Latin American & Caribbean Studies

International Institute, University of Michigan

Courses in Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Winter 2006

Note: This list was compiled on November 21, 2005, with the best information available at that date. In some cases times, rooms, and course descriptions may change before the beginning of the semester. Also, new classes may be added (or we may have missed them). Please inform us if you find corrections that should be made.

AnthrCul 320.001. Mexican Culture. (4) An overview of Mexican history, geography, cultural diversity, and contemporary social issues. David Frye (dfrye@umich.edu). TTh 4-5:30

CAAS 358.001 (meets with English 315.003, Women's Studies 315.003). Black World Studies – Intersections: Fictions and Feminisms of the African Diaspora. (3) The intersecting roles of race, gender, sexuality, class, and nationality in shaping how others have defined Black women and how black women have attempted to construct their own identities through writing. Megan Sweeney. MW 1-230 pm, G168 Angell

CAAS 458.003 (meets with English 407.002). Issues in Black World Studies – Black Women of the U.S. Caribbean, and Latin America: Life, Literature and Music. (3) Despite attempts to silence them, Black women workers, writers, and musicians in the U.S., Latin America, and the Caribbean have found ways to make their voices heard and their experiences acknowledged in the public sphere. Ifeoma C Nwankwo. TTh 1-2:30, 1359 Mason

CAAS 558.005 (meets with Law 877). Seminar in Black World Studies – The Law in Slavery and Freedom. (3) Analyzes the ways in which slavery—generally defined in the Americas as the ownership of property in human beings — was codified and regulated in law. Examines US court cases and material from French Louisiana, Spanish Cuba, and nineteenth-century Brazil. Rebecca Scott. T 6:45-8:45 pm, S106 Law Library. Class meets January 11-April 19

FilmVid 441.005 (meets with AmCult 510.001). 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 2:30-4 pm, Lec Rm 2, MLB. Students will also take a Lab section (W, 4-7)

History 348.001. Latin America: The National Period. (4) Latin America from the early nineteenth century until the present; temporal narrative will be organized around: (1) state formation; (2) elite and popular relations; and (3) forms of capitalist development and transformations in class relations. Paulina Alberto. MW 2:30-4 pm, 1528 CCLittle. Students who elect the Spanish-language Discussion Session 348.004 (Th 4-5:30, 1014 Tisch) may also enroll in the 1-credit UC 390.001, Language Across the Curriculum.

History 397.004. History Colloquium – Slavery, Freedom, and Race in the Age of Revolution 1776-1848. (4) A comparative, hemispheric approach to enslavement and revolution in the very different cases of the United States, Haiti, and Latin American republics. Julius Scott. MW 2:30-4 pm, 2608 Haven

History of Art 235.001. Art and Architecture of the Americas until 1450 CE. (3) An introduction to the art, architecture and urban design of the Americas (Maya, Aztec, Ancient Puebloans, Incas, Moche and others) from earliest settlements until shortly before the arrival of Europeans. Stella Nair. TTh 2:30-4, 180 Tappan

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. Virginia Chavez. TTh 9-11, 208 Dennison

LACS 472.001. Elementary Quechua, II. (4) Second-term continuation of Elementary Quechua I. Virginia Chavez. MW 9-11, 208 Dennison

LACS 474.001. Intermediate Quechua, II. (4) Continuation of intermediate Quechua emphasizing conversational skills and grammatical structure. Virginia Chavez. TTh 1-11, 208 Dennison

LACS 476.001. Advanced Quechua, II. (4) Continuation of advanced Quechua. Course is designed to improve conversation skills, build up vocabulary, and heighten reading ability. Virginia Chavez. TTh 11-1, 208 Dennison

LACS 490.001 (meets with LACS 590.001, History 590.001; Communications 437.001). Topics in Latin American and Caribbean Studies Mini-course – Wired up to the World: Film & Television in Contemporary Brazil. (1) Film and television representations of violence and poverty as intrinsic dimensions of what is known as "the social problem" in contemporary Brazil. Visiting Prof. Esther Hamburger (U. Sao Paulo). 3512 Haven, TTh 5-7. This minicourse meets in March only (3/7, 3/9, 3/14, 3/16, 3/21, 3/23, and 3/28).

