Courses

BASQ 12000 Elementary Basque I

First of the three basic-language sequence in Basque language. It provides students with a solid foundation in the basic patterns of spoken and written Basque (e.g., grammar, vocabulary, sociolinguistic norms) and emphasizes all four skills: speaking, listening, writing, and reading. This course is intended for students with no previous exposure to Basque and for those who need an in-depth review of the patterns of the language.

Nahia Frihas Bilbao
2023-2024 Autumn

BASQ 12100 Elementary Basque II

Second segment of the first-year course sequence in Basque language. It provides students with a solid foundation in the basic patterns of spoken and written Basque (e.g., grammar, vocabulary, sociolinguistic norms) and emphasizes all four skills: speaking, listening, writing, and reading.

Prerequisites

BASQ 12000 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Winter

BASQ 12200 Elementary Basque III

Third and final segment of the basic-language Basque sequence. It provides students with a solid foundation in the basic patterns of spoken and written Basque (e.g., grammar, vocabulary, sociolinguistic norms) and emphasizes all four skills: speaking, listening, writing, and reading.

Prerequisites

BASQ 12100 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Spring

BASQ 24700 Introduction to Basque Culture

Crosslistings
SPAN 24701

Straddling the border of southern France and northern Spain, the land of the Basques has long been home to a people who had no country of their own but have always viewed themselves as a nation. No one has ever been able to find their roots, and their peculiar language is not related to any other in the world, but they have managed to keep their mysterious identity alive, even if many other civilizations tried to blot it out. The aim of this course is to create real situations that will enable the students to learn the meaning of Basque culture. It will be a guided tour throughout Basque history and society. Students will learn about the mysterious origins of the language; they will visit the most beautiful places of the Basque country; they will get to know and appreciate Basque traditions, gastronomy, music . . . and most importantly, they will be able to compare and contrast their own cultures and share their ideas during the lessons, creating an enriching atmosphere full of entertaining activities, such as listening to music, reading legends and tales, watching documentaries, and much more. This course will be conducted in English. Prior knowledge of Basque language or culture is not required.

2023-2024 Winter

CATA 12200 Catalan for Speakers of Romance Languages I

This course is intended for speakers of other Romance languages to quickly develop competence in spoken and written Catalan. In this introductory course, students learn ways to apply their skills in another Romance language to mastering Catalan by concentrating on the similarities and differences between the two languages.

Prerequisites

Although familiarity with a Romance language is strongly recommended, students with no prior knowledge of a Romance language are also welcome.

2023-2024 Autumn

CATA 12200 Catalan for Speakers of Romance Languages I

This course is intended for speakers of other Romance languages to quickly develop competence in spoken and written Catalan. In this introductory course, students learn ways to apply their skills in another Romance language to mastering Catalan by concentrating on the similarities and differences between the two languages.

Prerequisites

Although familiarity with a Romance language is strongly recommended, students with no prior knowledge of a Romance language are also welcome.

2023-2024 Spring

CATA 12300 Catalan for Speakers of Romance Languages II

This course is intended for speakers of other Romance languages to quickly develop competence in spoken and written Catalan. In this intermediate-level course, students learn ways to apply their skills in another Romance language to mastering Catalan by concentrating on the similarities and differences between the two languages. This course offers a rapid review of the basic patterns of the language and expands on the material presented in CATA 12200.

Prerequisites

CATA 12200 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Winter

CATA 21200 Llengua, Societat i Cultura II

This advanced-level course will focus on speaking and writing skills through a wide variety of texts and audiovisual materials. We will study a wide range of Catalan cultural manifestations (e.g., visual arts, music, gastronomy). Students will also review advanced grammatical structures, write a number of essays, and participate in multiple class debates.

Prerequisites

CATA 21100 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Spring

CATA 21600 Catalan Culture and Society: Art, Music and Cinema

Crosslistings
SPAN 21610, GLST 21601

This course provides an interdisciplinary survey of contemporary Catalonia. We study a wide range of its cultural manifestations (architecture, paintings, music, arts of the body, literature, cinema, gastronomy). Attention is also paid to some sociolinguistic issues, such as the coexistence of Catalan and Spanish, and the standardization of Catalan. The course will be conducted in English.

2023-2024 Spring

CATA 21950 Dark Stairways of Desire: Lusting beyond the Norm in Contemporary Catalan Literature

Crosslistings
SPAN 21950, GNSE 23150

Although we can find a significant number of authors exploring queer desire and identities throughout the history of Catalan Literature (from lesbian scenes in Joanot Martorell's "Tirant lo blanc" to expanding gender identities in Maria Aurèlia Capmany's "Quim/Quima"), more recent Catalan Literature is blooming with queerness and non-normative lust. This course will give an overview of contemporary Catalan works influenced by feminist and queer debates from the seventies on. Beginning with renowned poet Maria Mercè Marçal's only novel, "The Passion According to Rennée Vivien," winner of several of the most prestigious literary awards for Catalan Literature, we will go on to discover 21st-century works by Eva Baltasar and Anna Punsoda. We will also read poems, short stories and excerpts from authors such as Maria Sevilla, Mireia Calafell, Raquel Santanera, Sebastià Portell, Sil Bel and Ian Bermúdez, among others. Taught in English.

