discussion, with very few lectures, so regular attendance and participation will be critical. Students will make presentations on readings during the term. Each student will complete written projects of approximately five pages on each of the genres. Each paper will be read and commented on by fellow students as well as the instructor. There will be two exams on material covered. (Pollard)
Section 003. See Section
001. (Sanjines)
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Times, Location, and Availability
328. Studies in Latin(o)
American Popular Culture. Spanish 275 and 276. (3).
(Excl).
This course serves as an introduction to the study of popular
culture in Latin America and among U.S. Latinos. Terms such as
folklore, popular culture, mass culture, and high and low art
will be discussed, giving particular attention to the permeability
among them. Case studies in popular music indigenous crafts and arts, visual arts, radio, TV, the fotonovela, popular religions, and others will be selected in order to analyze the ways in which
culture becomes a central site where different social sectors
negotiate power and hegemony. (Aparicio)
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Times, Location, and Availability
332. Short Narrative
in Latin America/Spain. Spanish 275 and 276. (3).
(HU).
Section 001 – Historical Revelations: Foundational Fictions of
Latin America. In this course, we will engage in a sustained
study of a select number of nineteenth- and twentieth- century
texts that will allow us to interrogate the complexities of national
discourses and their representations. After the pivotal French
and Haitian Revolutions, nineteenth-century authors engaged in
literary production that either projected a desired national narrative
or revealed national unrest that rendered such a unified narrative
impossible. Contemporary novels have inherited this dichotomy
but further reveal the problematics of national ideologies through the acknowledgement of indigenous cultures, wide spread poverty, general sexism, dictatorships, and repressive state mechanisms.
Readings include: La Palma del Cacique, El Enriquillo,
Cecilia Valds, El Facundo, Hasta No Verte Jesus Mio, Los Rios
Profundos, La Casa de los Espiritus, and Foundational
Fictions. Fewer but longer readings will allow us more time
to study each text, its respective national history, and ensuing
critical commentary in a more careful manner. Classes and readings
(except Foundational Fictions ) will be conducted in Spanish.
Grades will be based on one presentation, one short midterm paper, and one elaborate final paper. (Suarez)
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Times, Location, and Availability
340(375). Introduction
to Iberian Cultures. Spanish 275 and 276. (3). (Excl).
This course seeks to give an overview of Spanish history and society
by focusing on some of the major points of its history. The course
will have unit readings on a variety of topics that go from the
Moorish conquest, to the role of the Inquisition, the Conquest
of America as well as the more problematic modern period that
includes the Civil War, the dictatorship, and the return to democracy.
(Casa)
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Times, Location, and Availability
341(376). Introduction
to Latin American Cultures. Spanish 275 and 276.
(3). (Excl).
This course offers a reflection on contemporary Latin America
by examining historical, political, social, artistic, and literary
aspects of the Americas from pre-Columbian times up to the celebrations
of the Quinto Centenario (1492-1992). Students will write a journal
in Spanish (2-3 pages per week) following discussions in class
on a variety of topics – Defining the Americas, Latinos in the
U.S., Artistic and Political Revolutions in Latin America, Revising the Conquest and Colonization of the Americas, The Value(s) of
Testimonial Accounts in Latin America – which will be illustrated through films, documentaries, TV shows, music, art, as well as
historical and literary texts. Grading: Participation (20%), Journal
(30%), Midterm Essay (25%), and Final Essay (25%). Required Readings:
Burns, Bradford E. Latin America: A Concise Interpretive History
(6th ed.) [selection]; Fuentes, Carlos. El espejo enterrado;
Cisneros, Sandra. La casa en Mango Street. Additional
Readings (RESERVES): Colón, Cristóbal. "Carta
a Luis de Santangel"; Day, Holliday & Sturges, Hollister. Art of the Fantastic: Latin America 1920-1987; Esquivel, Laura. Como Agua para Chocolate; Fernández Moreno, César. América Latina en su literatura;
Menchú, Rigoberta. Me llamo Rigoberta Menchú
(selection); Zea, Leopoldo. América Latina en sus ideas.
(selection); Werner, Louis. "Verdad y ficción de una
travesía milagrosa de Cabeza de Vaca"; Wylie, Alison.
"Rethinking the Quincentennial." FILMS : Cabeza
de Vaca, El Norte, La muerte de un burócrata, Camila.
DOCUMENTARIES / TV: El espejo enterrado, Frida Kahlo, Columbus
didn't discover us, Cristina, Broken Silence, Fire in the Mind, Frescoes of Diego Rivera, The Gringo in Ma – analand, [[questiondown]]Qué
pasa U.S.A? MUSIC: Los Panchos, Silvio Rodríguez, Celia Cruz/T. Puente, El Vez, Salsa (Video). (Herrero-Olaizola)
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Times, Location, and Availability
355. New World Spanish.
Spanish 275 and 276. (3). (Excl).
