Courses

A schedule of Latin American & Caribbean Studies approved classes for the current semester is available below, as are courselists for the fall and spring semesters since the 2000/2001 school year. All schedules are in PDF format. The KU Office of the Registrar maintains an online, searchable schedule of classes. Please note that courses listed in the PDFs are subject to change. Check the the Registrar's online listings for the latest information.

Course lists:

 

LAA Course Descriptions

LAA 100: Latin American Culture and Society (3) SC / S An introduction to the interdisciplinary study of Latin America, as manifest in the arts and literature, history, and in environmental, political, economic, and social realities. Explores and critiques the principal themes and methodologies of Latin American Studies, with an aim towards synthesizing contributions from several different disciplines. Emphasizes the unique insights and perspectives made possible by interdisciplinary collaboration and provides students with a basic knowledge base for understanding Latin America today. LEC

NEW LAA 302/602: Model Organization of American States (MOAS) Seminar: Mexico
The Center of Latin American & Caribbean Studies is offering a new and exciting course for Spring 2012. The course which will be called, Model Organization of American States Seminar: A Preparatory Course for Participation in the MOAS and will give students in depth knowledge about the OAS and our country for 2012: Paraguay. Student delegates chosen from the class will travel to Washington D.C. to participate in the MOAS conference.

LAA 302: Topics in Latin American Area Studies: (3) U Investigation of special topics on Latin America at the undergraduate level. LEC

LAA 332: Language and Society in Latin America (3) NW / S This course will examine the cultural and social significance of Amerindian languages in Latin America. Spanish and Portuguese will be related in language situations to Amerindian languages, such as Quechua, Aymara, the Mayan languages, Nahuatl, and Guarani. Some African-substratum Creole languages will be used to illustrate the multifaceted relations between language and ethnic group, sex, nation, geography, social class, context, and social interaction. LEC

LAA 333: Language and Society in Latin America, Honors (3) NW / S This course will examine the cultural and social significance of Amerindian languages in Latin America. Spanish and Portuguese will be related in language situations to Amerindian languages, such as Quechua, Aymara, the Mayan languages, Nahuatl, and Guarani. Some African-substratum Creole languages will be used to illustrate the multifaceted relations between language and ethnic group, sex, nation, geography, social class, context, and social interaction. Prerequisite: Membership in the University Honors Program. LEC

LAA 334: Indigenous Traditions of Latin America (3) NW/W A survey of the major indigenous traditions of Mesoamerica, the Andes, and lowland tropical Latin America. Coverage emphasizes how indigenous cultural traditions and societies have both continued and changed since the European Invasion and addresses such current issues as language rights, territorial rights, sovereignty, and state violence. Students enrolled in the 600-level section will be required to complete additional research and class leadership tasks. Not open to students who have taken LAA 634. (Same as ANTH 379,.) LEC

LAA 335: The Politics of Language in Latin America (3) NW / S Although approximately 600 indigenous languages are spoken by 30 million people in Latin America, public life is conducted in Spanish. The class provides a comprehensive survey of language issues in Latin America by analyzing the situation of minority language groups, language rights, language policies, and language planning, as well as by considering the questions that arise regarding bilingual education, literacy, and the role of minority languages in educational systems. LEC

LAA 450: This course will explore the intersection of daily life with macro-level political and economic processes in Latin America. It will focus particularly on states that are charting newly independent courses for themselves in response to the failures of externally imposed economic models and pressures from social movements. Readings on such topics as militarized drug policy, neoliberalism, relations between governments and social movements, and new forms of state intervention in domestic life will provide context for individual student research. By pursuing independent projects related to these themes, students will bring together the knowledge they have acquired about the field of Latin American Studies throughout their undergraduate experience. By the end of the class and culminating their study of the field at KU, they will be able to discuss these issues from a variety of theoretical, methodological, and disciplinary perspectives as demonstrated in the portfolio of written work maintained throughout the semester. LEC

