Latin American & Caribbean Studies

International Institute, University of Michigan

Courses in Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Fall 2004

AnthrCul 314.001 (meets with American Culture 313.001). Cuba and Its Diaspora. (4) Examines Cuban history, literature, and culture since the Revolution both on the island and in the US diaspora. Ruth Behar (rbehar@umich.edu).
T 1-4 pm & W 3-4 or 4-5, 418 West Hall. A weekly two hour film screening is required, Monday 4-6pm or 6-8pm

AnthrCul 319.001. Latin American Society and Culture. (4) Overview of the cultures and societies of contemporary Latin America. David Frye (dfrye@umich.edu). TTh 4-5:30, 1449 Mason

AnthrCul 333.001. Non-Western Legal Systems I. (3) The nature, function, and development of law; law and society from an anthropological perspective. Maxwell Owusu. TTh 230-4 pm, 1200 Chemistry. (May count for LACS credit depending on content of student project.)

AnthrCul 414.001 (meets with CAAS 444). Introduction to Caribbean Societies and Cultures. (3) An introduction to the peoples and cultures of the Caribbean. Maxwell Owusu. TTh 11:30-1 pm, 513 Dennison

CAAS 360.001. Afro-American Art. (3) This course introduces students to West African cultures and their relationships to Afro-American culture. John Lockard. M 9-11, W 9-10, South Quad

CAAS 458.001 (meets with English 407.002, Spanish 400.001). Issues in Black World Studies – Afro-Latin American Literature, Culture and Music. (3) Gives an in-depth and historicized understanding of the literary and cultural production of people of African descent in Latin America, including the Hispanophone Caribbean. Ifeoma Nwankwo. TTh 1-2:30, ARR. (Taught in English; knowledge of Spanish not required.)

Econ 340.001. International Economics. (3) Provides a general overview of international economics, including international trade, trade policies, institutions, and the international economy's influence on national economies. Alan Deardorff. TTh 1-230 pm, 140 Lorch. (May count for LACS credit depending on content of student project.)

Econ 360.001. The Developing Economies – Economic Development. (3) This course uses economic models to analyse key features of developing economies. Andrew Coleman. MWF 9-10, B844 East Hall. (May count for LACS credit depending on content of student project.)

Econ 441.001. International Trade Theory – International Economics. (3) This course explores the main theories that explain what countries trade and whether they gain from it, but also deals with related topics such as trade policy, international factor movements, and the connection between trade and economic development. Juan Hallak. MW 10-1130, 3410 Mason. (May count for LACS credit depending on content of student project.)

FilmVid 441.003. National Cinemas – Mexican and Brazilian Cinema. (3) This course will take a comparative approach to the historical trajectories of these important national cinemas, focusing on six key trends that have shaped their global positioning and ability to deliver meaningful entertainment. Catherine Benamou. TTh 4-530 pm, 3415 Mason

History 348.001. Latin America: The National Period. (4) Latin America from the early 19th century to the present; temporal narrative organized around: (1) state formation; (2) elite and popular relations; and (3) forms of capitalist development and transformations in class relations. Sueann Caulfield. MW 10-1130, TBA. Students who elect the Spanish-language Discussion Session 348.006 may also enroll in the 1-credit UC 390.001, Language Across the Curriculum.

History 358.001. Topics in Latin American – Race and Nation in Latin America. (3) (No description available.) Julie Skurski. TTh 230-4 pm, 1303 Mason

History 358.003 (meets with CAAS 358.009). Topics in Latin American History – Histories of the Modern Caribbean. (3) Focusing on the Greater Antilles — on Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and especially Haiti and Cuba — we will explore world historical themes in this region from the Haitian revolution to the present. Richard Turits. TTh 230-4 pm, 1303 Mason

Hist Art 489.001 (meets with Hist Art 617.002). Architecture, Landscape, and Space in Colonial Encounters. (3) Explores the modalities in which cultural encounters are inscribed in the spaces, built environments and landscapes in and on which these interactions occur; focuses primarily on colonial Latin America, examining conflicts involving groups such as the Incas, Aztecs and Spanish. Stella Nair. W 4-7 pm, 210 Tappan.

LACS 399.001. Thesis-Writers’ Seminar. (3) David Frye (dfrye@umich.edu). Independent study. Contact the LACS office for more information.

