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Macaws from Copan, Honduras.
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Please visit the department office in 304B Silsby Hall or visit the Registrar's Web site for course descriptions.
Courses in Latin American and Caribbean Studies
1. Introduction to Latin America and The Caribbean
09S, 10S: 2
This interdisciplinary course introduces students to the geographical conditions, historical roots, and enduring cultural diversity of Latin America and the Caribbean. After a brief survey of the physical and cultural geography of the region, the course examines the history of selected countries to highlight the way European conquest and colonialism have molded Latin American institutions and attitudes. The course then turns to particular case studies of contemporary life and society to analyze the ongoing problems of ethnicity, inequality, and political repression engendered by the region's colonial past. Finally, the course draws on these historical and anthropological understandings to assess recent economic, social, and political developments in Latin America. By juxtaposing historical realities with their living consequences, the course presents a multi-disciplinary perspective on the nature, dynamics -- and future prospects -- of the many peoples who inhabit this vast and diverse continent. Dist: SOC; WCult: NW. Baldez
4. History, Culture and Society: The Many Faces of Latin America (Identical AAAS 16 in 08W)
08W: 10A, 09W: 12
The Spanish discovery and conquest of this continent created Latin America and the Caribbean out of the diverse and complex realities of the pre-Columbian world. Since colonial times Latin American and Caribbean cultures have developed against a background of cultural repression, racial conflict, political domination, colonial exploitation, and gender inequality. And yet, in the midst of all this turmoil, Latin America and the Caribbean has produced an extraordinary variety and wealth of artistic creations, ranging from literature to the visual arts, from music to film. In this course we will turn to some of the works by Latin American and Caribbean artists and writers in an attempt to illuminate and explore some of the wonders of the cultural dynamics that shape the many faces of what we call Latin America. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Bueno, Walker, 08W, Gutierrez, Pastor, 09W.
7. First-Year Seminars in Latin American, Latino and Caribbean Studies
Consult special listings
10. Pre-Columbian and Colonial America (Identical to Hist. 5.6)
09S, 10W: 10A
This course will examine the pre-Columbian civilizations of the Andes and Mesoamerica, the causes and consequences of the Spanish and Portuguese Conquests, and the establishment of colonial societies and economies. Dist: SOC; WCult: NW. Padilla.
30. Latin American Mega-Cities: Life, Myth, Image, Debates: La Ciudad de México, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo (Identical to Comparative Literature 49)
08S: 11
Latin American mega-cities figure among the cultural objects/texts/expressions that are the most difficult to study. They are physical places, economic systems, collective and individual experiences, communities, sources of alienation, sites of social conflict, and inspiration for dreams (whether idealistic or apocalyptic) of modernization and globalization. In this course, we will explore the various ways in which these urban phenomena are imagined. We will consult texts from a number of analytic disciplines and creative genres: geography, history, sociology, anthropology, architecture, photography, film, and literature. We will consider the advantages and risks of combining multiple ways of understanding the city.Dist: SOC; WCult; NW. Biron.
30. (Summer 08) Lost Childhoods: Marginal Children of Latin/o America (Identical to Comparative Literature 52)
08X: 2
This course takes a cultural studies approach to examine the complexities that define the concept of childhood in relation with issues of marginality, violence and poverty in Latin America and the Latino/a world in the U.S. On one hand, the course will focus on the “lost childhoods” from a Cultural Studies perspective, analyzing the failure of modern society within the context of suffering of marginal street children. It will analyze the “marginal” perspectives that emerge from the globalized urban landscape. This course will focus also on the evolution of literary, artistic (art, photography) and film productions about dispossessed children and how these cultural productions denounce the dramatic increase of societal violence. As parallel of these cultural expressions the works of NGOs and non-profit organizations will be included on the theoretical discourse.This course gives the students the opportunity to think critically about multidimensional marginal realities, and at the same time will allow them to develop a cultural, social and academic commitment with the “lost childhoods”. Dist: LIT; WCult: CI. Merino.