2023-2024 Winter

CATA 23500 Alone in the Mountains: Tales of Freedom and Violence in Contemporary Catalan Literature

Crosslistings
GNSE 23157, SPAN 23501, GLST 23500

From witches to "goges" ("water women"), Catalan folklore shows a tradition of women living on their own in the mountains, liberated from societal conventions. These women are portrayed as fascinating yet threatening figures. This ancient imagery has permeated contemporary literature, manifested in novels that depict women who remove themselves from "civilization" to inhabit rural areas of Catalunya, seeking freedom and having to confront at the same time societal norms, abusive partners or even their own personal demons. The mountains, far from ideal and peaceful, are an untamed and often brutal space in which human lives hold no greater value than those of goats, mushrooms, rivers. In this course we shall engage with four novels authored by women: "Solitude (1904) by Victor Català, "Stone in a Landslide" (1984) by Maria Barbal, "When I Sing Mountains Dance" (2019) by Irene Solà, and "Alone" (2021) by Carlota Gurt. Through the analysis of these literary works, we aim to delve into Catalan culture and explore its literary archetypes, while establishing significant connections among these texts and their place in modern and contemporary literature. Taught in English, but students seeking credit for the HLBS major/minor must do part of the readings and written work in Catalan or Spanish as necessary for their degree.

 

2023-2024 Autumn

FREN 10100 Beginning Elementary French I

This course is intended for students who have no previous knowledge of French and for those who need an in-depth review of the very basic patterns of the language—is the first in a three-part language sequence that provides beginning students with a solid foundation in the linguistic and sociocultural norms necessary for everyday communication in the French-speaking world. Our unique method guides students to learn French inductively, through authentic discourse, so that they learn to speak more like native speakers from the very beginning. This course is designed to help students achieve functional competency in speaking, writing, listening, and reading, with a focus on present tense constructions, and to engage students in all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational). Exposure to French and Francophone materials will foster cultural awareness and encourage intercultural reflection.

2023-2024 Winter

FREN 10100 Beginning Elementary French I

This course is intended for students who have no previous knowledge of French and for those who need an in-depth review of the very basic patterns of the language—is the first in a three-part language sequence that provides beginning students with a solid foundation in the linguistic and sociocultural norms necessary for everyday communication in the French-speaking world. Our unique method guides students to learn French inductively, through authentic discourse, so that they learn to speak more like native speakers from the very beginning. This course is designed to help students achieve functional competency in speaking, writing, listening, and reading, with a focus on present tense constructions, and to engage students in all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational). Exposure to French and Francophone materials will foster cultural awareness and encourage intercultural reflection.

2023-2024 Spring

FREN 10100 Beginning Elementary French I

This course is intended for students who have no previous knowledge of French and for those who need an in-depth review of the very basic patterns of the language—is the first in a three-part language sequence that provides beginning students with a solid foundation in the linguistic and sociocultural norms necessary for everyday communication in the French-speaking world. Our unique method guides students to learn French inductively, through authentic discourse, so that they learn to speak more like native speakers from the very beginning. This course is designed to help students achieve functional competency in speaking, writing, listening, and reading, with a focus on present tense constructions, and to engage students in all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational). Exposure to French and Francophone materials will foster cultural awareness and encourage intercultural reflection.

FREN 10200 Beginning Elementary French II

This course—the second in a three-part language sequence that provides beginning students with a solid foundation in the linguistic and sociocultural norms necessary for everyday communication in the French-speaking world—offers a rapid review of the basic patterns of the language, and expands on the material presented in FREN 10100. This course is designed to help students achieve functional competency in speaking, writing, listening, and reading, with a focus on present and past time frames, and to engage students in all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational). Students further explore French and Francophone materials that foster cultural awareness and encourage intercultural reflection.

Prerequisites

FREN 10100 or placement.

2023-2024 Spring

FREN 10200 Beginning Elementary French II

This course—the second in a three-part language sequence that provides beginning students with a solid foundation in the linguistic and sociocultural norms necessary for everyday communication in the French-speaking world—offers a rapid review of the basic patterns of the language, and expands on the material presented in FREN 10100. This course is designed to help students achieve functional competency in speaking, writing, listening, and reading, with a focus on present and past time frames, and to engage students in all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational). Students further explore French and Francophone materials that foster cultural awareness and encourage intercultural reflection.

Prerequisites

FREN 10100 or placement.

