Spanish and PortugueseSpanish 120
Elementary Spanish II
Staff
(See Roster for time(s))
Spanish 120, the continuation of Spanish 110, is a second-semester elementary Spanish course. This course emphasizes the development of foundational reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills while exploring the rich cultural mosaic of the Spanish-speaking world. Students will participate in pair, small-group and whole-class activities that focus on meaningful and accurate communication skills in the target language.
Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of Spanish 110 or permission of the course coordinator.
Spanish 121
Elementary Spanish
Staff
(See Roster for time(s))
Spanish 121 is designed for students who have some prior experience in Spanish. It is an intensive elementary-level language course which in one semester covers the material studied over two semesters in Spanish 110 and Spanish 120. The course provides a quick-paced review of material normally covered in a first semester Spanish course and then proceeds to introduce new material so students will be prepared to take Spanish 130 during the subsequent semester.
As in other Spanish courses, Spanish 121 emphasizes the development of foundational reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills while exploring the rich cultural mosaic of the Spanish-speaking world. Students will participate in pair, small-group and whole-class activities that focus on meaningful and accurate communication skills in the target language.
By the end of this course, students will be able to engage in simple conversation on familiar topics, talk about the past and the future, make comparisons, give commands, describe people and things in increasing detail, etc. Students will also develop reading and listening skills that will allow them to understand simple articles in Spanish as well as pick out pertinent information when listening to a native speaker.
Prerequisite(s): A score of 380-440 on the SAT II or 285-383 on the online placement examination.
Spanish 125
Spanish for the Medical Professions, Elementary II
Staff
(See Roster for time(s))
Spanish 125 is a second-semester elementary Medical Spanish Language that continues to develop the fundamentals of practical Spanish, with a special focus on medical situations and basic medical terminology. In this course, particular attention will be given to developing speaking and listening skills, as well as cultural awareness. Students will be expected to participate in classroom activities such as role-plays based on typical office and emergency procedures in order to develop meaningful and accurate communication skills in the target language.
Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of Spanish 110 or 115 or a score of 380-440 on the SAT II or 285-383 on the online placement examination.
Spanish 130
Intermediate Spanish I
Staff
(See Roster for time(s))
Spanish 130 is a first-semester intermediate-level language course that emphasizes the development of the four basic skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) within a culturally based context. Class time will focus on communicative activities that combine grammatical concepts, relevant vocabulary, and cultural themes. Students will participate in pair, small group and whole-class activities to practice linguistics skills in meaningful contexts. Major course goals include: the acquisition of intermediate-level vocabulary, the controlled use of the past tense, and the development of writing skills at a paragraph level with transitions.
Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of Spanish 112, 120, 121 or 125 or a score of 450-540 on the SAT II or 384-453 on the online placement examination.
Spanish 134
Intermediate Spanish I and II: Accelerated
Staff
(See Roster for time(s))
Spanish 134 is an intensive intermediate-level language course that covers the material presented in Spanish 130 and Spanish 140. The course emphasizes the development of the four canonical skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) within a culturally based context. Class time will focus on communicative activities that combine grammatical concepts, relevant vocabulary, and cultural themes. Students will participate in pair, small-group and whole-class activities to practice linguistics skills in a meaningful context. Major course goals include: the acquisition of intermediate-level vocabulary, the controlled use of the past tense and major uses of the subjunctive, and the development of writing skills.
During the spring semester, Spanish 134 is limited to those students who have satisfied the language requirement in another language.
Spring semester prerequisite(s): Permit required from the course coordinator.
Spanish 140
Intermediate Spanish II
Staff
(See Roster for time(s))
Spanish 140, the continuation of Spanish 130, is a fourth-semester language course that offers students an opportunity to acquire communicative skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) while developing their awareness and appreciation of the Spanish-speaking world. Topics studied may include the environment, the arts, social relations, and conflict and violence.
Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of Spanish 130 or 135 or a score of 550-640 on the SAT II or 454-546 on the online placement examination.
Spanish 145
Spanish for the Medical Professions, Intermediate II
Staff
(See Roster for time(s))
Spanish 145 is a second-semester intermediate level language course that emphasizes the development of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills within a medical context. Throughout the semester, students will learn about those healthcare issues affecting the Hispanic world. Students will be expected to participate in classroom activities such as communicative activities, role-plays based on typical doctor-patient interactions as well as other medical situations. Students will also review and acquire forms and structures useful both inside and outside the medical field. This course satisfies the language requirement in Spanish.
Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of Spanish 130 or 135 or a score of 550-640 on the SAT II or 454-546 on the online placement examination.
Spanish 180
Spanish Conversation
Staff
La casa hispanica residents only.
Spanish 202
Advanced Spanish
Staff
(See Roster for time(s))
The purpose of this course is twofold: (a) to develop students’ communicative abilities in Spanish, that is, speaking, listening, reading and writing, and (b) to increase their awareness and understanding of Hispanic cultures and societies. Homework and classroom activities are designed to help students build their oral proficiency, expand and perfect their knowledge of vocabulary and grammatical structures, improve their reading and writing skills, and develop their critical thinking abilities. The material for this class includes short stories, newspaper articles, poems, songs, cartoons, video clips and a novel, such as Gabriel García Márquez’s Crónica de una muerte anunciada. At the completion of this course students will feel confident discussing and debating a variety of contemporary issues (cultural and religious practices, family relationships, gender stereotypes, political events, immigration to USA, etc.).
Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of Spanish 140 or equivalent.
Spanish 208
Business Spanish I
Prof. Lebaudy
(See Roster for time(s))
Spanish for Business I provides advanced-level language students with technical vocabulary and communicative skills covering business concepts as they apply to the corporate dynamics of the Spanish-speaking world, with a special emphasis on Latin America. Through readings, presentations, discussions, and video materials, we shall analyze those cultural aspects that characterize the business environment in the region as well as focus on economies and markets in light of their history, politics, resources and pressing international concerns.
Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of Spanish 140 or equivalent.
Spanish 209
Business Spanish II
Prof. Lebaudy
(See Roster for time(s))
Business Spanish II, Advanced Spanish for Business, is specifically designed for advanced speakers of Spanish (e.g., native speakers, fluent heritage speakers, students who have studied in a Spanish speaking country for at least one semester, and/or those who have attained an equivalent level of linguistic competency). Students will take an in-depth look at the corporate dynamics of a number of countries in Latin America, focusing on their economies and markets, as well as on the cultural and business protocols of each region. Through the creation of an entrepreneurial project and the writing of a business plan, students will enhance their business and language skills. Please write to Prof. Lebaudy for permission to take this course.
Prerequisite(s): See description above.
Spanish 212
Advanced Spanish Grammar
Staff
(See Roster for time(s))
Spanish 212 is a sixth-semester advanced grammar course that emphasizes the acquisition of a solid knowledge of those major points of Spanish grammar. Through discussion and correction of assigned exercises, analysis of authentic readings, and contrastive study of Spanish and English syntax and lexicon, students will develop an awareness of the norms of standard Spanish with the aim of incorporating these features into their own oral and written linguistic production.
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 202 or equivalent.
Spanish 215
Spanish for the Professions I
Prof. Carlo
(See Roster for time(s))
Spanish for the Professions is designed to provide advanced-level language students with a wide-ranging technical vocabulary and the enhancement of solid communicative skills within the cultural context of several developing Latin American countries. Focusing on topics such as politics, economy, society, health, environment, education, science and technology, the class will explore the realities and underlying challenges facing Latin America. Through essays, papers, articles, research, discussions, case studies, and videotapes we shall take an in-depth look at the dynamics of Latin American societies. The course will focus on --but not be restricted to-- Mexico, Cuba and Argentina.
Spanish 219
Hispanic Texts and Contexts
Staff
(See Roster for time(s))
The primary aim of this course is to develop students' knowledge of the geographical, historical and cultural contexts of the Spanish-speaking world. At the same time that they are introduced to research techniques and materials available in Spanish, students strengthen their language skills through reading, oral presentations, video viewing, and regular writing assignments. The course is designed to give students a broad understanding of Hispanic culture that will prepare them for upper-level course work.
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 212.
Spanish 250
Major Works in Spanish and Latin American Literature
Prof. Regueiro
(See Roster for time(s))
From the rise of the novel with Cervantes' Don Quixote in early-modern Spain to the Latin American "boom" with García Márquez' One Hundred Years of Solitude, this course will examine these and other major works in Hispanic literature within the cultural, political, and social context of each period.