32. State and Society in Latin America (Identical to Govy 49.2)
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
This class provides an introduction to the political and economic development of Latin America in the latter half of the 20th century. We will focus on only six of the countries in this vast and diverse region: Argentina, Chile, Cuba, El Salvador, Colombia and Mexico. Our analysis will emphasize the following themes: political systems and regime change, economic strategy; U.S. foreign policy; social movements and revolution; democratization; identity politics; and human rights. Dist: SOC; WCult: NW. Baldez.
33. The Politics and Culture of Cuba (Identical to Government 49.3)
Not offered in the period from 08S through 10S
As one of the world's few remaining socialist regimes and the only surviving socialist regime in Latin America, Cuba is unique. But Cuba is also subject to many of the forces that have shaped other countries in Latin America and the third world: A heritage of Spanish colonialism and slavery, a geography that contains a limited array of natural resources and a system of government that has evolved under the constant shadow of the United States. To that extent we can learn something about Latin American politics—and politics more generally—by studying Cuba. Dist: SOC or INT. Baldez.
42. The Aztecs (Identical to Anthropology 21)
09W: 11
For nearly two thousand years the dominant political power in Middle America has resided in central Mexico. Mexico City, the capital of the empire of New Spain and of the modern nation-state of Mexico, lies over the remains of Tenochtitlan, the prehispanic capital of the Aztec empire formed out of an alliance of three city-states-the Mexica of Tenochtitlan, the Alcolhuacans of Texcoco, and the Tepanecs of Tlacopan. These city-states traced their heritage to the earlier civilizations of the Toltecs and Teotihuacan. This course examines the origins and development of the pre-Columbian civilizations of central Mexico that culminated with the Aztec empire and the Spanish conquest of the Aztec empire, and it ends with an introduction to Nahua society in the first century after conquest. We will also consider the varied perspectives of Aztec history offered by Nahua texts, archaeology, history, and art history. Prerequisite: One course in Anthropology or a Dartmouth Foreign Study Program in Mexico or permission of the instructor. Dist: SOC; WCult: NW. Nichols.
43. Olmecs, Maya, and Toltecs: Ancient Civilizations of Mesoamerica (Identical to Anthropology 22)
08F: 12, 10W: 11
Mesoamerica, the area encompassing Mexico and northern Central America, provided the setting for two major transformations in human history: the development of maize agriculture and the emergence of cities and states. The legacy of those achievements is still evident today among contemporary Latin American societies. We begin with an examination of how people first occupied Mesoamerica during the Ice Age and discuss the development of agriculture and early villages that laid the foundations for the evolution of Mesoamerica's earliest complex societies, including the Olmecs. We then the explore the Classic civilizations of Teotihuacan, Monte Albán, and the Maya. The course ends with an overview of the Postclassic city-states and kingdoms of the Toltecs, Mixtecs, and Maya and the Aztec empire at the time of the Spanish Conquest. Dist: SOC; WCult: NW. Nichols.
50. Topics Course (Identical to Anthropology 50.8)
08F: 10A
In 08F, Illicit Networks, informal Entrepreneurs, and the Neoliberal State focuses on exploring the relation between illicit networks, the informal economy, transnationalism, and the state in Latin America. We study the links between what is considered formal and informal, and legal and illegal, in order to ethnographically examine what official views obscure in the everyday relations of transnational activities. We begin with a critical examination of the categories of “illegal,” “illicit,” “the state,” and “corruption.” We reveal these categories as cultural and political constructs rather than as pre-existent neutral categories of analysis. Who applies these definitions? How have they changed and what interests do they serve? Do distinctions between “illegal” and “illicit” provide us with a useful label or do they obscure the power of the state to determine legitimacy? Are some activities inherently illegal? Dist: SOC, WCult: NW. Galemba, (Meyers former name)
51. The Brazilian Amazon and Multilingualism (Identical to Anthropology 50.3 and Linguistics 50)
08W: 12, 09W, 11
This course examines multilingualism as an anthropological object through the comparison and contrast of two Amazonian social systems where many languages coexist in networks of alliance and shared cultural patterns; the Upper Rio Negro and the Upper Xingu. The general theme of multilingualism will be explored through a relatively detailed look at the ethnographic literature of these indigenous Amazonian societies, with special attention to social organization and language use. As an introduction to linguistic anthropology, this course will provide students with a critical perspective on the politics of language and argue for the basic condition of heterogeneity in ALL linguistic communities. Throughout the course students will be presented with the methods of linguistic anthropological research, specifically the collection and analysis of texts-in-context, and analysis of language ideologies; native reflections on the constitution and function of language. Dist: SOC, WCult: NW. Ball.
