Latin American Studies 234 Section 0201
Issues in Latin American Studies I

Description & Organization | Requirements | Grading | Class Policies | Instructional Materials | Reserves | Schedule

Dr. Daryle Williams
Department of History
2125 Taliaferro Hall
(301) 405-0061
daryle@umd.edu
http://www.history.umd.edu/Faculty/DWilliams/
Office Hours: Tuesdays 1:00 to 3:00pm and by appointment  
 

Course Description and Organization

LASC 234 is an interdisciplinary introduction to the study of Spanish and Portuguese America. The course materials cover a variety of topics and disciplinary approaches concerning the diverse social, cultural, historical, regional, and expressive characteristics of Latin America and Latin Americans.

Crosslisting and the Latin American Studies Certificate Program

LASC 234 is crosslisted with SPAN 234 and PORT 234. The course may also be counted towards degree requirements in the Department of History and other majors.

LASC 234 fulfills CORE requirements for CORE Humanities (HO) and Diversity (D).

LASC 234 is the first of the two-part core curriculum for the Latin American Studies Certificate Program. Together, LASC 234 and 235 present a variety of disciplinary tools with which Latin American civilization is studied in the setting of North American higher education.

For additional information about the LASC Certificate Program, visit: http://www.lasc.umd.edu/InfoStudents/undergraduate_studies.html

Course Requirements

A pass/fail Map Quiz will be given in class on Thursday, September 9. You will be asked to located ten geographic locations, borders, region, and features of contemporary Latin America. Seven or more correct identifications will be considered a pass. You will have up to three opportunities to pass the map quiz

On Tuesday, September 21, the class will meet in McKeldin Library for a hands-on session with Ms. Pat Herron, Librarian for English, Spanish, Latin American & Latina/o Studies, about University Libraries resources in Latin American Studies. A Search and Citation exercise based upon this session will be due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, September 28.

The First Midterm will be held on Thursday, September 23. The examination will cover Module I. The examination will include identifications and an essay question.

A Second-Midterm will be held Tuesday, November 23. The examination will cover Modules II and III. The examination will include two essay questions and bonus identifications. Second Midterm Guide.

The Paper will be due at the beginning of class on Thursday, December 9. The paper will be based upon the final module on migrations. Instructions.

The Final Examination will be given at 8:00am on Monday, December 13. The two-hour final will be cumulative. Study Guide.

Grading

Final grades will be determined by the following percentages:  

Late papers will be accepted only with the professor's permission. With the exception of legitimate excuses, late papers may be penalized up to one full grade for every day late.

*Regular attendance is a central component of engaged class participation. Active participation will work in your favor should your final grade fall on a borderline.

Class Policies

Electronic Devices

Texting, instant messaging, tweeting, and voice communication with anyone outside of the classroom is strictly prohibited during regularly-scheduled classes and examinations. If you have an electronic communication device, these capabilities should be disabled during class hours.

Many other functions of electronic devices may have an important role in the classroom. However, the potentials for distraction and abuse are self-evident.

On the first day of class, we will have an open discussion about the use of electronic devices as learning and engagement tools. There will be an advisory vote to determine whether or not the class finds acceptable the active (and optional) use of laptops, PDAs, iPads, and other electronic devices during class hours. The professor will make the final decision on the use of electronic devices in the classroom.

Excused Absences and Religious Observances

University policy excuses the absences of students for illness (self or dependent), religious observances, participation in University activities at the request of university authorities and compelling circumstances beyond the students control. Students may be required to provide appropriate documentation.

All course expectations and requirements will comply with the University System of Maryland Policy on Religious Observances.

Accommodations for Disabilities

Students with a documented disability should speak with the professor to make arrangements for the appropriate academic accommodations.

Academic Integrity

Academic honesty is a foundation for learning, as outlined in the Code for Academic Integrity. The Code prohibits students from cheating on exams, the intentional and unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise, the facilitation of academic dishonesty, and plagiarism. The suspicion of academic dishonesty may result in referral to the Student Honor Council. Questions and doubts about any the expectations for any course assignment or examination should be directed to the professor.

Instructional Materials

There are two required books — a textbook and a novel. Many of our in-class discussions will draw from sources collected in two recommended anthologies. We will also be using a variety of nonprint media.

All assigned texts are available for purchase through the University Book Center, the Maryland Book Exchange, brick-and-mortar bookstores, and/or e-Book vendors.

Nonprint media materials will be available through Nonprint Media Services, located in the lower level of Hornbake Library or via the course website hosted by the professor's Department of History website and ELMS.

Required Books

Puig, Manuel. Kiss of the Spider Woman. New York: Vintage, 1991. [ISBN: 978-0-6-79724490] NOTE: Some students may prefer the original Spanish-language title, El beso de la mujer araña [ISBN: 978-0-6-79755456]

Winn, Peter. Americas: The Changing Face of Latin America and the Caribbean. Third edition. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2006. [ISBN: 978-0-5-2024501-3]

Recommended Texts

Rosenberg, Mark B., A. Douglas Kincaid, and Kathleen Logan. Americas: An Anthology. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992. [ISBN: 978-0-1-9507792-6]

Wood, James and John Charles Chasteen, eds. Problems in Modern Latin American History: Sources and Interpretation. Third Edition. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2009. [ISBN: 978-0-7-4255645-4]

Documentary Videos, Podcasts, Feature-Length Motion Pictures

Americas (1992) [F1408.A64 1993 pts. 1-10]
Brazil in Black and White (PBS Wide Angle, 2007) [http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/episodes/brazil-in-black-and-white/introduction/965/]
Cashing in on Culture: Indigenous Communities and Tourism (2002) [G156.5.E26 H37 2002]
The Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985) [PN1997.K58 2008]
El Norte/The North (1982) [PN1997.N668 2008]
"Pentecostalists in Central America" (BBC Crossing Continents, 2010) [http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00725nm]
Race: The Power of an Illusion [GN269.R33 2003]
Threads of Hope (1992) [ HQ1236.5.C5 T57 1996]

Course Reserves

All required and recommended books have also been placed on reserves at the Circulation Desk of McKeldin Library.

Additional print reserves, such as articles and documents, may be accessed via ELMS:

1. Go to http://elms.umd.edu
2. Log in with your Directory ID and password
3. Click LASC234 [or your crosslist] under "My Courses."
4. Reserves will be found under "Documents" or "Course Reserves"

Course Schedule