This course will provide a general introduction to the history
and structure of the varieties of Spanish spoken in the New World.
Topics to be treated will include the Peninsular origins of New
World Spanish, the influence on Spanish of the languages of the
native peoples of the New World, the features which characterize the several varieties of New World Spanish (including U.S. Spanish), the grammatical and lexical features which distinguish European
and New World Spanish. Readings (mainly in Spanish) will be provided
in a course pack. The course will be taught in Spanish. There
will be a midterm and final exams, as well as written assignments.
(Dworkin)
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Times, Location, and Availability
373. Topics in Hispanic
Literatures and Cultures. Spanish 275 and 276, and one additional 300-level course. (3). (HU). May be repeated for
a total of six credits.
Section 001 – Writing and Revolution in Latin America. What
is a revolution? What is writing? What relations have there been, or could there be, between these two kinds of activity in Latin
America? These are the basic questions we'll try to address in this course. To do so we will conduct historical and critical
investigations into the relationship – examining political, literary, journalistic, and secondary historical and literary critical texts
- at certain key moments in the 19th and 20th century (the wars
of independence, Cuban independence, the Mexican revolution, the
so-called Peronist National Revolution, the Cuban revolution, the Sandinista revolution, and the Zapatista movement). In the
process, we will be working towards a critical typology of Latin
American revolutions and of the kinds of roles that different
kinds of writing can (or cannot) play in them. All discussion
and writing, and vast majority of readings in Spanish. Periodic
reflections, midterm paper, and final paper. (Colás)
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Times, Location, and Availability
381. Survey of Latin
American Literature, I. Spanish 275 and 276, and one additional 300-level course. (3). (HU).
This course will give a panoramic view of Latin American Literatures
(including Brazil) focusing on the contributions of major authors
and the way they address themes such as racial and gender identities.
(Arroyo)
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Times, Location, and Availability
432. Gender, Writing, and Culture. Spanish 275 and 276, and three additional
300-level course. (3). (Excl).
This course asks, how do we get to be who we think we are? The
"who we think we are" in this case is gender – masculine, feminine. Are these genders natural, part of our bodily equipment, are they learned as part of our social intercourse, are they put
on as we might put on a tie or makeup? Texts studied will be primarily
from the Iberian peninsula, and range from the late medieval period through the twentieth century. They will include the letters of the medieval woman Dhuoda to her son, the 15th-century misogynist
treatise called Arcipreste de Talavera, some short novels
by María de Zayas, poems by Sor Juana Inés de la
Cruz, the life of a cross-dressing nun, advice books from the
19th and 20th centuries, the play Yerma of Federico García
Lorca and his Sonetos de amor obscuro, and a film or two or Pedro
Almodóvar. (Brown)
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Times, Location, and Availability
440. Literatures and Cultures of the Borderlands: The Politics of Language. Spanish 275 and 276, and three additional 300-level course.
(3). (Excl).
Section 001 – Race and Ethnicity in Caribbean and Latino Literatures.
This course will examine the role played by reterritorialization
policies and migration patterns from Latin America and the Caribbean
in forming today's US political and historical landscape. We will
study the nineteenth century national, imagined ideology of the
US as a White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant nation and its implications
for a US that, in the last hundred years, has become a necessarily
ethnic nation rather than the melting pot it was once described
as in 1909. Through the assigned readings, we will explore themes
such as national difference and national stereotyping; exile, migration, immigration, assimilation, and contestation; class, ethnicity, and race. We will engage in a critical study of storytelling
and writing in order to better understand the dialogues across
national boundaries that are structuring new discourses of race
and ethnicity in a contemporary pan-global climate. Readings include Ethnic Labels, Latino Lives by Suzanne Oboler, Free
Enterprise by Michelle Cliff, Breath Eyes Memories
by Edwidge Danticat, Las Hermanas Aguero de Cristina Garcragorona
de Sandra Cisneros, Negocios de Junot Dosl essays will
be assigned on a weekly basis. Classes will be conducted in Spanish.
Readings (even if found in translation) will be mostly in Spanish
except for the critical essays and the texts from the anglophone
and francophone Caribbean. Grades will be based on one class presentation, one short midterm paper, and one longer final paper or project.
(Suarez)
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459. Don Quijote.
Spanish 275 and 276, and three additional 300-level
courses. (3). (HU).
