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© 2013 The University of Chicago,
5801 South Ellis Ave. Chicago, IL 60637
773.702.1234
© 2013 The University of Chicago,
5801 South Ellis Ave. Chicago, IL 60637
773.702.1234
2013-2014 College Catalog
Latin American Studies
Catalog Home › The College › Programs of Study › Latin American Studies
Contacts | Program of Study | Program Requirements | Summary of Requirements | Grading | Honors | Minor Program in Latin American Studies | Summary of Requirements: Minor Program in Latin American Studies | Courses
Contacts
Administrative Contact
Student Affairs Coordinator
Jamie Gentry
Kelly 109A
773.702.8420
Email
Preceptor/BA Advisor
Director, Center for Latin American Studies, Professor of History
Mauricio Tenorio
SS 506
702.3708
Listhost
https://lists.uchicago.edu/web/info/uofchicago_clas
Website
Program of Study
Students who major in Latin American Studies gain a thorough grounding in selected aspects of Latin American societies, cultures, histories, politics, and economics through one or more of the social sciences as they deal with Latin American materials, and through competence in Spanish or Portuguese (an added intellectual asset). The BA program in Latin American Studies can provide an appropriate background for careers in business, journalism, government, teaching, or the nonprofit sector, or for graduate studies in one of the social sciences disciplines. Students who are more interested in the languages and/or literatures of Latin America may wish to consider the major in Romance Languages and Literatures. Students in other fields of study may also complete a minor in Latin American Studies. Information follows the description of the major.
Application to the Program
Students who plan to apply for the major in Latin American Studies should follow the guidelines below. An informational meeting is held each spring to describe the program and its requirements, as well as to explain and facilitate the application process.
- As early as possible in their studies and in consultation with their College adviser and the Student Affairs Administrator, students should prepare a preliminary plan of study that would meet program requirements.
- In the Autumn Quarter of their fourth year, students should choose a suitable faculty adviser to supervise the development of their BA essay project.
- Students must then submit an application with a Third-Year Statement to the program adviser for approval. This statement is a brief proposal for their BA essay that identifies their research topic and includes a list of proposed summer readings that are relevant to the BA essay project. The deadline for submission of the Third-Year Statement is Monday of ninth week of Spring Quarter. NOTE: Students who plan to study abroad during Spring Quarter of their third year should meet with the Student Affairs Administrator before leaving campus.
Program Requirements
Students who are majoring in Latin American Studies must complete the general education requirement in civilization studies with LACS 16100-16200-16300 Introduction to Latin American Civilization I-II-III or SOSC 24302-24402-24502 Latin American Civilization in Oaxaca I-II-III. Either of these sequences provides an excellent introduction to the program. To meet the language requirement for the major, these students must also complete three courses in second-year Spanish or Portuguese; eligible students may petition for credit. To meet requirements for the specialization in Latin American Studies, students must also take five courses that focus on Latin America or the Caribbean (at least four of the five must be in the social sciences) and two additional courses that cover any social science topic. All students who are majoring in Latin American Studies are required to participate in the BA Colloquium and to submit a BA essay.
As early as possible in their studies, students should obtain a worksheet from the Student Affairs Administrator that will assist them with selecting the five required courses. For a list of approved courses, visit the LACS website or consult with the Student Affairs Administrator.
Depending on whether the student counts two or three Latin American civilization courses toward the general education requirement, the major requires either eleven or twelve courses. Students who use all three quarters of a Latin American civilization sequence to meet the general education requirement will complete an eleven-course major. Students who fulfill the general education requirement with two quarters of the sequence will count the third quarter of the sequence toward the major, for a total of twelve courses in the major.
Students participating in a study abroad program may petition to have courses accepted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the major.
BA Essay
All students who are majoring in Latin American Studies are required to write a BA essay under the supervision of a faculty member. The BA essay is due Friday of seventh week of Spring Quarter of the year of graduation. Registration for a BA essay preparation course (LACS 29900 Preparation of the BA Essay) is optional. Students who do register for LACS 29900 Preparation of the BA Essay may count this course as one of the five they must take dealing with Latin America. The grade students will receive for this course depends on the successful completion of the BA essay.
This program may accept a BA essay project used to satisfy the same requirement in another major if certain conditions are met and with the consent of both program chairs. Students should consult with the chairs by the earliest BA proposal deadline (or by the end of their third year, if neither program publishes a deadline). A consent form, to be signed by both chairs, is available from the College adviser. It must be completed and returned to the College adviser by the end of Autumn Quarter of the student's year of graduation.
