Introduction to U.S. Latino/a Literature

Catalog description

This course will expose students to the writings by and about Latinos and Latinas living in the United States, with emphasis on the similarities and differences that form the experiences among diverse Latino sub-groups living in the United States. The majority of the texts selected will emanate from the three major Latino sub-groups in the United States, Mexican Americans or Chicanos, Puerto Ricans or Nuyoricans, and Cuban Americans, written during the 20th and 21st centuries, with additional works from other Latinx identities. Texts will include poetry, short fiction, drama, essays, autobiographies, and novels. By critically analyzing works from a range of genres, students will be asked to examine themes and issues through literary analysis as well as factors that influence the cultural production of these groups. Films may also be introduced to support engagement with the texts. Readings will be in English, and this course will be taught in English.