52. Gender Politics in Latin America (Identical to Government 49.4 and Women and Gender Studies 32)
10W: 10A
This course examines women's movements in Latin America. Women in Latin America are perhaps the most highly mobilized population in the world. Throughout the region women have organized around myriad issues, including the right to vote, human rights, poverty, legal rights, anticommunism, the workplace, race, ethnicity and war. Women's efforts to challenge fiercely repressive regimes, deeply entrenched norms of machismo and extreme poverty defy conventional stereotypes about women and provide us with inspiring examples of how to sustain hope during difficult times. The seminar will introduce students to recent scholarship on women's movements in Latin America in the 20th century and seek to understand the emergence, evolution and outcomes of women's movements in particular countries and crossnationally. Dist: SOC; WCult: NW. Baldez.
53. Protests and Parties (Identical to Government 49.5)
09W: 2
For many people, Che Guevara remains the key symbol of protest in Latin America. His passionate belief in social justice, his refusal to compromise and the extraordinary personal sacrifices he made on behalf of the poor all contribute to his enduring legacy. While this legacy continues to inspire people to engage in protest and revolutionary movements, it does little to help us understand the conditions under which organized movements will succeed in their goals-or even form in the first place. Under what conditions do people organize on behalf of their collective interests? We compare revolutionary movements, social movements, political parties and other forms at political action in various countries throughout the region. Dist: SOC or INT; WCult:NW. Baldez.
56. Latin American Women Writers: Negotiating Realities
09S: 11
This course focuses on narrative by Latin American women, primarily fiction, and how that fiction has been a force for social change. The course will introduce students to Feminist theories which have been applied to and by Latin American scholars to give account of diverse literary forms produced across cultural differences. The core articulating idea of the course is women’s impact on literature and on the world. Students will: 1. Become familiar with important authors and common themes in contemporary Latin American literature by women. 2. Be familiar with different literary periods and movements in Latin American literature. 3. Demonstrate an understanding of the different literary terminology employed in the analysis of different types of narratives, such as poetry, short stories, and plays. 4. Use literary terminology in their own analysis of contemporary Latin American literature. 5. Articulate a basic understanding of Latin American history, politics, human rights, social activism, and gender roles, as seen through the lens of fictional and non-fictional characters. 6. Discuss the social and political impact of Latin American writers in the struggle for social change. Dist: LIT; WCult: NW. Lirot.
66. Caribbean Literature (Identical to ENG 67/AAAS 80)
09W: 10A
This course will examine the work of a variety of Caribbean writers from former British colonies. We will look at several issues that reappear throughout the work of these authors. These concerns include (but are not limited to)notions of exile, the importance of language and music, the articulation of identity in varying post-colonial states, and representations of gender, race and ethnicity. The class will also analyze the socio-political events in particular nations and the ways in which these events influence writing in the archipelago. Furthermore, the course will explore shared cultural practices. For example, we will examine the ways in which a strong tradition of music as protest influences the production of particular poetic forms in Trinidad and Jamaica. The class will move from early twentieth century writers like Claude McKay to the important contributions of later writers such as Kamau Brathwaite, Jamaica Kincaid, George Lamming, V.S. Naipaul, Sam Selvon, Olive Senior and Derek Walcott. We will examine the more recent innovations in form, as musical elements are introduced by writers such as Mikey Smith and Kwame Dawes. Each week's readings will be supplemented with seminal critical writings including excerpts from the text The Empire Writes Back.