BA Colloquium
LACS 29801 BA Colloquium is a yearlong course led by the preceptor and BA adviser. Fourth-year students are required to participate in all three quarters, although they register only once in Autumn Quarter. The colloquium assists students in formulating approaches to the BA essay and developing their research and writing skills, while providing a forum for group discussion and critiques. Graduating students present their BA essays in a public session of the colloquium during Spring Quarter.
Summary of Requirements
| General Education | 200 | |
| Introduction to Latin American Civilization I-II | ||
| Latin American Civilization in Oaxaca I and Latin American Civilization in Oaxaca II | ||
| Total Units | 200 | |
| Major | ||
| One of the following courses if not taken to meet the general education requirement: | 0-100 | |
| Introduction to Latin American Civilization III | ||
or SOSC 24502 | Latin American Civilization in Oaxaca III | |
| One of the following sequences: * | 300 | |
| Language, History, and Culture I-II-III | ||
| Intermediate Portuguese and Advanced Portuguese and Curso de Aperfeiçoamento | ||
| Five courses dealing with Latin America (four in the social sciences) | 500 | |
| Two courses in the social sciences ** | 200 | |
| LACS 29801 | BA Colloquium | 100 |
| BA essay | ||
| Total Units | 1100-1200 | |
| * | Or credit for the equivalent as determined by petition. |
| ** | These courses must be chosen in consultation with the student affairs administrator. |
Grading
Each of the required courses for the Latin American Studies major must be taken for a quality grade.
Honors
Students who have done exceptionally well in their course work and on their BA essay are considered for honors. Candidates must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher overall and 3.25 or higher in the major.
Minor Program in Latin American Studies
The minor program in Latin American Studies provides students majoring in other disciplines the opportunity to become familiar with selected aspects of Latin American societies, cultures, histories, politics, and economics through one or more of the social sciences as they deal with Latin American materials, and one or more major language of the region. It can provide an appropriate cultural background for careers in business, journalism, government, teaching, or the nonprofit sector, or for graduate studies in one of the social sciences. The course of study is designed to be flexible so as to serve students in the humanities, social sciences, biological sciences, and physical sciences. The minor, which can be completed in one year, requires five to six courses, depending on how the student meets the general education requirement in civilization studies.
No courses in the minor can be double counted with the student's major(s) or with other minors, nor can they be counted toward general education requirements. They must be taken for quality grades and more than half of the requirements for the minor must be met by registering for courses bearing University of Chicago course numbers.
Students must complete the general education requirement in civilization studies with LACS 16100-16200-16300 Introduction to Latin American Civilization I-II-III or SOSC 24302-24402-24502 Latin American Civilization in Oaxaca I-II-III. Students who use all three quarters of a Latin American civilization sequence to meet the general education requirement will complete a five-course minor. Students who meet the general education requirement with two quarters of the civilization sequence will count the third quarter of the sequence toward the minor, for a six-course minor.
The minor requires two courses in Spanish or Portuguese at the level of the second year or beyond. Credit may be granted by petition for one of these courses. The minor also requires three Latin American content courses.
Students must submit a research paper treating a Latin American topic for one of their Latin American content courses. The research paper is of intermediate length (ten to fifteen pages) in a course with Latin American content. Each student is responsible for making appropriate arrangements with the faculty member. Completion of the course research paper must be demonstrated to the program adviser in Latin American Studies.
Students who elect the minor program should meet with the program adviser in Latin American Studies before the end of Spring Quarter of their third year to declare their intention to complete the program. The program adviser's approval for the minor must be submitted to the student's College adviser, on a form obtained from the College adviser, no later than the end of the student's third year.
Summary of Requirements: Minor Program in Latin American Studies
| One of the following if not taken to meet the general education requirement: | 0-100 | |
| Introduction to Latin American Civilization III | ||
| Latin American Civilization in Oaxaca III | ||
| One of the following sequences: * | 200 | |
| Language, History, and Culture I-II | ||
| Intermediate Portuguese; Advanced Portuguese | ||
| Three courses dealing with Latin America | 300 | |
| Total Units | 500-600 | |
| * | Eligible students may petition for partial credit (for only one language course). |
Courses
The following courses are for reference only. See the Time Schedules for specific offerings. See the Center for Latin American Studies webpage for further information on quarterly offerings.
LACS 12200. Portuguese for Spanish Speakers. 100 Units.
This class is intended for speakers of Spanish to develop competence quickly in spoken and written Portuguese. In this intermediate-level course, students learn ways to apply their Spanish language skills to mastering Portuguese by concentrating on the similarities and differences between the two languages.
Instructor(s): A.-M. Lima Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 20100 or consent of instructor
Note(s): Must be taken for a quality grade.
Equivalent Course(s): PORT 12200
LACS 16100-16200-16300. Introduction to Latin American Civilization I-II-III.
