Spring 2003

This information effective for Spring 2003. Check with instructor the first day of class for any changes.

Spanish/Latin American/Latino Literature

[LTSP-130F]

130F. U.S. Latino/a Writing in Spanish/English and Spanglish

Instructor: Juan Poblete
E-mail: jpoblete@ucsc.edu
Office hours: at 151 Merrill Faculty Annex

Bibliography: (available at Literary Guillotine, 204 Locust St., Downtown, phone: 457-1195)

• Vida y aventuras del más celebre bandido sonorense. Ireneo Paz
  
• Vida, fulgor y muerte de Joaquin Murieta. Pablo Neruda.
  
• Hunger of memory, Richard Rodriguez.
  
• Y no se lo tragó la tierra, Tomás Rivera
  
• La Migra me hizo los mandados, Alicia Alarcón
  
• Always running. La Vida Loca. Gang Days in L.A., Luis Rodríguez
  
• Se habla Español. Voces Latinas en USA, Edmundo Paz Soldán and Alberto Fuguet, editors.
  
• Drown, Junot Diaz
  
• How to Be a Chicana Role Model, Michelle Serros
  
• Coursepack (CP) (at Quickprint, 728 Water, Downtown, phone: 423-5518)

Description: The course offers a Spanish-based, English/bilingual inclusive overview of Latino/a writing in the United States. It is organized as an exploration of the limits and possibilities of the ethnic framework for an understanding of Latino/a writing in the USA today. The polar dynamics of inclusion/exclusion and assimilation/difference will be central to the class. The concepts of ethnic role model and antimodel will be analyzed by paying attention to the figures of "bandidos," "assimilating minority," "dysfunctional youth, i.e., gang member," etc. Their ability and/or inability to account for contemporary Latino/a production will be scrutinized.

Objectives: The goals of the class are 1) to better understand the limits and possibilities of the Ethnic Studies framework for an understanding of Latino/a writing in the USA today, 2) to familiarize students with an important multilingual corpus of writing, and 3) to build bridges between Chicano/a/Latina/o and Latin American Cultural Studies.

Evaluation:

Midterm paper: (6-8 pages) 15%
Oral report (8 to 10 minutes): 10%
Written reports (see below) 20%
Class participation 25%
Final paper (8-15 pages) 30%

The oral report will be a short (10 to 15 minutes) presentation on a particular text. The written reports (one every week) will be typewritten, double spaced, and 2-3 pages of critical response to the readings. The midterm paper should be a first attempt at dealing with the problems to be analyzed on the final paper and should develop a critical bibliography (both historical and literary). The final paper will be an original and comprehensive critical assessment of one of the texts read in class.

Note: Students with disabilities, who may need accommodations, please see me as soon as possible during office hours or make an appointment.

Weekly Schedule