Spanish 330
Medieval Language, Literature and Culture in the Age of Alfonso X, El Sabio
Prof. Solomon
(See Roster for time(s))
This course explores the extraordinary 13th century, an age of novelty and innovation that gave birth to the Spanish language and the first Spanish literary works. Focusing on the Castilian monarch, Alfonso X, and his astonishing literary and cultural production, we will examine the development of Spanish from Latin and the rising use of Spanish as a political, judicial, and scientific medium for organizing the new Christian kingdoms in Spain. As background we will read selections of works from the Mester de clerezia tradition, including El libro de Alexandre and Berceo’s Milagros de Santa María. The course culminates in an extensive study of Alfonso’s remarkable Codice Rico—a collection of over 200 narrative songs retelling the Virgin Mary’s miracles, each illuminated with richly detailed images depicting all aspects of medieval life and culture.
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
Spanish 373
Myth, Romance and Mistery: An Introduction to Spanish Romanticism
Prof. López
(See Roster for time(s))
A study of the canonical authors of Romantic drama in Spain. In this course we will read the main titles in nineteenth-century drama, we will pay attention how these works witness the sensibility of the period. Other topics: connection between literary works and the social and political movements, the position of the writer, and the evolution of the artistic taste. Four exams and class participation will decide final grade.
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
Spanish 380
Contemporary Spain
Prof. López
(See Roster for time(s))
Spanish 380 is an advanced course designed to give students a basic knowledge of the history, politics, and culture of contemporary Spain. Reading materials and explanations during class meetings will cover the period 1868-2004; that is to say, from the liberal revolution in the second half of the nineteenth century to the Socialist victory in the elections following the Madrid terrorist attacks on March 11, 2004. In the first half of the course we will study the historical conditions, including a review of the constitutional monarchy (1875-1923) and its dissolution in Primo’s dictatorship (1923-1931), followed by the second Republic and the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). We will pay special attention to the international pressures that resulted in the defeat of the Republic followed by the advent of Franco’s dictatorship. The second part of the course concentrates on the study of Franco’s regime (1939-1975) and the transition to democracy (1979) as well as the consolidation of the monarchy and Spain’s integration into Europe.
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
Spanish 386-301
Gypsies, Jews and Moors: Representations of the Other in Spanish Literature and Culture
Prof. Léon-Blázquez
(See Roster for time(s))
The conceptualization of the Monarquía Hispánica as a white, Catholic and Castilian centered project implied an extremely violent exclusion of significant sectors in its former medieval society. After the forced conversions and massive expulsions of 1492 and 1609, “true Spanishness” was defined for centuries by opposition to “judíos”, “moros” and “gitanos”. Which texts reinforced this perception of certain social groups as “others”? Which texts contributed to their later exoticism, vindication, and even nostalgic idealization? This course will begin exploring medieval and early-modern sources, when the Others’ still tangible presence within Hispanic society required a sort of “discursive exorcism” (possible readings will include “Cantar de Mio Cid”, pieces from the “Romancero”, “morisco novels”, legal stipulations, and Cervantes’ “La Gitanilla”). We will then move to the effect that the Romantic view of European foreigners had on the revalorization of these three cultural legacies during the 19 th century (Cadalso, Irving, Merimée, Bizet, Borrow, Zorrilla). We will also consider the impact of the War of Independence against Napoleonic France, and the subsequent need to find distinctive identity features that would legitimize an independent sovereignty. Already in the 20 th century, our course will follow the pre-Civil War, the dictatorship, and the post-Franco stages of the debate (García-Lorca, Castro, Sánchez-Albornoz, Goytisolo, Gala, Ortiz, and Álvarez-Junco, among others). Class materials will also including cinematographic and mass-media projections of ethnicity in Contemporary Spain.