RC Lang 324.001. Readings in Spanish – Afro-Latin Americans. (4) On the African components of Latin American culture and the ways these are perceived, embraced, rejected and concealed in countries all over Latin America. Beatriz Ramirez Betances. MTTh 1-2 pm, 220 Tyler EQ

RC Lang 324.003. Readings in Spanish – Caribbean Migrations: Dominicans in Puerto Rico. (4) The long and politically troubled history of Caribbean migrations, with a focus on the current status of Dominicans in Puerto Rico. Katia Aviles-Vazquez. MWF 10-11, 2 Tyler EQ

RC Lang 324.004. Readings in Spanish – Gender, Violence and Representation. (4) How cultural artifacts (such as film, popular literature, and music) in the Luso-Hispanic world articulate notions of gender and violence and aid in the construction of identity. Sandro Rodrigo Barros. MWF 11-12, 3 Tyler (EQ)

RC Lang 324.005. Readings in Spanish – Indigenous Literature: Oral Tradition and Indigenous Movements. (4) We will read texts representing a variety of creative, cultural, and social expression emerging from the indigenous populations of the Andean region. Maria Gonzalez. MWF 12-1, 224 Tyler (EQ)

RC Soc Sci 463.001 (meets with Sociology 453.001). Mexican Labor in North America. (4) Examines the rise of the maquiladoras, the decline of small farmers in Mexico, the causes of these developments, and their consequences for workers in Mexico and the U.S. The centerpiece of the course is a one-week field trip to Nogales, Sonora. Ian Robinson. TTh 3-4:30, 17 Tyler EQ. Four credit course, capped at 20. Everyone in the course will go to Nogales, Mexico during Spring Break. Open to all LS&A students; 10 seat reserved for RC students.

Spanish 305.001. Spanish for Business and the Professions – Spanish for Business. (3) Intended to increase the student's vocabulary and knowledge about the Spanish-speaking business world. Maria Lourdes Dorantes. TTh 8:30-10, 2402 MLB. (May count for LACS credit depending on content of student project.)

Spanish 305.002. Spanish for Business and the Professions – 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 11:30-1, B120 MLB. (May count for LACS credit depending on content of student project.)

Spanish 305.003. Spanish for Business and the Professions – Spanish for Engineering. (3) Pedro Gomez. TTh 1-2:30, B101 MLB. (May count for LACS credit depending on content of student project.)

Spanish 320.000. Introduction to the Study of Literature. (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 335.001 (meets with and Span 335.002). Contemporary Literature – Shorter Fiction. (3) Introduction to the potentialities of the short story and novella in 20th and 21st-century Latin American Literature.. MWF 2-3, B103 MLB. (Section 2 meets MWF 3-4 pm, 3529 Frieze)

Spanish 337.002. Poetry Workshop. (3) An introduction to reading modern Latin American poetry; Pablo Neruda, Gabriela Mistral, César Vallejo, Alejandra Pizarnik, and Juan Gelman. Katharine Jenckes. MWF 3-4 pm, B103 MLB

Spanish 373.001. Topics in Hispanic Literatures and Cultures – Cuban-American Literature. (3) Introduction to Cuban-American literature. Lucia Suarez. TTh 10-11:30, 2412 MLB

Spanish 373.003. Topics in Hispanic Literatures and Cultures – Reading Popular Global Rhythms. (3) Exploraremos algunos textos latinoamericanos de fines del siglo XX en busca de puntos de contacto entre el texto literario y algunos géneros de la música popular, especialmente el rock y la salsa. Felipe Gomez. MWF 9-10, 2402 MLB

Spanish 381.001. Survey of Latin American Literature, I – Textos coloniales latinoamericanos: actualidad y problemática. (3) This review of Colonial Latin American Literature (16th to 18th centuries) will use texts to explore the divergent consequences the “encounter” had for the indigenous cultures and for the Western conceptual universe. Ivonne del Valle. MWF 2-3 pm, B108 MLB

Spanish 382.001. Survey of Latin American Literature, II – Latin American Literature of the 20th Century. (3) On the basic traits of Latin American literature since the XIXth century, relating literature and culture with the social and political changes that have marked the process of Latin American societies since 1830. Javier Sanjines. TTh 8:30-10, B114 MLB

Spanish 430.001. Advanced Studies in Hispanic Culture and Society – Queer Culture of the Hispanic Caribbean and its Diaspora. (3) An exploration of select cultural texts (film, literature, essay, performance, cartoons) from the insular Hispanic Caribbean (Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico) and its U.S. Diaspora that present issues of queer identities and practices. Lawrence LaFountain-Stokes. TTh 230-4, 2353 Mason. There will also be film screening T 6-9 pm

Spanish 438.001. Economics and Politics of Literature – Nation, Nationalism, Post-Nation: History of Chile. (3) We will study and problematize three key moments in Chile's cultural history: the creation of a ‘Chilean' culture in the 1840's; the raise of nationalism in the early 20th century; and the post-dictatorship period (1990-2005). Daniel Noemi. TTh 10-11:30, 3528 Frieze

Spanish 448.001. Hispanic Culture Through Community Service Learning. (3) For students interested in using the Spanish language within a social context; course ntegrates service work within that community with academic readings and discussions about U.S. Latino or Hispanic culture. Juli Highfill. MW 5:30-7:30 pm, tba. See course guide description for details. (May count for LACS credit depending on content of student project.)

