This is an introductory course exploring intersecting histories, ideas, and social, political and cultural structures in Latin America. We will focus on the workings of Latin American cultures as shaped by race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, place, and religion. Throughout this course we will ask: Where is Latin America and what is Latin America? Over the semester, we will ask critical questions of a wide variety of materials: essays, television, poems, photographs, films, music, visual art, historical documents and legal texts. Students will be exposed to and experiment with a wide range of current interdisciplinary theoretical and methodological approaches with particular attention to research approaches to the study of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and other categories of difference.

Grading Schema

• 10 pts Class Participation: Students must attend all lectures and participate in class discussion. This requires that students read and/or view the assigned material ahead of time and come to class with reactions, comments, questions, etc. 
• 30 pts Short Essay
• 40 pts 4 Writing Responses: A total of 4 writing responses each worth 10 points each. 
• 20 pts: Final Essay Reflection