Spanish

From native Indigenous societies who inhabited the Americas, to the Europeans in search of imperial expansion, to the forced arrival of enslaved Africans to American territories, this class will study how these diverse populations constructed their own identities and sense of belonging along the lines of bodies of lands and water, consequently establishing their own border thinking.   The colonization of the Americas has been defined as rooted in “the histories of borders” (W. Mignolo, The Idea of Latin America); histories that point out to territorial imaginings and disputes that...

How does the category of ‘other’ disrupt the boundaries of what we might consider natural, normal, and even real? This course examines the ways in which the category of ‘other’ disrupts the borders and boundaries of what we might consider natural, normal, and even real. Readings will include examples from theater, poetry, and short stories. Prerequisite: Span 228. CRN: 55518, 53119

This course will analyze the multiple uses of humor and laughter in contemporary Spain (20th-21st century). By looking at literary texts, films, TV series, comics, and other cultural expressions, this course will explore how sharing the same sense of humor reflects and promotes a sense of belonging to a community. A special emphasis will be given to how humor is used to both construct and contest the reshaping of different communities and identities depending on factors such as political affinities, gender, sexual orientation, and cultural diversity. Taught in Spanish.