University Bulletin
Undergraduate Degree Programs
ENGL 226
(GH;US;IL)
(LTNST 226)
Latina and Latino Border Theories (3) English 226 will constitute a wide-ranging examination of contemporary texts (1960-present) central to the construction of contemporary Latino/a culture.
ENGL 226 Latina and Latino Border Theories (3)
(GH;US;IL)
(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements.
This course focuses on contemporary Latina/o cultural production, placing it in historical context and analyzing it through the framework of borders. We make connections between Latina/o groups, showing both similarities and differences. We examine the politics of representation, asking how artistic texts define community and individual identities that are coherent yet also embody the complexity of these identities. The texts cross and claim borders—cultural, sexual, gender, geographical, generational, spiritual, and institutional. We will ask how these art forms work to claim border spaces: How are cultural differences retained without constructing hierarchies of exclusion? What models of identity do these artists propose in response to structures of domination? We’ll read novels, short stories, poems, history, and theoretical essays; we will also watch several films. Throughout the course, we will attend to particular histories and cultures of Latina/o groups; it is crucial to both maintain the specificity of each culture (Chicana/o, Puerto Rican, Cuban-American, and Dominican-American) and their connections to each other as Latinas/os in the U.S. Inquiring into these intersections leads one to ask the following: how can Latinos unite against the assault on immigrants and bilingual education without erasing very important differences among Latina/o populations? How can Latinas unite against ongoing sexism and homophobia within their communities and the U.S. in general? How should we view the marketing category “Hispanic” and/or “Latino,” and how do artists offer alternative conceptions of group identity?
Note : Class size, frequency of offering, and evaluation methods will vary by location and instructor. For these details check the specific course syllabus.