Dist: LIT; WCult: CI. Vásquez
76. History of Mexico, 1876 to the present (Identical to History 87)
08S: 10A, 09W: 2A
From the Porfiriato and the Revolution to the present, a survey of Mexican society and politics, with emphasis on the connections between economic developments, social justice and political organization. Topics include fin de siécle modernization and the agrarian problem; causes and consequences of the Revolution of 1910; the making of the modern Mexican State; relations with the United States; industrialism and land reform; urbanization and migration; ethnicity, culture, and nationalism; neoliberalism and social inequality; the problems of political reform; and the zapatista rebellion in Chiapas. Open to all classes. Class of 2007 and earlier: Dist. PHR; WCult: NW. Class of 2008 and later. Dist: SOC: WCult: NW. Padilla
77. Democracy and Accountability in Latin America (Identical to Government 84.11)
09S: 2A
The course surveys a range of topics relevant to modern Latin American democracy. The central theme is to evaluate the performance of democratic institutions in providing representation and accountable government. We consider the legacy of authoritarian regimes on contemporary politics, the importance of political culture, the role of elections, and a number of alternative frameworks for organizing representation and bargaining among political actors. Dist.: SOC. Carey
78. Twentieth Century Art from Latin America (Identical to Art History 75)
08S: 12
This course surveys works of art produced by Latin Americans during the 20th century. We will approach this vast topic through case studies of the major figures and avante-garde movements in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, and the United States. We will examine how national identity, racial formation, class difference, gender inequality, political struggle, and state violence have been addressed by artists from the region and in diaspora. Dist.: ART.Class of 2008 and later: WCult:W. Coffey.
80. Seminar
08S, 10W: 2
In 08S, Gender and Race in Latin America looks at how different ideas about gender and race have shaped Latin American politics in the 20th and 21st centuries. We will focus on the evolution of these categories as the basis for political incorporation and representation over time, instances of collective, mobilization around gender and race, the creation and impact of law and public policy, and political institutions as they relate to race and gender. Dist: SOC or INT; WCult: NW. Baldez.
89. Independent Study
All terms: Arrange
Students wishing to pursue intensive supervised study in some aspect of Latin American and Caribbean Studies should consult the appropriate member of the LACS faculty to design and carry out an independent study project. Students are required to submit a short description proposal to the program office in the term prior to doing the independent study. This course fulfills the 'culminating experience' requirement for all majors who do not complete the Honors Program.
Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.
98, 99. Honors Thesis I and II
All terms: Arrange
Guidance in the selection of a topic and in research and writing will be provided by the student's thesis adviser. Only students accepted into the Honors Program may take this sequence.
Courses in Latino Studies
5. Complexities of Latino Identity in the United States
Not Offered in the period from 07S through 08S
11. Voices: PerformActivism (Identical to Theater 10)
08F: 2A
This course examines how performance has functioned as a forum to raise consciousness and rehearse notions of community in the 20th century. Our archive will include various theoretical texts and performances that spark civic dialogue. Students will have the opportunity to work with guest artists, experience hands on interventionist techniques, and collectively develop a performance piece. This course is open to all students with or without a background in theater. Dist.:ART; WCult: CI. Herrera.
31. Constructing Race and Ethnicity in the U.S. (Identical to Sociology 47)
08X: 10A
This course examines the development, maintenance, and relevance of panethnic groups in the United States. The course begins with a review of the theory on ethnic/racial identity. What is ethnicity? What is race? What are the boundaries and markers for being a member of an ethnic or racial group? The class will spend approximately 2 -3 weeks on each panethnic group addressing the following questions: What does it mean to be African-American, Latino, Asian American or White? Who belongs to that group and why? Does the label capture the complexity of the group? Why is it necessary to have the label and who benefits? What are the political ramifications of using these labels? Dist: SOC. Class of 2007 and earlier: WCult: NA. Class of 2008 and later: WCult: W. Gomez.
