SPAN 5300 - La cultura popular en América Latina

Goals: To engage in the collaborative and interdisciplinary study of various forms of popular culture in Latin America (festivals, music, foods, television, sports, etc.). To appreciate how both the Humanities and the Social Sciences can help us understand the social, historical, political, economic, and aesthetic dimensions of cultural practices. To improve one’s spoken Spanish through class discussion and formal presentations on a research topic.

Content: In the first half of the semester we learn how popular culture is defined and studied, and through readings, lectures, and class discussion we examine a range of popular Latin American cultural figures and practices. By mid-semester students will have formed working groups and chosen study topics, which they will research individually and collaboratively for several weeks. Finally, in a graduated series of oral presentations, students will teach classes on the popular culture genre they researched (e.g., comic books), and will lead us in interpreting a specific example of that genre (e.g., the Chilean comic book Condorito). Although some course readings are in English, all lectures, writing assignments, exams and presentations will be in Spanish.

Taught: Alternate years

Recommended prerequisite: SPAN 3900 or 3910

Credits: 4