Upper-level courses in Spanish and Portuguese cover a broad range of fields such as film, theater, literature, linguistics, visual culture, dance and music. You will certainly find a topic that touches your heart and arouses your interest: from social movements in Spain to the life and work of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo; from Brazilian TV series to gender and sexuality in Latin/o American Literature and Culture.
Here are a few examples of our rubrics but check our website under courses to see specific content for each term, and what professor is teaching.
Spanish 45: Regional/National/Trans-Atlantic Approaches to Hispanic Studies
This course studies the complex intersections between literatures, languages, cultures and their national, regional, and trans-Atlantic contexts in Spain, Latin America, and the US. In this course, literary and cultural expressions are studied in relation to place in a wide array of historical contexts. Issues may include literature and colonialism, "indigenismo," the city/country dialectic, regional and national languages and cultural interdependence, the arts as buffers of political/nationalistic violence, national borders and cultural identity, and the formation of national literatures. Prerequisite: SPAN 20.
Spanish 63.08: The Many Faces of Brazilian Cinema
This course aims to give a comprehensive vision of the richness and diversity of Brazil by introducing its culture and society through the study of Brazilian contemporary cinematic productions. Topics include: The Other's gaze in Brazil, redefinition of national identity and history, reassessment of African and indigenous roots, concepts of good and evil, rural and urban violence, popular culture, and representations of race and gender. Dist: ART; WCult: NW.
Spanish 50: Gender and Sexuality in Hispanic Studies
This course will explore how the study of gender and sexuality is integral to understanding the complexities of Hispanic societies and cultures. In addition to analyzing literary texts and cultural and artistic productions, students will also examine theoretical and critical approaches to the study of gender and sexuality. Topics may include feminist movements, the construction and performance of gender, the theories as they relate to Hispanic embodiments and representations in literature and culture. Prerequisites: SPAN 20.
Portugese 35.01: Social, Political, and Cultural Trends in Contemporary Brazil
This class explores social, political, and economic issues in contemporary Brazil. Since 2013, the climate in Brazilian society has become more and more tense due to a series of street protests and polarized public debates on race, class, political representation, democracy, religion, gender, sexuality, environmental protection and economic justice. Materials for the course will include films, documentaries, music, and a wide variety of readings (mainstream media, blogs, academic essays, official documents, fiction). Dist:SOC; WCult:NW