Space & Place in Col Latin Am

Catalog description

The overarching goal of this course is that students deepen their understanding of Spanish American cultures - and cultures in general - by relating physical space, places and their representations to the diverse human values, experiences and worldviews that shaped them during the colonial period. Examples include sacred and mythical places, places of labor such as silver mines and sugar mills, urban design and plazas, Jesuit reductions (missions), as well as the representation of place through toponyms and maps. We consider multiple perspectives (i.e. Amerindian, Spanish and Afro-American) on the same space or place, and we engage in reflective discussion about the diverse value systems, beliefs, social dynamics and physical conditions that shaped such places over time. These analyses lead to discussions about how colonial legacies and colonial places have been experienced in recent decades through visual art, film and especially tourism. In these discussions we contemplate how we, personally, want to see the colonial past and what this helps us to understand about ourselves. This course is taught in English and all required materials are available in English or with English sub-titles. This course counts toward the minor in Latin American Studies. No pre-requisite though 'Forging the Modern World' and ENG 102 are recommended.