Spanish 467.001. Literary and Artistic Movements in Latin America/Spain – Poverty and Realism in Latin American Literature (1930-2000). (3) On the construction and characteristics of poverty/the poor in 1) Latin American texts from the 30's and 60's and 2) the works of contemporary Latin American writers and film directors. Daniel Noemi. TTh 1-2:30 pm, 166 Frieze

Spanish 475.001. Latin-American Narrative. (3) On the uneasy relationship between the ideals of civilization and barbarism in Latin American writing—essays, novels and stories—from the 19th to the late 20th century. Katharine Jenckes. MWF 1-2, B103 MLB

Spanish 475.003. Latin-American Narrative – Latin American Monsters. (3) Entre los textos a explorar se cuentan obras de Horacio Quiroga, Julio Cortázar, Alejandra Pizarnik, Andrés Caicedo, y Carlos Balmaceda, así como películas dirigidas por Juan Padrón y Guillermo del Toro. Felipe Gomez. MWF 11-12, 3012 Frieze

Spanish 485.003. Case Studies – Literary Prostitutes. (3) The representation of prostitutes in contemporary Latin American Literature.. MWF 12-1, 3012 Frieze

Spanish 488.001. Topics in Spanish Literature – Mujeres en México: representación y autorepresentación de la colonia al siglo XX. (3) Literary works and historical texts written about or by women in what is now México. Ivonne Del Valle. MWF 12-1, B122 MLB

Spanish 488.002. Topics in Spanish Literature – La frontera poesía-filosofía en la obra de Octavio Paz y María Zambrano. (3) Los puntos de convergencia y de divergencia entre el discurso poético y el filosófico en Paz y Zambrano. Hugo Moreno. TTh 11:30-1, B122 MLB

Spanish 488.003. Topics in Spanish Literature – Cuban Film. (3) (No description provided.) Lucia Suarez. TTh 1-2:30, 2008 MLB

The following courses may count for LACS credit, depending on course contents, student projects, final papers, and so on. In general, any course with more than 50% course content on Latin America or the Caribbean will count for LACS credit. Contact the LACS advisor for details.

American Culture 315.001 (meets with History 377.001). History of Latinas/os in the US. (4) Presents Latina/o history as a story of overlapping between Latin American and United States societies, beginning with United States conquest and territorial expansion into Spanish and Spanish American territories. Jesse Hoffnung-Garskof. MW 10-11:30, 1360 East Hall. (May count for LACS credit depending on content of student project.)

AnthrCul 439.001. Economic Anthropology and Development. (3) Introduces students to economic anthropology and development in rural, village-based, tribal, peasant, urbanizing and industrializing societies and cultures of the Third World: Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Middle East. Maxwell Owusu. TTh 2:30-4, 1068 East Hall. (May count for LACS credit depending on content of student project.)

AnthrCul 558.004 (meets with History 604.001, LACS 655.001). Current Issues in Ethnology – Globalization or Imperialism?. (3) Understanding the resurgence of discussions of "empire" and the current reconfigurations of power. Fernando Coronil. T 4-7 pm. (May count for LACS credit depending on content of student project.)

CAAS 458.005 (meets with HistArt 489.001). Black World Issues – Black Atlantic Expressive Culture. (3) A variety of Black Atlantic visual cultures, both in Africa and in the Diaspora, with a focus on how historical memory and the experience of the passage of time are articulated in objects and performances. David Doris. T 1-4, 210 Tappan. (May count for LACS credit depending on content of student project.)

Environment 302.002. Topics in Environmental Social Science – Development and Environment in Latin America, Africa, and East Asia. (3) On environment, development, and their relationship. Arun Agrawal and Maria Carmen Lemos. TTh 10-11:30, 1028 Dana. (May count for LACS credit depending on content of student project.)

RC Soc Sci 311.001 (meets with Sociology 311.001). Contemporary Globalizations. (4) The interactions among the political, economic and ecological dimensions of globalization processes since World War II, focusing on the national policies and international institutions that shape these processes. Ian Robinson. TTh 10-12, 28 Tyler EQ. (May count for LACS credit depending on content of student project.)

RC Soc Sci 315.001. International Grassroots Development. (4) Besides posing some heavy questions, this course will give you an idea of what it's really like to work in the field of international “development”, either at home or abroad. Helen Fox. TTh 10-12, 52 Greene EQ. (May count for LACS credit depending on content of student project.)

Sociology 389. 103. Practicum in Sociology – Detroit: Latino Family Services - After School Program. (3) Students in this section will work with Latino Family Services in Detroit, to assist elementary and middle school students in an after-school program focused on homework assistance, mentoring, and recreational activities. Gabrielle Holmes. M 4-5:30, 3353 Mason. Students will spend Thursday afternoons in Detroit. (May count for LACS credit depending on content of student project.)

Sociology 389. 111. Practicum in Sociology – Global Outreach: Educating Kids about the World. (3) Students in this section will share their knowledge and experience of world regions with K-12 classrooms in support of the teachers' curricula. Gabrielle Holmes. M 4-5:30, 3440 Mason. Students must see http://www.umich.edu/~mserve/pc/courses.html before registering. (May count for LACS credit depending on content of student project.)