40: Immigration, Race and Ethnicity (Identical to Geography 28 and Sociology 48)
08S, 10S:10
This course examines immigration to the United States and pays special attention to issues of race and ethnicity. The course begins with a brief history of US immigration and then thematically covers specific topics such as economic impacts and costs, social mobility, citizenship, transnationalism, and assimilation, and religious issues and their relationship to the immigrant experience. I highlight differences within and between Latino, Asian, and European groups throughout the course. The class will be a combination of lectures, discussions, and video/film presentations. Class members are expected to have read material thoroughly and be prepared to discuss readings in class. On occasion students will be asked to present readings to the class and prepare discussion questions. Dist: SOC; WCult: NA. Wright.
41: Representations of/from Latinos in the Media and the Arts
08F: 10
What role do the media and the arts play in the formation of ethnic, racial and cultural identities for Latinos/as? How do Latin@s respond to these representations of themselves through various electronic media and the arts? This class investigates how race, ethnicity, gender, and "otherness" are represented in various media and art forms, including: cinema, radio broadcasting, performance art, mural art, graphic novels, and the Internet. We will trace the history of Latin@s in various media and artistic movements, as well as hold online discussions and video conferences with students and professionals working in these areas. Students will explore the politics and dynamics of representation by producing their own creative and critical work and presenting it to the Dartmouth community through their final projects. Dist: ART. Moody.
43: El Caribe Virtual: Displacement, Migration and Exiles in Contemporary Hispanic Caribbean Literature (Identical to Comparative Literature 52)
08S: 2
This course will examine the relationship between literature, migration, exile, and notions of community/nationality as evidenced in the work of key Hispanic Caribbean texts produced in the islands as well as in the Diaspora. We will study the roles played by language, migration, and geography in the construction of (literary) communities that undertake the task of narrating national identities. Our work will attempt to put into dialogue various historical periods and geographical areas, revealing the tensions that exist within and between the intellectual versions of Caribbeanness. The result will be a thoughtful look at how notions of race, gender, and sexuality have been employed to contest or promote a new form of virtual Caribbean identities that extends beyond the geographical space of the region. Dist: Lit; WCult: CI. Peña.
44: Crossing Over: Latino Roots and Transitions (Identical to Anthro. 33)
08F: 11
This course focuses on the experiences of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Cuban, and Central American migrants living in the U.S. The literature will draw from anthropology and its neighboring disciplines in an attempt to understand the social, political, and economic processes that shape the varied experiences of Latino migrants living in the U.S. In so doing the class will examine Latino migrant experiences in relation to issues such as the changing character of capitalism as an international system, the organizing role of networks and families, changing patterns of gender relations, the emergence of a second generation, and the cultural politics of class formation. Dist: SOC, WCult: CI. Gutiérrez Nájera.
45. Comparative Perspectives on the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands (Identical to Anthropology 34)
10S: 2
The U.S.-Mexico borderlands will be examined in ways that take us from a concrete analysis of the region, including conflict and organizing efforts at the border to more abstract notions that include strategies of cultural representations and the forging of new dietetics. We will consider several analytical perspectives relevant to anthropology including gender, identity, resistance, economics, globalization, migration, and the politics of everyday life. Dist: SOC. WCult: CI. Gutiérrez Nájera.
46. The Politics of Latin@Ethnography (Identical to Anthropology 31)
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
48. Latinos on Stage (Identical to Theater 10)
08S:10A
Theatre and performance is a space of and for representing the self and the community. But what are the politics involved when others represent you or when you represent yourself on stage? How do representations of Latinos on the Broadway stage differ from those created on the grassroots level? This course provides students with a historical and theroretical framework to understand the politics of representing Latinos on stage.We juxtapose Broadway productions from the late 1930s to the present with grassroots theatre (1) to explore the role the theatre has played in the creation of Latino identities and communities and (2) to expose the ways in which cultural stereotypes get constructed and reinforced. Theoretically, we will pay special attention to the idea of the "border," not just as geographical space but also as a productive abstract concept for understanding transcultural identities and their formation. Students will delve into various theatrical genres such as plays, actos, performance poetry, the musical, performance art, guerrilla theatre, and cabaret. As part of the course, we will create political actos and stage them in and around campus as well as at the Bentley theatre. Students must be prepared to collaborate in the production process on some level either on or off stage. The class will also include an optional fieldtrip to New York City see two theatre productions one on Broadway and the other in The Bronx. (Resource: http://www.ibdb.com/) Dist: ART;WCult:CI. A'Ness, Herrera.
