|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Syllabus for SPA 332: Latin American Civilization and Culture
Prerequisite: Completion of Spanish 311 (Conversation and Composition I) or its equivalent.
Course Description The primary purpose of this course is to explore the history of cultural inheritance of Latin American countries from pre-Columbian times to the present. Due to the fact that the course is taught in Mexico, we will focus primarily on Mexican history, although students will be exposed to common historical developments and cultural characteristics shared throughout Latin America.
This course will focus on the history of Latin American cultures and civilization from pre-Columbian times to the present, starting from the premise that we need to know where we come from in order to know where we are and where we are going. Particular emphasis will be placed on contemporary cultural issues and cultural media, including murals and other visual arts, theatre, dance, music, and film.
The course structure will follow the structure provided by Carlos Fuentes in his book The Buried Mirror: Reflections on Spain and the New World (1992), which will serve as the primary written text. Students may also watch video excerpts from the five-part television series The Buried Mirror and other relevant films.
Since the course will be taught in Mexico, we have rich opportunities to enhance learning from text books and films by listening to guest lectures by Mexican historians and anthropologists and participating in excursions to museums, archeological sites, historical monuments, and local cultural events, as well as talking directly with many Mexicans and other Latin Americans from diverse backgrounds with regard to race, ethnicity, socio-economic class, religion, gender, and sexual orientation. Students will also be asked to read Mexican newspaper articles and analyze them with regard to themes discussed in this course.
*This course counts toward the major or minor in Spanish at Augsburg College.
Course-related excursions, cultural events, and guest lectures may include the following:
Required Texts and Other Recommended Materials (to order 6 weeks in advance!) 1. Fuentes, Carlos. El espejo enterrado. Aguilar, Altea, Taurus, Alfaguara, S.A. de C., 1998. 2. Workbook: Curland, David J., Juan Armando Epple, and Jim Heinrich. Workbook to accompany El espejo enterrado. McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages; 1st edition, 1993/1994. 3. *Libro de sinónimos y antónimos para estudiantes. Barrons. ISBN 0764114476 4. *Spanish/English dictionary * = Highly recommended but not required You should order these books through your local bookstore or over the Internet. Be sure to place your order six weeks in advance.
Learning Objectives Students will: 1. Discuss the relationship between history and culture, identifying some of the ways in which history shapes cultural values, norms, and behaviors and describing the ways in which culture shapes one's understanding of history. 2. Analyze the ways in which different historical time periods are portrayed in the visual arts, music, theatre, dance, architecture, literature, and popular culture. 3. Identify important aspects of pre-Columbian civilizations in Latin America. 4. Provide examples of ways in which pre-Columbian cultures have survived and continue to have an impact on the cultures of Mexico.. 5. Discuss the legacy of the Spanish conquest and colonial period. 6. Identify important figures, dates, and places in Latin American history. 7. Describe the cultural inheritance of Latin American countries. 8. Analyze Mexican and other Latin American newspaper articles regarding topics related to this course. 9. Compare and contrast Carlos Fuentes’s perspectives on Latin American history and culture with those of guest speakers, host families, and others with whom they interact in Mexico. 10. Critically reflect upon their own cultural perspectives and the ways these influence their understanding of history Course Design Unit I The Pre-Columbian Period and the Spanish Conquest (Fuentes, Parts I and II) Unit II The Colonial Period: Castes, Mestizje, and Colonial Art (Fuentes, Part III) Unit III Independence and the Aftermath (Fuentes, Part IV) Unit IV Dictatorships, Revolutions, and the Search for Democracy (Fuentes, Part V) Unit V Key Issues in Contemporary Latin American History and Culture (Fuentes, Part VI)
Course Requirements (100% = 100 points)
Weekly Assignment Schedule for SPA 332 Deadlines for assignments and dates of exams and oral presentations
Grading Criteria for Class Participation · Full participation involves speaking only Spanish in class, completing assignments on time, coming to class prepared and on time, participating in all class activities with enthusiasm and interest, collaborating with the instructor and other students (as applicable), and demonstrating effort at improving Spanish abilities. Because all Universal classes seek to assist the students in becoming conversational in Spanish, class participation is extremely important. · Students must be punctual. One-half of a point will be deducted each time you are more than five minutes late to class. Two points will be deducted per unexcused absence. Excused absences are for religious holidays, emergencies, and illness when the student has called the Universal Spanish director Irma Salazar (318-2904) and asked her to advise the instructor of her or his absence prior to the start of class and later documented with a doctor's note. · You may miss one class during the entire course for a reason other than illness without being penalized if you clear this absence in advance with your teacher or the director (Irma Salazar) and if the reason for missing class is acceptable. Examples of an acceptable absence include the following: a visit from friends or family, an especially heavy workload in other courses at that moment or extenuating emotional circumstances. You may NOT miss class simply because your alarm clock didn't go off and you slept in! For any UNEXCUSED absences in your Spanish classes, you will be docked two points per absence, regardless of your progress in the course. · Students are responsible for talking with the instructor about what they missed in class, getting notes or handouts from other students, and for making up any assignments that were completed in class. Grading Criteria for Essays
Grading Criteria for Oral Presentations
Oral presentations are not considered complete (and will be graded down significantly) if they are not accompanied by an outline.
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