LACS 471.001. Elementary Quechua, I. (4) Introduces students with little or no proficiency in Quechua (the "language of the Incas," spoken by 10 million people in the Andean republics) to conversational and cultural skills needed to use the language in real life situations. Gina Maldonado. MW 9-11, 3405 Mason

LACS 473.001. Intermediate Quechua, I. (4) Emphasis is on conversational skills and grammatical structure. Gina Maldonado. TTh 9-11, 3405 Mason

LACS 475.001. Advanced Quechua, I. (4) Improves conversation skills, builds up vocabulary, and heightens reading ability in Quechua. Gina Maldonado. TTh 11-1, 3405 Mason

Political Science 347.001. Politics and Society in Latin America. (3) Current democratic government in Latin America: achievements, shortcomings, and future prospects; case studies of Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, Colombia, Cuba, and Venezuela. Jose Molina (jmolina@umich.edu). TTh 8:30-10 am, G115 Angell

Political Science 389.002. Topics in Contemporary Political Science – The Underdeveloped World. (3) The course will look at elections and electoral behavior in several underdeveloped countries, especially in Latin America. Jose Molina Vega. TTh 1130-1 pm, 1300 Chemistry. (May count for LACS credit depending on content of student project.)

RC Lang 324.002. Readings in Spanish – Travel Narrative and the Invention of America. (4) Will look at travel narrative from Latin America to discuss the possibility that America, as we have come to "know" it, might have been invented rather than merely discovered. Abraham Acosta. MWF 12-1 pm, 2 Tyler/East Quad. Taught in Spanish.

RC Lang 324.003. Readings in Spanish – Dictators, Guerrilleros, and Terrorists: Political Violence in Latin America in the 20th Century. (4) Will discuss forms that political violence has taken within national scenarios in Latin America during the 2nd half of the 20th century. Guillermo Salas. MWF 1-2 pm, 28 Tyler/East Quad. Taught in Spanish.

Sociology 460.001. Social Change. (3) (No description provided.) Ian Robinson. TTh 4-5:30, 130 Dennison. (May count for LACS credit depending on content of student project.)

Spanish 305.001. Spanish for Medical Professions. (3) This course's objective is to prepare students who will be working in medical fields to interact with the Spanish-speaking population. Ann Hilberry. TTh 1-230 pm, B117 MLB

Spanish 320.000. Introduction to the Study of Literature – Literary and Cultural Studies. (3) Reading texts (narrative, drama, poetry, and film) drawn from various countries in the Spanish-speaking world to examine them from social, political and cultural perspectives. (Various sections; not all focus on Latin America.)

Spanish 355.001. New World Spanish. (3) An overview of the structure and the history of Spanish spoken in the New World. Dworkin. TTh 1-2:30, TBA. Taught in Spanish

Spanish 372.001. Survey of Spanish Literature, II. (3) An introductory survey of Spanish literature from the 18th century to the present. Luis Martin-Cabrera. MWF 2-3 pm, 2412 MLB. Taught in Spanish

Spanish 373.001. Topics in Hispanic Literatures and Cultures – Literature of the Spanish Caribbean. (3) Readings in 20th/21st century Cuban, Dominican, and Puerto Rican insular literature (poetry, narrative, essay), with a focus on questions of nationalism, gender, sexuality, class, race. Lawrence La-Fountain-Stokes. MWF 1-2 pm, TBA

Spanish 381.001. Survey of Latin American Literature, I. (3) This course is an overview of colonial Latin American literature, and socio-political and economic issues of the colonial period. Gustavo Verdesio. TTh 230-4 pm, B103 MLB

Spanish 382.001. Survey of Latin American Literature, II. (3) Focusing on the novel, the short story, poetry, and theater, this course provides a panoramic view of the major movements and literary forms of Latin America from independence to the present. Gareth Williams. MWF 10-11, 2114 MLB

Spanish 428.001. Internship in Spanish. (3) This course allows up to 3 credits for internships that involve the extensive use of Spanish, either abroad or within the US. Contact the Spanish advisor for details. (Independent study)

Spanish 432.001 (meets with WomenStd 483.001). Spanish and Latin American Women Writers. (3) This class will examine, from a political and feminist point of view, the writings of Spanish and Latin American women whose works (and experience) center on major social events of their times. Cristina Moreiras-Menor. TTh 1130-1 pm, 2114 MLB

Spanish 440.001. The Politics of Language – Puerto Rico & Puerto Ricans: Issues of Colonialism and Culture. (3) Analyzes the political, literary and cultural discourses of the Puerto Rican experience along more than 100 years of colonial relation with the United States. Josianna Arroyo. TTh 10-11:30, B113 MLB. Course taught in Spanish.