LAA 499: Honors Course in Latin American Studies (3) H Intensive study and research under faculty direction. Open to students wishing to graduate with honors in Latin American Studies and having a grade point average of at least 3.5 in Latin American Studies and at least 3.25 overall. Requires an interdisciplinary project concerning a specific topic involving at least two disciplines. Must be directed by a faculty member in Latin American Studies, approved by the Center Associate Director, and defended before a committee of at least three faculty members. To earn departmental honors, a student must take the course for two semesters (with a minimum grade of B the first semester, and an A the second). LEC

LAA 500: Directed Study in Latin American Area Studies (1-3) U Independent study and directed reading on special topics. IND

LAA 501: Multilingualism and Multiculturalism in Latin America (3) H Examines the sociolinguistic issues of multilingual countries in Latin America from an interdisciplinary perspective. Topics include but are not limited to linguistic inequality, the language of politics, language and education, urban and rural linguistic interaction, and indigenous and creole languages. Prerequisite: A liberal arts course with Latin American content. LEC

LAA 503: Race, Gender, Ethnicity, and Nationalism in Latin America (3) NW / H The development of cultural identity in Latin America is traced through the study of major narrative trends including Amerindian languages and the analysis of "indigenista" literature. The African substratum of Latin American culture and its relation to concepts such as "marvelous realism" is explored. The importance of "race," "gender," and "ethnicity" are investigated as tools to define national identity in Latin America. The influence of modernization, industrialization, and nationalistic and populist thought on their emergence of distinctive writing and themes is also assessed. LEC

LAA 504: Politics of Culture in Modern Latin America (3) H This course explores the relationship between political development and cultural phenomena of Latin America from 1800 to the present, with special emphasis on gender, popular culture, and ideology. The influences of 20th-century ideologies and technology on cultural development in Latin America will also be examined. LEC

LAA 505: U.S. Latino and Latin American Film and Literature (3) H This course follows the development of U.S. Latino and Latin American cinema from its origins to the present and its relationship with literary discourse. U.S. Latino/Latin American cinema can be seen as a specific practice that cannot be reduced in all its manifestations to the institutional mode of production of the dominant Hollywood model. The course examines the creation of a national cinema that seems to be more dependent on a literary canon. Knowledge of Spanish is not required. LEC

LAA 506: Race, Gender, Ethnicity, and Nationalism in Latin America, Honors (3) NW / H The development of cultural identity in Latin America is traced through the study of major literary works of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The importance of "race," "gender," and "ethnicity" are explored as tools to define national identity in Latin America. The impact of modernization, industrialization, and nationalistic and populist thought on the emergence of distinctive writing and themes is also assessed. Prerequisite: Membership in the University Honors Program. LEC

LAA 602: Topics in Latin American Studies: (3) U Investigation of special topics on Latin America. LEC

LAA 634: Indigenous Traditions of Latin America (3) NW / W A survey of the major indigenous traditions of Mesoamerica, the Andes, and lowland tropical Latin America. Coverage emphasizes how indigenous cultural traditions and societies have both continued and changed since the European Invasion and addresses such current issues as language rights, territorial rights, sovereignty, and state violence. Students enrolled in the 600-level section will be required to complete additional research and class leadership tasks. Not open to students who have taken ANTH 379 or LAA 334. LEC

LAA 665: Women, Health, and Healing in Latin America (3) S This seminar uses a life-cycle approach to examine women's health (physical, mental, and spiritual) and their roles as healers. Special consideration is given to the effects of development programs on well-being, access to health care, and changing roles for women as healers. Cases will be drawn from a variety of Latin American contexts. (Same as ANTH 665 and WGSS 665.) Prerequisite: 6 hours course work in Anthropology and/or Women's Studies and/or Latin American Studies. LEC

LAA 700: Introduction to Latin American Library Resources (3)

LAA 701: Interdisciplinary Seminar in Latin American Culture and Problems (3)

LAA 703: Research Colloquium on Brazil (3)

LAA 704: Research Colloquium on Central America and Mexico (3)


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