Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian Studies

Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian Studies Graduate Adviser: Agnes Lugo-Ortiz

We offer a strong, comprehensive curriculum that embraces the multiple disciplinary traditions and theoretical diversity of our fields. Our graduate program also highlights the linguistic and cultural diversity of Iberian, Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx communities, offering a rich selection of languages relevant to HLBS such as Basque, Catalan, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Our Faculty

We cover all periods of Iberian and Latin American cultural histories and offer a rich variety of approaches to the study of literature, theater and performance, the visual arts, and intellectual production. While specializing in a wide variety periods and critical approaches, we are particularly strong in a number of areas and interdisciplinary fields of study:

  • Early modern Spain and colonial Latin America (Frederick de Armas, Noel Blanco Mourelle, Larissa Brewer-García, Miguel Martínez, Victoria Saramago)
  • Modern and contemporary Latin America and Iberia (Dain Borges, Sergio Delgado Moya, Agnes Lugo-Ortiz, Danielle Roper, Mario Santana, Victoria Saramago)
  • Mexico and the Caribbean (Sergio Delgado Moya, Agnes Lugo-Ortiz, Danielle Roper, Victoria Saramago)
  • Nationalism and culture (Agnes Lugo-Ortiz, Miguel Martínez, Mario Santana)
  • Visual studies, film, and the performative arts (Frederick de Armas, Sergio Delgado Moya, Agnes Lugo-Ortiz, Danielle Roper, Mario Santana)
  • Material approaches and sociology of literature (Frederick de Armas, Noel Blanco Mourelle, Miguel Martínez, Mario Santana, Victoria Saramago)
  • Race Studies (Larissa Brewer-García, Dain Borges, Sergio Delgado Moya, Agnes Lugo-Ortiz, Danielle Roper)
  • Slavery Studies (Larissa Brewer-García, Dain Borges, Agnes Lugo-Ortiz)
  • Gender and sexuality (Frederick de Armas, Noel Blanco Mourelle, Larissa Brewer-García, Agnes Lugo-Ortiz, Danielle Roper)
  • Intellectual and cultural history (Noel Blanco Mourelle, Dain Borges, Agnes Lugo-Ortiz, Miguel Martínez)
  • Medieval Iberia (Noel Blanco Mourelle)
  • Environmental Humanities (Victoria Saramago)
  • Popular Culture (Sergio Delgado Moya, Miguel Martínez, Danielle Roper)

 

Interdisciplinary Engagement

International Exchange

  • Regular visiting professors from universities and research centers in Spain, Portugal, and Latin America thanks to international agreements with the Tinker Foundation, the Institut Ramon Llull through the Joan Coromines Chair, and the Etxepare Euskal Institutua through the Koldo Mitxelena Chair. Past visitors came from the Colegio de México, Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, Universidade de Lisboa and University of the Basque Country.
  • The Program in Catalan Studies (Lectureship and Visiting Professorship) was established in 2005 thanks to an agreement with the Institut Ramon Llull. In 2005-2006 the department started offering courses in Catalan language and hosted the first Visiting Professor in Catalan Studies (the Joan Coromines Chair). A list of visitors can be found here.
  • With the support of Etxepare Basque Institute, since 2011 the Koldo Mitxelena Chair of Basque Studies has been hosting visiting professors in various Humanities disciplines.  The department also offers instruction in Basque language and culture.
  • Students may also benefit from the university’s study abroad programs in Oaxaca and Barcelona, in which they may serve in Graduate Assistant positions.

Research Resources

  • The University of Chicago Library. One of the largest research libraries in North America, with 12.6 million volumes in print and electronic form, the Library holds a vast collection of Iberian and Latin American printed materials, maps, manuscripts, rare books, journal holdings, databases and microfilm sets, and provides extensive support for developing personal research skills.
  • The Newberry Library. One of the nation’s preeminent independent research collections and organizes an array of research seminars and colloquia engaging graduate students.

Teaching

Students will be exposed to a variety of teaching methodologies through coursework, mentoring and workshops, and will gain teaching experience by serving in different roles in our undergraduate program.