LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES (LAS)

A comprehensive introduction to Latin America and the Caribbean, this course provides a foundation for understanding the cultures and societies of the region. The course focuses on the diversity of cultures, indigenous peoples and those who came later, past and present interactions between this region and the rest of the world, and literature, art, and music. Taught in English. The course counts for the Spanish major and minor when the student completes 60% of the work in Spanish.

This course examines Latin American migration and mobility across North, Central, and South America as well as the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. Students will explore the routes migrants follow and the cultural roots that end but also extend with them. This requires that we ask questions such as why do people from Latin America decide to move to new places? What happens to them and to the families, places, and environments they leave behind? Who do they meet along the way? What identity changes do immigrants experience in their new destinations? Students will learn about some of the push factors that drive Latin American migrants to leave their countries and the pull factors that draw them to other countries, especially the United States. We will analyze migration as a social, cultural, political, and economic phenomenon and study the mobility of people, ideas, cultures, and capital. Taught in English. The course counts for the Spanish major and minor when the student completes 60% of the work in Spanish.

This internship provides students with an experiential learning opportunity while developing an academically oriented project. Students may opt to collaborate with the Latino Education Institute, or other agencies within the Latino community.

This course is an in-depth study of a specific topic on Latin American history, politics, society, culture, or artistic expression.

This is an individually supervised study of a relevant topic on Latin America. Available only to highly qualified majors who wish to develop a special interest, and have demonstrated ability for independent work.