Spanish 448.001. Hispanic Culture Through Community Service Learning – Literary and Cultural Studies. (3) For students interested in using the Spanish language within a social context; course integrates service work within that community with academic readings and discussions about U.S. Latino or Hispanic culture. Lucia Suarez. T 1-230 pm, plus 2 hours community service. See course guide description for details.

Spanish 467.001. Literary and Artistic Movements – Latin American Detectives. (3) Focuses on some outstanding detective fiction (novela negra/neopolicial) from Latin America. Gareth Williams. MWF 11-12 pm, 3016 FB

Spanish 475.001. Latin-American Narrative – Jorge Luis Borges. (3) This course will investigate the function and effect of Borges' work, using the literary critical and theoretical, philosophical, and historical tools necessary to develop a practical understanding of this complex and challenging writer. Santiago Colas. MW 10-1130, TBA

Spanish 485.001. Case Studies – Popular Consciousness in the Andean Region. (3) Studies literature from economic and sociopolitical points of view, especially in relation to Peruvian reality. Javier Sanjines. MWF 9-10, B114 MLB

Spanish 485.002. Case Studies – Cultural Drag: Transvestism in Latin America and Latino Cultures. (3) This course will focus on "transvestism" and the "transvestite" as a central metaphor and subject formation which defines the ongoing cultural and political changes in Latin American and Latino cultures. Jossiana Arroyo. TTh 1-230 pm, B103 MLB

Other courses of interest
The following graduate-level courses may be open to some undergraduates with instructor permission; check with the relevant department for more information.

CAAS 558.003 (meets with English 851.001). Seminar in Black World Studies – Gender and the African Diaspora. (3) An in-depth study of writing produced by a range of Black diasporic subjects, with the specific focus on how we might interpret the construction of male and female identities at the intersection of local and global contexts. Sandra Gunning. TH 230-530 pm, ARR. (May count for LACS credit depending on content of student project.)

Comp Lit 750.001. Caribbean Poetics: Theories of Identity and Caribbean Poetry. (3) How do Caribbean poetry, literary criticism, and theories of Caribbean identity intersect? We will explore these questions and more through Anglophone and Francophone Caribbean poetry, theoretical works, and essays. Seanna Oakley. T 3-6, 2018 Tisch.

History 478.002. Graduate section of History 348 (see description and times above).

History 698.003 (meets with AmCul 698.001 and Spanish 865.001). Topics in History – Rethinking Indigeneities. (3) Will study issues surrounding origins and beginnings, the peopling of the Americas, indigenous life before and after contact; representations of indigeneity; ethical issues. W 3-6 pm, room TBA.

Spanish 855.001. Special Topics – Rethinking Historicism in Latin America. (3) The purpose of this seminar is to study how the modern European idea of history  influenced Latin American "pensadores" of the late 19th-early 20th centuries as a way of saying not yet" to somebody else. Javier Sanjines. F 1-4 pm, B103 MLB. Course taught in Spanish.

Spanish 870.001. Seminar in Hispanic Literature of the 19th and 20th Centuries – Memory: Cuba in Film and Literature. (3) How Cuba has been constructed and deconstructed through a conflictive body of memory work in film and literature, from Alejo Carpentier to Reinaldo Arenas. Lucia Suarez. TH 1-4 pm, B112 MLB

The following lower-level courses will not be granted LACS credit but may be of interest.

CAAS 111.001. Introduction to Africa and its Diaspora. (4) Understanding the experiences of people of African descent in the Americas, the West Indies, and Europe. Kelly Askew, Julius Scott III. TTh 1-230 pm, 1210 Chemistry

CAAS 202.001. Introduction to Afro-Caribbean Studies. (3) Caribbean poet Lorna Goodison will teach this introductory course. Readings will include poems by Derek Walcott, V.S. Naipaul, Jean Rhys, and other Caribbean poets. Lorna Goodison. TTh 11:30-1, 3417 Mason

CAAS 211.001. Dynamics of the Black Diaspora – Economic Origins of the African Diaspora. (3) Investigation of the economic origins of the African Diaspora through history. Warren Whatley. MW 10-1130, 5521 Haven

Portuguese 150.001. First Year Seminar in Brazilian Studies – Breaking Gender and Racial Barriers in Brazil. (3) This interdisciplinary seminar critically examines the condition of contemporary Brazilian women and African Brazilians and their struggle to gain cultural, economic, and sociopolitical equality. Niedja Fedrigo. TTh 1-2:30, ARR