Don Quijote es la cumbre de la literatura espa – ola y una
de las mas importantes de la literatura universal. En ella están
presentes tanto los problemas e ideales y problemas de la época
de su autor como los de todos los tiempos. La lectura del Quijote
es un ejercicio de la mas alta calidad, reconfortante al mismo
tiempo que produce una excepcional emocion estetica. El curso
tiene como objeto que el estudiante haga una introduccion a la
obra que le permita disfrutar tanto de los mundos ideologicos
de retórico del Quijote. El estudiante debe leer detenidamente
la obra y hacer un trabajo sobre un tema especifico, segun la
metodologia que el profesor requiere. (Casa)
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467. Literary and Artistic
Movements in Modern Spain. Spanish 275 and 276, and three additional 300-level courses. (3). (Excl). May be repeated
for a total of 9 credits.
Section 001 – Art, Literature, and Film in the Spanish Avant-Garde.
This course will concentrate on the Spanish avant-garde, 1918-1936, a period of radical experimentation in the arts. Through readings
from literary magazines and viewings of films and art-slides, we will examine the artistic practices of the period – focusing
on the issues that preoccupied contemporary writers and artists:
perception, artistic representation, urban life, mechanization, commodity culture, gender roles, and the colonial other. At the
same time, we will consider how Spanish literature and art participated
in European artistic movements, such as futurism, cubism, expressionism, dada, and surrealism. The readings consist of short stories, essays, film reviews, poetry, and drama; the assignments include two exams
and a creative project. For this creative project students will
design their own cultural/literary magazines, working either individually
or in groups. Possible contents include essays, manifestoes, fiction, poetry, film or drama reviews, photography, collage, and graphics.
(Highfill)
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485. Case Studies in
Peninsular Spanish and Latin American Literature. Spanish
275 and 276, and three additional 300-level courses. (3). (Excl).
May be repeated for a total of six credits.
Section 001 - Indigenista Narrative of the Andes.
This course will study several indigenista novels, and will compare them with key essays of the period.We will study
topics related to the "control of the imaginary," and how this aspect of the indigenista narrative is tied
with the basic premise of the course: indigenista novels
were written with political aims and anthropological interests.
Beginning with the Peruvian novel Aves sin nido, written
in 1889 by Clorinda Matto de Turner,the course will focus on the
development of indigenismo up to Los rios profundos
and El zorro de arriba y el zorro de abajo, novels written
by the Peruvian Jose Maria Arguedas, in the 1950s and 60s.The indigenista narrative will also be related to those essays that explore the intricate formation of the Andean national states, such as Alcides Arguedas' Pueblo enfermo, Manuel Gonzalez
Prada's Horas de lucha, and Jose Carlos Mariategui's Siete ensayos de interpretacion de la realidad peruana.
Students will give oral presentations on one of the authors or
topics of the course, and will write a paper on a topic determined
in consultation with the instructor. Texts: Clorinda Matto de
Turner, Aves sin nido (La Habana: Casa de las Americas, 1974); Alcides Arguedas, Pueblo enfermo (La Paz: Editorial
Popular, 1986); Alcides Arguedas, Raza de bronce (Madrid:
Coleccion Archivos, 1988); Jose Carlos Mariategui, Siete ensayos
de interpretacion de la realidad peruana (Lima:Amauta, 1969);
Jorge Icaza, Huasipungo (Buenos Aires: Losada S.A, 1953);
Manuel Gonzalez Prada, Horas de lucha (Callao: Tipografia
Lux, 1934); Ciro Alegria, El mundo es ancho y ajeno (Caracas:
Biblioteca Ayacucho, 1978); Jose Maria Arguedas, El zorro
de arriba y el zorro de abajo (Buenos Aires:Losada, 1971).
(Sanjines)
Section 003 – Mulatto Identities: Writing and Representation.
"Mulatez" has been an important discursive category
for understanding social, cultural and political discourses in
Latin America and the Caribbean. This course focuses on the analysis
of "mulatto (a)" characters in Brazilian and Hispanic
Caribbean literatures. In these works "mulatez" seen
as cultural hybridity, creates new discursive links between racial, gender, sexual identi- ties and writing. The course will be taught
in Spanish and will have a comparative perspective from other
texts such as:ethnography, cinema and music. (Arroyo)
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488. Topics in Hispanic
Literatures and Cultures. Spanish 275 and 276, and three additional 300-level courses. (3). (Excl). May be repeated
for a total of six credits.
Section 001 – Federico Garcma Lorca. This upper-level literature
course will be concerned with a number of representative works
by Federico Garcma Lorca (1898-1936), Spain's most famous twentieth-century
writer. We shall concentrate on several of the collections of
poetry and several of the plays, but not to the exclusion of a
variety of lesser-known prose works. The primary approach will
be intrinsic, based on close reading, but the works will also
be contextualized within the period and we shall consider some
of the salient aspects of Lorca's biography. Teaching, conducted
entirely in Spanish, will be a mixture of lecture, class discussion, and a number of informal oral presentations. Evaluation is by
attendance, class participation, and several medium-length papers.
(Anderson)
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