Taking these courses in sequence is not required. This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies. This sequence is offered every year. This course introduces the history and cultures of Latin America (e.g., Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean Islands).
LACS 16100. Introduction to Latin American Civilization I. 100 Units.
Autumn Quarter examines the origins of civilizations in Latin America with a focus on the political, social, and cultural features of the major pre-Columbian civilizations of the Maya, Inca, and Aztec. The quarter concludes with an analysis of the Spanish and Portuguese conquest, and the construction of colonial societies in Latin America.
Terms Offered: Autumn
Equivalent Course(s): ANTH 23101,CRES 16101,HIST 16101,HIST 36101,LACS 34600,SOSC 26100
LACS 16200. Introduction to Latin American Civilization II. 100 Units.
Winter Quarter addresses the evolution of colonial societies, the wars of independence, and the emergence of Latin American nation-states in the changing international context of the nineteenth century.
Terms Offered: Winter
Equivalent Course(s): ANTH 23102,CRES 16102,HIST 16102,HIST 36102,LACS 34700,SOSC 26200
LACS 16300. Introduction to Latin American Civilization III. 100 Units.
Spring Quarter focuses on the twentieth century, with special emphasis on the challenges of economic, political, and social development in the region.
Terms Offered: Spring
Equivalent Course(s): ANTH 23103,CRES 16103,HIST 16103,HIST 36103,LACS 34800,SOSC 26300
LACS 16413. Maya Art and Architecture. 100 Units.
This course provides an introduction to the art of the ancient Maya of Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras from the first millennium BC to the time of the Spanish invasion. Beginning with the earliest developments of monumental art and architecture, studying through the competition between flourishing city-states, and examining moments of contact with other regions of Mesoamerica, this course examines topics such as architecture and urbanism, courtly and sacred arts, word and image, and the relationship between art and identity.
Instructor(s): C. Brittenham Terms Offered: Autumn
Note(s): Students must attend first class to confirm enrollment. For nonmajors, any ARTH 14000 through 16999 course meets the general education requirement in the dramatic, musical, and visual arts.
Equivalent Course(s): ARTH 16413
LACS 21903. Introducción a las literaturas hispánicas: textos hispanoamericanos desde la colonia a la independencia. 100 Units.
This course examines an array of representative texts written in Spanish America from the colonial period to the late nineteenth century, underscoring not only their aesthetic qualities but also the historical conditions that made their production possible. Among authors studied are Christopher Columbus, Hernán Cortés, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Simón Bolívar, and José Martí.
Instructor(s): J. Nemiroff Terms Offered: Autumn
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 20300 or consent of instructor
Equivalent Course(s): SPAN 21903,CRES 21903
LACS 22003. Introducción a las literaturas hispánicas: del Modernismo al presente. 100 Units.
Students in this course study an array of texts written in Spanish America from the late nineteenth century to the present, including the literature of the Hispanic diasporas. Authors may include José Martí, Rubén Darío, Mariano Azuela, Pablo Neruda, César Vallejo, Teresa de la Parra, Jorge Luis Borges, Octavio Paz, Rosario Castellanos, Mario Vargas Llosa, and Pedro Pietri.
Instructor(s): L. Gandolfi Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 20300 or consent of instructor
Equivalent Course(s): SPAN 22003
LACS 24130. The Production of the Artist. 100 Units.
This course will develop a conversation about what constitutes the image of the contemporary artist. Written exercises will contribute to the development of the problem of how one produces oneself as an artist. The history of dematerialization in art practice from the 1960’s, and the discussion of globalization that emerged in the 1980’s will be brought to bear. How is the role and identity of the artist constructed in relation to various histories and to the prevailing movements of the moment such as institutional critique and relational aesthetics? This course is open to students of all disciplines who are interested in how the artist is constructed, not only as role or identity, but as a production site.
Instructor(s): R. Basbaum Terms Offered: Autumn
Equivalent Course(s): ARTV 34130,LACS 34130,ARTV 24130
LACS 24913. Marginalized Theologies. 100 Units.
This course considers texts from 20th century authors who represent paradigms of "marginalized theologies," roughly organized around the categories of class, race, and gender: Gustavo Gutiérrez, James Cone, and Mary Daly. We will consider the constructive and normative claims that these authors make about responsibility, liberation, and religious (or areligious) self-understanding, as well as their appropriation of traditions and resources that have often been used to marginalize them. We will be equally concerned, though, to come to a cultural and analytical understanding of the topics involved, such as the forms of connection between one's social location and theological self-understanding.
Instructor(s): R. Elgendy Terms Offered: Spring
Equivalent Course(s): CRES 24913,RLST 24913
LACS 25303. Human Rights: Alien and Citizen. 100 Units.
