FALL Courses 2008

Courses Offered by the Latin American & Latino Studies Program (provisional)

Check the Registrar's website for course availability.

 

LALS 060 Introduction to Latina/o Literature
     
TR 3:00-4:30PM LEC A. Padilla
CROSS LISTED: English-070    

A survey of cultural productions by Latinas/os (i.e. people of Latin American descent who have been raised in the U.S.) that usually will focus on the twentieth century, but might at times examine earlier periods instead. The course will take a culturally and historically informed approach to a wide range of novels, poems, plays, and films, and will sometimes include visual art and music. Writers and artists might include Américo Paredes, Piri Thomas, Cherríe Moraga, Sandra Cisneros, Julia Alvarez, Junot Díaz, Cristina García, El Teatro Campesino, John Leguizamo, Carmen Lomas Garza, the Hernandez Brothers, and Los Tigres del Norte.

LALS 070 Colonial Latin America
     
MW 3:30-5:00PM LEC  
CROSS LISTED: HIST-070    

The development of Latin America from pre-Columbian times to 1850. Emphasis is on the interaction between European, Indian and African elements in colonial society, the growth of national consciousness, and the related phenomena of political instability and economic underdevelopment.

LALS 178 Early Modern Atlantic World
     
MW 2:00-3:30PM LEC A. Feros
CROSS LISTED: History-178    

 

LALS 213 Latin America Politics
     
MW 1:00-2:00pm LEC T. Falleti
Cross listed: PSCI-213    

Study of the empirical and logical validity of some of the main arguments that connect the economy and politics in Latin America. The course focuses on themes such as the agro-exporting economy, the oligarchic state, import-substitution industrialization, bureaucratic-authoritarian regimes, transition to and consolidation of democracy, and structural reforms.

LALS 213.402 Latin America Politics
     
F 10:00-11:00am Recitation STAFF

 

LALS 213.403 Latin America Politics
     
F 11:00-12:00noon Recitation STAFF

 

LALS 213.404 Latin America Politics
     
F 1:00-2:00pm Recitation STAFF

 

LALS 240 Topics in Brazilian Culture
     
MWF 12:00-1:00pm SEM STAFF
Cross listed: Portuguese-240    

 

LALS 394 Spanish American Fiction
     
MWF  12:00-1:00pm SEM  Garcia-Serrano
Cross listed: Spanish-394    

Topics vary.  See the Romance Languages Department's website at
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/roml for a description of the current offerings.

LALS 396 20th Century Latin American Literature
     
TR 10:30-12:00noon SEM  J. Salessi
Cross listed: Spanish-390    

Topics vary.  See the Romance Languages Department's website at
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/roml for a description of the current offerings.

LALS 396.402 Introduction Spanish American Literature
     
TR 12:00-1:30pm SEM  STAFF
Cross listed: Spanish-390    

Topics vary.  See the Romance Languages Department's website at
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/roml for a description of the current offerings.

LALS 396.403 Introduction Spanish American Literature
     
MWF 10:00-11:00am SEM  STAFF
Cross listed: Spanish-390    

Topics vary.  See the Romance Languages Department's website at
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/roml for a description of the current offerings.

LALS 396.404 Introduction Spanish American Literature
     
MW 2:00-3:30pm SEM  STAFF
Cross listed: Spanish-390    

Topics vary.  See the Romance Languages Department's website at
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/roml for a description of the current offerings.

LALS 397 Studies in Spanish American Culture
     
TR 1:30-3:00 SEM STAFF
Cross listed: SPAN 396    

Topics vary.  See the Romance Languages Department's website at
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/roml for a description of the current offerings.

LALS 397.402 Studies in Spanish American Culture
     
TR 3:00-4:30pm SEM STAFF
Cross listed: SPAN 396    

Topics vary.  See the Romance Languages Department's website at
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/roml for a description of the current offerings

LALS 398 History Spanish American Culture
     
MWF 11:00-12:00nonn SEM STAFF
Cross listed: SPAN 397    

Topics vary.  See the Romance Languages Department's website at
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/roml for a description of the current offerings

LALS 399  Independent Study
     
Permission required   Staff
     

 

LALS 408 The Ancient Maya
     
TR 12:00-1:30pm LEC Sharer/Traxler
Cross listed: Anthropology-468    

Examination of current understanding of Ancient Maya, emphasizing critical review of recent archaeological research and theories.

LALS 557 Archaeology & Theory & Method
     
R 9:00-12:00noon SEM  C. Erickson
Cross Listed: Anthropology-557    

Advanced seminar for potential professional archaeologists.  Course will examine critically main past and present theoretical issues in archaeological research and interpretation, and consider various methodologies utilized toward these interpretative ends.

LALS 592 Chicano/a Studies
     
M 3:00-6:00pm SEM  A. Padilla
Cross Listed: English-592    

This course treats some aspect of literary and cultural politics in the 20th-Century with emphasis varying by instructor.

LALS 599 Independent Study
     
Permission required   Staff
     

 

LALS 655 Democratization
     
M 3:00-6:00pm SEM T. Falleti
Cross Listed: Political Science-655    

 

LALS 661 Language Diversity & Education
     
M 2:00-4:00 LEC Hornberger, N.
Cross listed: EDUC 661    

Exploration of issues affecting educational policy and classroom practice in multilingual, multicultural settings, with an emphasis on ethnographic research. Selected U.S. and international cases illustrate concerns relating to learners' bilingual/bicultural/biliterate development in formal educational settings. Topics include policy contexts, program structures, teaching and learning in the multilingual classroom, discourses and identities in multilingual education policy and practice, and the role of teachers, researchers, and communities in implementing change in schools.

 

LALS 689.401 Cinema 68: Film, Crisis, and Transition in Spain and Mexico (1960-1985)
     
W 4:00-7:00 SEM Prof. Solomon
Cross listed: SPAN 689.401    

The objective of this course is to examine the remarkable cinematic production in Spain and Mexico during the decade following the 1968 massacre at Tlectoloco in Mexico City and during the waning days and subsequent death of Francisco Franco in Spain. We will compare these two national traditions against a broad overview of European and Latin American cinema during the 1960's, including French Nouvelle Vague, British Free Cinema, and Brazilian Cinema Novo. Given that a major concern of filmmakers during the 1960's and 1970's was the relation between film and indexical realism, we will discuss works by classical film theorists such as Kracauer, Bazin, Eisenstein, Epstein and Dulac as well as more recent works by Gunning, Doane, and Mulvey. Required screenings include: from Spain, La caza (Carlos Saura 1966), Furtivos (Borau 1975), El espíritu de la colmena (Erice 1973), Diatrambo (Suarez 1968), Fata morgana (Aranda 1965), La campana del infierno (Guerín 1973); from Mexico, Canoa (Cazals 1976), El lugar sin ímites (Ripstein 1978), La pasión según Berenice (Hermosillo 1976),and Alucarda, hija de las tiniebas (López 1978). Secondary required screenings include, Los olvidados (Buñuel 1950), Sang des bêtes (Franju 1949), à bout de souffle (Godard 1960), Battaglia di Algeri (Pontecorvo 1966), and Tire die (Birri 1960). The syllabus and corresponding readings and screenings will be coordinated with lectures by visiting faculty member, Carlos Monsivais, and with related events at the International House such as a Glauber Rocha retrospective and screenings of Death of a Cyclist (Antonio Bardem 1955) and La hora de los hornos (Getina y Solanas 1968).