Latin American and Latino Studies (LALS)

LALS 201  Perspectives on Latin America  (3 credits)

A multidisciplinary course: emphasis on anthropological, political, economic, cultural, and historical issues. Assume that the "Americas" are a geographic and cultural unit whose apparent diversity represents various indigenous peoples with an overlay of European patterns of colonialism, including slavery. Meets Gen Ed - Global Cultural Perspectives. Meets World Cultures Requirement.

LALS 205  Image and Identity: Representation of Latin American Women in Film and Fiction  (3 credits)

An analysis of representations of women in film and fiction with a special focus on the process of identity construction. Representations of women from pre-Columbian times to the present will be studied in relation to their use in the perpetuation of ideologies. Intended as an overview of the social history of women in Latin America. Meets Gen Ed - Global Cultural Perspectives. Meets World Cultures Requirement.

LALS 215  The Italian Experience in Latin America  (3 credits)

Prerequisite(s): GNED 199, WRIT 100, WRIT 105, WRIT 106, HONP 100, HONP 101, HONP 102, HONP 103 or equivalent. This course examines the experiences of Italian immigrants and their descendants in Latin America as well as their contributions to the Latinx cultural heritage. Patterns of identity formation, ethnic culture, community maturation, citizenship, labor struggles, and social mobility will be considered in the analysis of their literary and artistic contributions.

LALS 225  Latinx in the United States  (3 credits)

Prerequisite(s): SOCI 100, SOCI 102, SOCI 104, SOCI 106, SOCI 113, SOCI 201, LALS 201, LALS 205, or departmental approval. This course examines the experiences of Latinx in the United States in terms of identities, cultural representations, and sociological perspectives. Students will consider the dynamics of Latin American and Caribbean diasporas in the U.S. and their effects from diverse methodological approaches. Some of the main organizing topics include the politics of labeling; migration and community formation histories; media representations; race and racial formations; education and the politics of language; Latino political activism; gender; and popular culture. Students will critically engage with works from multiple forms of media to place the experience of diverse Latinx populations in social, political, historical, and interdisciplinary contexts.

LALS 325  Fernando Birri and the Latin American Documentary Gaze  (3 credits)

Prerequisite(s): LALS 201, LALS 205, LALS 215 or equivalent. This course examines the life and works of Argentine filmmaker Fernando Birri (1925-2017) and the birth of the Latin American documentary. Birri is considered the "father of the Latin American documentary film" and his cinematic career has influenced many generations of filmmakers. A study of his aesthetic/political approach to film is essential in the construction and deconstruction of the Latin American Imaginary. Close analyses of Birri's filmography will map an itinerary of the Latin American documentary gaze both from critical and cinematographic perspectives.

LALS 390  Special Topics in Latin American and Latino Studies  (3 credits)

Prerequisite(s): LALS 201 or LALS 205. Study of selected topics and problems in Latin American and Latino Studies. Topics announced each semester. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits. Equivalent course LALS 290 effective through Fall 2019.

LALS 401  Capstone Course in Latin American and Latino Studies  (3 credits)

Prerequisite(s): LALS 201. Involves intensive reading, field work and research that focuses on a specific area of Latin American and Latino Studies. Topic must be selected by the instructor; may be a more advanced and centered treatment of a lower level course.