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
Spanish 386-401
Introduction to Mexican Cinema
Prof. Solomon
(See Roster for time(s))
An introduction and overview of Mexican cinema from the first Lumière screening in Mexico City (1896) to the recent wave of creative filmmakers such a Alfonso Cuarón, Carlos Raygades, and Guillermo del Toro. Topics include: the role of film in the Mexican revolution; popular genres during the Mexican Golden Ages of cinema (1930-1950); Luis Buñuel’s contribution to Mexican Cinema; the New Mexican Cinema movement that rose up following the massacre at Tlatelolco; Mexican B cinema, including El Santo and horror cinema; Border Cinema and Narcocinema”; the innovating developments during the 1990’s; and recent trends in Mexican Cinema including the revival of short films and electronically disseminated visual media.
Screenings of major films include: La mujer del puerto (Arcady Boytler 1934), Vámanos con Pancho Villa (Fernando de Fuentes 1936), Allí está el detalle (Juan Bustillo Oro 1940), Cuando los Hijos se Van (Juan Bustillo Oro 1941, Río Escondido (Emilio Fernández 1948), Aventurera (Alberto Gout 1950), Los Olvidados (Luis Buñuel 1950), El (Luis Buñuel 1953), Canoa (Felipe Cazals 1976), Un lugar sin límites (Arturo Ripstein 1978), Rojo amanecer (Jorge Fons 1989), Novia que te vea (Guita Schyfter 1994), La ley de Herodes (Luis Estrada 1999), Temporada de patos (Fernando Eimbcke 2004), Batalla en el cielo (Carlos Reygadas 2005), and Children of Men (Alfonso Cuarón 2006).
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
Spanish 386-402
The Evolution of the Don Juan Myth in the Western Literary Tradition
Francisco Fernández
(See Roster for time(s))
In this course, we will study the appearance and evolution of the Don Juan myth in the Western literary tradition. We will start by analyzing Tirso de Molina’s Don Juan in his El burlador de Sevilla and move from the Baroque and Romantic periods to today’s depictions of not only a male Don Juan, but also of a female Don Juan. Moreover, we will study how filmmakers have interpreted and deviated from the original myth. We will read works by María de Zayas, Molière, Lord Byron, José de Espronceda, José Zorrilla, Emilia Pardo Bazán, Ramón del Valle-Inclán, Miguel de Unamuno, and Carmen Riera, and we will watch such films as Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios, Pillow Talk, Shampoo and Broken Flowers. In addition to situating the myth in its social and historical contexts, we will study the different dramatic and literary strategies used by authors and filmmakers in their construction of Don Juan.
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
Spanish 390-401
20th Century Latin American Literature
Prof. Salessi
(See Roster for time(s))
Through the study of major works of twentieth century Latin American fiction, the course will explore Latin America’s geographical and natural landscape, its literature, history, art, music, popular culture, and their imaginary constructions. Critical concepts and historical accounts of distinct manifestations of culture will inform the reading of the specific trajectory in literature and cultural production proposed by the class. Students will thus become familiar with a cluster of critical concepts that will help them to engage reflectively Latin American writers, cultures and historical periods. Author include Gabriel García Márquez, Juan Rulfo, Alejo Carpentier and Manuel Puig.
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
Spanish 390-402
Introduction to Literature and Film of the Andean Region of Latin America
Prof. Knight
(See Roster for time(s))
This course explores important works of literature from the highlands of Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Colombia. Genres covered include the novel, essay, poetry, testimonial, short story, and film. As we progress through the syllabus we will examine how key components of the Latin American experience are manifest in the Andean context. These elements include representations of indigenous people, mestizaje, machismo, women’s roles, the Church, political terrorism, and the struggle for social justice. Among the longer works covered are Matto de Turner’s Aves sin nido, Icaza’s Huasipungo, Arguedas’s Los ríos profundos, and Vargas Llosa’s Historia de Mayta.
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
Spanish 394-401
Major Works of the Boom
Prof. Knight
(See Roster for time(s))
Why has Latin American narrative of the 1960s and 70s enjoyed such popular and critical success? What distinguishes this literature from that which was written earlier or later or outside Latin America? Who were the major writers of the boom generation, and what unites or separates them? In this course we will consider these questions as we read important works of fiction by Cortázar, Donoso, Fuentes, García Márquez, and Vargas Llosa as well as criticism that sheds light on the phenomenon of the boom.
