Spanish

How we understand Latin American culture through the contributions of African slaves and African descendent people since the formation of the colonies to the present. How do we understand Latin American culture through the diverse contributions of African slaves and African descendent people since the formation of the colonies to the present, constitutes the main line of inquiry in this course. The course examines how the experiences of African slaves since their arrival with colonizing Spaniards to the Americas in the 16th century, culturally shaped what is known today as Latin America....

Did you know that the United States now has over 50 million Spanish-speakers, making it the second largest Spanish-speaking population in the world, after Mexico? In this course, we will explore the past, present, and future of the many different Spanish-speaking communities in the U.S. The main objective is to develop critical and linguistic awareness of the relationship between language, individual, and society. We will accomplish this through an examination of historical migration patterns and settlements, dialects of Spanish in the different regions of the U.S., the linguistic...

This course explores the transnational cinema of Mexican director Guillermo del Toro as a complete oeuvre with a particular aesthetic, technical and ideological project. It is a comprehensive study of a prominent filmmaker with a distinctly recognizable style that has captivated global audiences.   SPAN 535: Cabinet of Curiosities: Theorizing the Spectacular Cinema of Guillermo del Toro Spring 2021.   CRN: 39272 Wednesdays 3:30-5:50 Synchronous Via Zoom Prof. Eduardo Ledesma Taught in English.  Essays can be written...

What does it mean, in social and linguistic terms, to grow up speaking two languages or to learn a second language? This course is an introduction to the fundamental issues in the study of bilingualism as a sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic phenomenon, with special emphasis on Spanish bilingual communities in the United States, Spain, and Latin America. SPAN 307 Spring 2021; CRN 63313; MWF 12:00-12:50; Virtual; Taught in Spanish  

Taught in English, this course considers how gendered and sexed bodies have been imagined in contemporary Latina/o literature and visual culture (photography, digital graphics, murals, mixed media, music videos, and cinema/tv).   Bodies out of Place: Destabilizing Geographies of Identity in Latina/o Literature and Visual Culture Taught in English T/TH 2:00-3:20 pm, online.  CRN 46387 Crosslisted as LLS 246 Gen Ed for “Lit & Arts” and “US Minority Cultures” How have gendered and sexed bodies been imagined in contemporary Latina/o literature and...

An introduction to cultural analysis and interpretation. Students will analyze a range of cultural objects, including film, visual art, and literature, to think about how culture shapes our understanding of the world. Discussion will emphasize cultural issues in the context of Spain, Latin America, and the U.S. Thursdays 11:00-12:20

This course is an introduction to the classics of Mexican Cinema, from silent film until today. How has cinema shaped ideas about Mexican identity? How does it help us understand important events like the Mexican Revolution or key contemporary issues like immigration? We will explore this question by watching films from a range of genres including melodrama, horror, comedy, and the romantic comedy. We will also study important Mexican stars such as Cantinflas and El Santo. SPAN 326 Spring 2021; CRN 49961; TR 12:30-1:50

In this course, we will explore the construction of the image of Spain for foreign consumption from the turn of the twentieth century to the present. We will analyze the presence of Spain beyond its borders, including aspects such as military and economic colonialism, migration, tourism, sports, arts, food, fashion, and language. We will study a wide array of documents (films, literary texts, articles, commercials, visual culture, etc) from the perspective of postcolonial theory and cultural studies.

This course will examine how both emigration and immigration have been portrayed in the Spanish literature and in others cultural manifestations since 1900 to the present. In order to analyze the different Spanish migrations, the course will explore the historical, political, social, and economic contexts that caused them. The course will discuss concepts and themes such as immigration and emigration, exile, diaspora, community, and transculturation.

Learn about and from Latinx immigrants living and working in Champaign-Urbana. As you learn about their strengths and challenges, you will see how their realities reflect larger issues of immigration on a global, national and regional scale. You will hear directly from local Latinx leaders and people who stand alongside them, working toward immigrant justice.   During this pandemic, students will not volunteer directly in our community organizations. We must protect the health of our Latinx community which is already disproportionately affected by the virus. The class will be...