Approved by Faculty Senate.

Residential Studies Course Proposal

1. Department of Program: Residential College
2. Course Number: 234
3. Semester Hours: 3
4. Frequency of Offering: Every other semester

5. Course Title: INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO GENDER AND LATIN AMERICAN SOCIETY THROUGH 20^TH CENTURY LITERATURE

6. Catalog Description: Latin American literature and film conveys a vibrant sense of social history and a nuanced perspective of gendered realities. This course will explore 20^th century writers and films from Chile, Uruguay, Brazil and El Salvador as a means to better comprehend the underlying social structure and gender relations.

7. This is not an existing course previously approved by A2C2

8. This is a new course proposal.
9. University Studies Requirement this course would satisfy: Unity and Diversity/ Global Perspectives
10. Department Contact Person: Linda D’Amico, 453-2517: ldamico@vax2.msus.edu

11. General Course and Proposal Information:

Interdisciplinary Approach to Gender and Latin American Society through 20^th Century Literature is being proposed as a Global Perspectives Course. The intent of RC 234 is to impart knowledge and understanding of Latin American culture through a critical analysis of some of its prominent literature. By discerning the social processes within the texts, students will become aware of gender and power relations within specific geo-cultural circumstances, and thus be cognizant of the vast diversity within Latin America, and be better able to grasp and understand global perspectives different from their own. It is expected that this course will have 30 students, which will promote discussions and presentations. Acclaimed novels and short stories in translation will be the texts utilized, and complemented with appropriate films when possible.

Specific Outcomes of USP Arts and Science Core: Global Perspectives Course

A. Understand the role of the world citizen and the responsibility world citizens share for their common global future: Latin American literature and film conveys a vibrant sense of social history and a nuanced perspective of gendered realities. This course will explore 20^th century writers and films from Chile, Uruguay, Brazil and El Salvador as a means to better comprehend the underlying social structure and gender relations.

B. Describe and analyze social, economic, political, spiritual, or environmental elements that influence the relations between living beings and their environments or between societies. The main objective is to gain a clear perspective of different social groups and power relations in Latin America through a diverse body of literature and film. What is the legacy of colonialism and how has it structured present day social and gender relations? Are there common threads in the diverse realities, why or why not??

1. Identify and analyze specific global issues, illustrating the social,

economic, political, spiritual or environmental differences that may affect their resolution. An anthropological perspective into literature and film will elucidate the interconnecting components of gendered realities that reflect the social, economic, political, spiritual and environmental contingencies of particular realtities. How are the social structures of inequality replicated, changed and resolved as represented in the given texts?

Sample Syllabus

INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO GENDER AND LATIN AMERICAN SOCIETY THROUGH 20^TH CENTURY LITERATURE

University Studies/ Unity and diversity/ Global Perspectives

Residential College 234

Dr. Linda D’Amico

453-2517

e-mail: ldamico@winona.edu

Course Outline

Galeno’s Trilogy of Fire, (Genesis, Faces and Masks, Century of the Wind) will introduce students to a Latin American perspective regarding prehistory, the colonial encounter and present day life. The course will explore the underlying social structures and situations of men and women. Furthermore, upon reading Allende’s House of Spirits, Benitez’ Bitter Grounds, and viewing the Brazilian Film Central Station, students will apply critical perspectives to gain a fuller understanding of power relations in Chile, El Salvador, and Brazil respectively.

Course Requirements

Literature/film will be the window into Latin American experience and art. Students will gain an understanding of Latin American realities through readings, discussions and films. Short essays (5@ 12%), discussions(@10%), a midterm (@15%), and final exam (@15%) will be the methods of evaluation.

Textbooks

Galeano, Eduardo. Memory of Fire Trilogy. Genesis. Faces and Masks

Century of the Wind. Cedric Belfrage, translator.Norton

Allende, Isabel. House of Spirits. Harper Collins.

Benítez, Sandra. Bitter Grounds. Picador.

Film:

Central Station

El Norte

Romero

House of Spirits

Other sources:

Crow, John A. The Epic of Latin America. Berkeley: University of California Press

Bethell, Leslie. A cultural history of Latin America : literature, music, and the visual arts in the 19th and 20th centuries. Cambridge: New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998.

This is a University Studies Program Social Sciences Core Course. It satisfies 3 credits of your Global Studies Perspective requirement. The outcomes specified for a USP Unity and Diversity/ Global Perspectives course specify that the course provide students the activities and opportunities to:

A. Understand the role of the world citizen and the responsibility world citizens share for their common global future: Latin American literature and film conveys a vibrant sense of social history and a nuanced perspective of gendered realities. This course will explore 20^th century writers and films from Chile, Uruguay, Brazil and El Salvador as a means to better comprehend the underlying social structure and gender relations.

B. Describe and analyze social, economic, political, spiritual, or environmental elements that influence the relations between living beings and their environments or between societies. The main objective is to gain a clear perspective of different social groups and power relations in Latin America through a diverse body of literature and film. What is the legacy of colonialism and how has it structured present day social and gender relations? Are there common threads in the diverse realities, why or why not??

3. Identify and analyze specific global issues, illustrating the social,

economic, political, spiritual or environmental differences that may affect their resolution. An anthropological perspective into literature and film will elucidate the interconnecting components of gendered realities that reflect the social, economic, political, spiritual and environmental contingencies of particular realtities. How are the social structures of inequality replicated, changed and resolved as represented in the given texts?

For each topic area the salient USP outcomes addressed in that area is identified (A-C)

Tentative Schedule

Week 1 Introduction, Fundamentals of Latin American Studies (A, B, C)

Whose history is it anyway? Writing from different perspectives

Week 2 (B,C)

Read Galeano

An Overview of PreColombian Social Structure

Week 3 (B,C)

Read Galeano

Discuss The Violent Change – essay due

Week 4 (B,C)

Read Galeano

An Overview of theColonial Period

Week 5

Read Galeano (A, B,C)

Republican and Modern Periods- essay due

Week 6 (D, A)

Read Galeano

An Overview of Where is Latin America Today?

Central Station- essay due

Week 7 Midterm (A, B, C)

Read Allende

Week 8 An Overview of Chile in the 19^th and 20^th centuries (B,C)

Read Allende

Week 9 Discuss Fundamentals of Gender and social structure in Chile (A, B, C)

Read Allende

Week10 Chile within the Global Political Economy (A, B, C)

Read Allende- essay due

Week 11 An Analysis of El Salvador within the context of Galeano’s and Allende’s perspective (D)

Read Benitez

Week 12 Discuss Fundamentals of Gender and social structure in El Salvador (B, C)

Read Benitez

Week 13 Discuss El Salvador within the Global Political Economy (C, B)

Read Benitez

Week 14 – essay due (A, B, C)

Read Benitez

Week 15 FINAL EXAM (A, B, C)