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
Spanish 394-402
There Will Be Blood: Fictions of Crime and Exception in Contemporary Latin American Fiction
Prof. Montoya
(See Roster for time(s))
In Contemporary Latin American Literature, it is common to find the representation of spaces where the Law has evanesced. From Brazil’s “favelas” to Colombian’s “comunas”, from the Mexican-US border to the Main street of every city in the continent, a new geography has emerged: areas where everybody is a foreigner, a migrant, an exiled or an invader, and where the most terrible or marvelous events could happen. In this class, we will explore the emergence of those “territories of exception”, and how Latin American writers search for narrative and aesthetic models that would allow them to represent those spaces: new realisms, re-elaborations of avant-garde experiments, or explorations of new resources offered by mass media and virtual technology. We will read works by Mario Bellatín, Roberto Bolaño, César Aira, Pedro Juan Gutiérrez, Rita Indiana Hernández, Martín Kohan, Alan Pauls, and Luis Arturo Ramos.
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
Spanish 396-401
Biography of Buenos Aires
Prof. Salessi
(See Roster for time(s))
The course will trace a history of Buenos Aires as a space of representation. We will explore how the city becomes the site for the writing and re-writing of national and local histories of opportunity, hopes, anxiety or despair. The class will try to answer to questions that arise when looking at spaces. How are they represented? What do we see inside? What has been left out? Which are the spaces different subjects claims as theirs? Why and how are some spaces more permissive, or repressive, than others?
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
Spanish 396-402
Cubanas : Cultural Production and Social Change
Prof. García-Serrano
(See Roster for time(s))
Through the examination of works produced by contemporary Cuban women writers and artists, students will gain an understanding of how the political and social upheavals that took place in Cuba throughout the twentieth century --Machado´s dictatorship, Castro´s Revolution, exiles, “Special Period”-- have shaken and shaped women’s lives and artistic productions. In our class discussions special attention will be given to the construction of a national and cultural identity, race and gender relationships, and women’s aesthetics. Readings by Lydia Cabrera, Nancy Morejón, Mireya Robles, Ana Mendieta, Ena Lucía Portela, and Yoani Sánchez.
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
Spanish 396-403
Ciphers and Scribes: Reading Race in Modern Latin America
Prof. Lahr-Vivaz
(See Roster for time(s))
What does it mean to identify oneself as mestiza, castiza, mulata, or indígena? What does it mean to be read as “black” or “white”? In this course, we will discuss the negotiation of race and the politics of identity as we consider a series of texts that highlight both race as a cipher and the interplay that necessarily occurs between the modern author (or scribe) who writes on race and his or her intended reader. Texts to be considered include Cirilo Villaverde’s Cecilia Valdés; Reinaldo Arenas’s La loma del Ángel; Roberto Fernando Retamar’s Calibán; Rigoberta Menchú’s Me llamo Rigoberta Menchú y así me nació la conciencia; and Clarice Lispector’s La pasión según G.H. To contextualize our discussion, we will also read a selection of theoretical and critical essays on race, modernity, and the postcolonial.
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
Spanish 396-404
Violent Paradises: The Contemporary Caribbean Through Literature and Film Prof. Pagán Teitelbaum
(See Roster for time(s))
This course explores contemporary Caribbean literature, film and music production in order to foster a better appreciation of Antillean cultures and history while investigating the complex power dynamics in the Caribbean. We will interrogate the myth of the Caribbean as paradise by focusing on how artistic works can make visible hidden social, political or economic structures of violence. We will examine how the politics of leisure of the tourist economy clash with slavery or exploitation in plantation and post-plantation societies. We will investigate the search for identity and sovereignty as centuries of colonialism still make it difficult for Caribbean nations to escape political and economic dependency on metropolitan centers of power. The course will focus on writers from the Caribbean islands and the Caribbean diaspora, such as Ana Lydia Vega (Puerto Rico),Junot Díaz (Dominican Republic), Edwidge Dandicat (Haiti), Adelaida Fernández (Cuba), Andrea Levy (Jamaica), Jamaica Kincaid (Antigua), Earl Lovelace (Trinidad), Frantz Fanon (Martinique); and films such as Ladrones a Domicilio (A. Muñiz, 2008), The Agronomist (J. Demme, 2003), Cecilia (H. Solás, 1982), and The Harder They Come (P. Henzell, 1972). Conducted in Spanish (readings in Spanish and English).
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.