This course addresses how international human rights doctrines, conventions, and mechanisms can be used to understand the situation of the “alien” (or foreigner) who has left his or her country of origin to work, seek safe haven, or simply reside in another country. If human rights are universal, human rights are not lost merely by crossing a border. We use an interdisciplinary approach to study concepts of citizenship and statelessness, as well as the human rights of refugees and migratory workers.
Instructor(s): S. Gzesh Terms Offered: Autumn
Equivalent Course(s): HMRT 24701,LAWS 62401
LACS 26106. Tropical Commodities in Latin America. 100 Units.
This course explores selected aspects of the social, economic, and cultural history of tropical export commodities from Latin America—e.g., coffee, bananas, sugar, tobacco, henequen, rubber, vanilla, and cocaine. Topics include land, labor, capital, markets, transport, geopolitics, power, taste, and consumption.
Instructor(s): E. Kouri Terms Offered: Autumn
Equivalent Course(s): LACS 36106,HIST 36106,HIST 26106
LACS 26602. Brazilian Literature and Cinema. 100 Units.
In this class, we will discuss the intricate and complex relationship between literature and film in Brazilian culture. Should film adaptations be faithful to the novels by which they were inspired? Should such films be regarded as interpretations of the original text or should they be evaluated as an autonomous cultural production? What role do they play in the process of canonization of a literary work? Those are questions that we will try to answer throughout the quarter.
Instructor(s): A. Melo Terms Offered: Autumn
Note(s): All the books will be available in English. Taught in English with an additional weekly session in Portuguese for students seeking Portuguese credit.
Equivalent Course(s): PORT 36502,LACS 36602,PORT 26502
LACS 27004. Lusophone Postcolonial Studies. 100 Units.
The main goal of this seminar is to discuss the specificities and predicaments of Lusophone Postcolonial Studies. In what sense can Portuguese colonialism be compared to its British and French counterparts? What was the role played by Brazil in the relation between Portugal and Lusophone Africa? (Did Brazil represent a model to be followed by African anti-colonial intellectuals in their search for political and cultural independence? Or was Brazil complicit with Portuguese colonialism?) How should we account for this kind of South-South relationship between Brazil and Lusophone African countries? These are the questions we will address in this seminar.
Instructor(s): A. Melo Terms Offered: Autumn
Note(s): Taught in English with an additional weekly session in Portuguese for students seeking Portuguese credit.
Equivalent Course(s): PORT 37000,LACS 37004,PORT 27000
LACS 29503. Mexican Murals. 100 Units.
This course examines three vital moments of mural production in Mexico: ancient, colonial, and modern. We will begin by looking at indigenous Mesoamerican wall painting traditions of Teotihuacan, the Maya, Cacaxtla, and the Aztecs, and then consider how these traditions were transformed by the encounter with Spanish colonialism to provide decoration for the walls of monastic churches. Finally, we will examine the modern Mexican muralist movement, looking at the work of Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and others, with a particular focus on Rivera’s murals at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Throughout the course, we will consider mural paintings in relationship to architecture and other media, paying special attention to the different methodologies and kinds of evidence that have been used to interpret these works. The course will also focus on developing research, writing, and presentation skills.
Instructor(s): C. Brittenham Terms Offered: Winter
Equivalent Course(s): ARTH 39503,LACS 39503,ARTH 29503
LACS 29801. BA Colloquium. 100 Units.
This colloquium, which is led by the preceptor and BA adviser, assists students in formulating approaches to the BA essay and developing their research and writing skills, while providing a forum for group discussion and critiques. Graduating students present their BA essays in a public session of the colloquium during the Spring Quarter.
Note(s): Required of students who are majoring in Latin American Studies. Students must participate in all three quarters but register only in Autumn Quarter.
LACS 29900. Preparation of the BA Essay. 100 Units.
Terms Offered: Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer
Prerequisite(s): Consent of faculty supervisor and program adviser. Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form.
Note(s): Typically taken for a quality grade.
LACS 34130. The Production of the Artist. 100 Units.
This course will develop a conversation about what constitutes the image of the contemporary artist. Written exercises will contribute to the development of the problem of how one produces oneself as an artist. The history of dematerialization in art practice from the 1960’s, and the discussion of globalization that emerged in the 1980’s will be brought to bear. How is the role and identity of the artist constructed in relation to various histories and to the prevailing movements of the moment such as institutional critique and relational aesthetics? This course is open to students of all disciplines who are interested in how the artist is constructed, not only as role or identity, but as a production site.
Instructor(s): R. Basbaum Terms Offered: Autumn
Equivalent Course(s): ARTV 34130,LACS 24130,ARTV 24130