54. Latina Feminism: Acts of Intervention (Identical to WGST 54.3)
09W: 10A
Through an engagement of narratives mediated by recordings, literature, visual art and performances for, by and about Latinas, this course examines the highly contested and still-evolving site of Latina feminist practices. Students will be introduced to foundational writings in Latina feminist theory. We will pay particular attention to how the shared - and the divergent - experiences of Latinas in the US are produced, reflected, and resisted in cultural expression. Our central task will be to analyze how these women-centered texts redefine sexuality, gender, race and class. Several questions frame our studies in the course, including: How do we theorize a Latina feminist tradition? How has Latina feminism reshaped the field of ethnic and gender studies? Topics include, but are not limited to: triple oppressions theory, identity politics, mestiza consciousness, Latina subjectivity, and lesbian identities. Dist: SOC; WCult: CI. Herrera.
Other Latino Courses Offered in the Dartmouth Curriculum
Comparative Literature 52: The Borderlands: Latina/o Writers in the United States
History 31: Latinos in the United States: Origins and Histories
Spanish 75: Negotiating Performance in Latin/o America
Spanish 78: Living in the Borderlands, Latino/a Culture and Identity
Spanish 79: Latino/a Literature: Between Literary Traditions, Languages and Cultures
Associated Courses for LACS
Courses with a central focus on Latin America and the Caribbean offered by various departments.
- Anthropology 35: Culture, Class and Community in Latin America
- Anthropology 37: Legacies of Conquest in Latin America
- Geography 43: Geographies of Latin America
- Government 49: Latin American Politics and Government
- Government 57: The Foreign Relations of Latin America
- Government 80: Readings in Government
- Government 84.11: Institutions and Accountability in Latin America
- History 5.6 Pre-Columbian and Colonial America
- History 46: Spain in the Golden Age
- History 82: Popular Struggle, Political Change and United States Intervention in Central America
- History 83: Twentieth Century Latin America
- History 86: Caribbean History
- History 87: The History of Mexico
- History 96.4 Topics in Modern Latin American History
- Portuguese 10: Brazilian Culture and Civilization
- Portuguese 12: introduction to Brazilian Literature
- Portuguese 20: The Portuguese-Speaking World and its Literatures and Cultures: The Definition of an Identity
- Portuguese 35: Brazilian Language and Culture
- Portuguese 36: Brazilian Literature
- Portuguese 61: Brazilian Literature I: Sixteenth to Early Nineteenth Centuries
- Portuguese 63: Brazilian Literature II: Late Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries
- Portuguese 80: Seminar
- Portuguese 87: Independent Study
- Spanish 23: Argentine Culture: Contemporary Issues (DFSP)
- Spanish 33: Argentine Civilization: The Cultural Heritage (DFSP)
- Spanish 65: One Hundred Years of Solitude
- Spanish 66: Latin American Culture: Migrations, Displacement, Exclusion and Exile
- Spanish 67: Romanticism and the Formation of National Identities in Latin America
- Spanish 73: Literature and Social Protest: Alienation, Dictatorship, Revolution and Disillusionment in Twentieth-Century Latin America
- Spanish 74: Old World/New World: Tradition and Change in Contemporary Latin American Culture
- Spanish 76: The Fabrication of Imgaes: Mass Media in Latin America
- Spanish 80: Latin American Literature Seminar
Departmental Seminars: These will vary from year to year. Consult the program office for a list of seminars available in 2006-2007.
LACS students are strongly advised to take courses in economics, especially Economics 1, The Price System: Analysis, Problems, and Policies, Economics 21, Microeconomics, and Economics 39, International Trade.
Students taking Government 80, Readings in Government may receive LACS credit if the instructor approves independent study or a seminar paper dealing with the politics of Latin America or the Caribbean.
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