SPAN415

The Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Puerto Rico have produced some of the major writers in Hispanic literature, as well as some of the most popular musical forms in Spanish-speaking countries and beyond. This course, entirely conducted in Spanish, will explore the contributions made by the peoples of the three island nations to the broader Hispanic culture and the global community since the mid-nineteenth century, at the same time it will provide the socio-historical context that made those contributions possible. Guided by a thematic and largely chronological approach to cultural manifestations in the Hispanic Caribbean, students will read major writers, watch relevant films, and study musical forms from the region. Some of the themes include the making of nations, race and mestizaje, gender and sexuality, and the Caribbean experience in the U.S. The course will have a quick pace, requiring a lot of reading at times. It is recommended that students take at least two upper level courses before enrolling in this one.