SPA 258: ENVIRONMENTAL CULTURES OF THE HISPANIC WORLD

This course focuses on cultural perspectives and representations of the environment in Latin America and
Spain. The class explores the relationships between humans and the environment through the prism of
cultural expression and aims to understand the cultural, social, economic, and historical dimensions of
environmental issues in the Hispanic world. Students will read and study texts by writers and artists from a
variety of countries and regions in Latin America and from Spain, such as narrative, essays, poetry, film,
comics, works of art, and performance art. Specific issues and regions of study will vary given the breadth of
the topic and the diversity of the Hispanic world. Through the study of concepts in environmental cultural
studies, perspectives on nature, and environmental issues in Latin America and Spain, students will also
make connections to global concerns. The course also emphasizes developing greater proficiency in
reading, writing, comprehension and speaking the Spanish language.