FREN 10200 Beginning Elementary French II

This course—the second in a three-part language sequence that provides beginning students with a solid foundation in the linguistic and sociocultural norms necessary for everyday communication in the French-speaking world—offers a rapid review of the basic patterns of the language, and expands on the material presented in FREN 10100. This course is designed to help students achieve functional competency in speaking, writing, listening, and reading, with a focus on present and past time frames, and to engage students in all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational). Students further explore French and Francophone materials that foster cultural awareness and encourage intercultural reflection.

Prerequisites

FREN 10100 or placement.

2023-2024 Autumn

FREN 10300 Beginning Elementary French III

This course—the last in a three-part sequence that provides beginning students with a solid foundation in the linguistic and sociocultural norms necessary for everyday communication in the French-speaking world—expands on the material presented in FREN 10200, reviewing and elaborating the basic patterns of the language with the aim of developing functional competency in all four skills (speaking, writing, listening, and reading) in most time frames. Students continue to engage in all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational), and to explore French and Francophone materials that foster cultural awareness and encourage intercultural reflection. Successful completion of FREN 10300 meets the College’s language competence requirement.

Prerequisites

FREN 10200, FREN 12001, FREN 14100 or placement.

FREN 10300 Beginning Elementary French III

This course—the last in a three-part sequence that provides beginning students with a solid foundation in the linguistic and sociocultural norms necessary for everyday communication in the French-speaking world—expands on the material presented in FREN 10200, reviewing and elaborating the basic patterns of the language with the aim of developing functional competency in all four skills (speaking, writing, listening, and reading) in most time frames. Students continue to engage in all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational), and to explore French and Francophone materials that foster cultural awareness and encourage intercultural reflection. Successful completion of FREN 10300 meets the College’s language competence requirement.

Prerequisites

FREN 10200, FREN 12001, FREN 14100 or placement.

FREN 10300 Beginning Elementary French III

This course—the last in a three-part sequence that provides beginning students with a solid foundation in the linguistic and sociocultural norms necessary for everyday communication in the French-speaking world—expands on the material presented in FREN 10200, reviewing and elaborating the basic patterns of the language with the aim of developing functional competency in all four skills (speaking, writing, listening, and reading) in most time frames. Students continue to engage in all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational), and to explore French and Francophone materials that foster cultural awareness and encourage intercultural reflection. Successful completion of FREN 10300 meets the College’s language competence requirement.

Prerequisites

FREN 10200, FREN 12001, FREN 14100 or placement.

2023-2024 Autumn

FREN 10402 Heritage French : Developing Foundational Skills

This course is designed to build on heritage learners’ skills to prepare them for success in subsequent French courses. Skill areas include in-depth practice in reading and writing, along with review and expansion of targeted grammar structures, and development of precision in vocabulary. This course satisfies the College Language Competency Requirement. Designed for heritage learners who placed into FREN 10200 or 10300, or who have not studied French formally. Can also be added with instructor consent. No auditors permitted. If course is full, or total enrollment is less than enrollment limit & you can't register, attend on 1st day. Registered students who don't attend on 1st day may lose spot.

2023-2024 Autumn

FREN 12001 Intensive French I

Intensive French I, II and III: This intensive, three-quarter sequence brings students with no prior background in French to advanced-low levels in all four skills-reading, writing, speaking, and listening-thus preparing students to take third-year level courses in French. Learners who are starting French late in their College careers or who wish to move forward swiftly will gain skills corresponding to two full years of study by completing the entire sequence. Although the three classes constitute a sequence, students may enter the sequence whenever it is appropriate for them based on prior courses or placement exam results. Students may also exit the sequence after any given class and continue in the appropriate course in the Elementary or Intermediate French track. NOTE: Each course is 200 units and corresponds in workload to taking two courses. FREN 12001, the first course in the sequence, covers the equivalent of FREN 10100 and 10200.

Prerequisites

For students with no prior French, or placement in FREN 10100.

2023-2024 Autumn

FREN 12002 Intensive French II

Intensive French I, II and III: This intensive, three-quarter sequence brings students with no prior background in French to advanced-low levels in all four skills-reading, writing, speaking, and listening-thus preparing students to take third-year level courses in French. Learners who are starting French late in their College careers or who wish to move forward swiftly will gain skills corresponding to two full years of study by completing the entire sequence. Although the three classes constitute a sequence, students may enter the sequence whenever it is appropriate for them based on prior courses or placement exam results. Students may also exit the sequence after any given class and continue in the appropriate course in the Elementary or Intermediate French track. NOTE: Each course is 200 units and corresponds in workload to taking two courses. FREN 12002, the second course in the sequence, covers the equivalent of FREN 10300 and 20100. Course is 200 units and corresponds in workload to taking two courses.

Prerequisites

FREN 10200, 12001, 14100, or placement into FREN 10300.

2023-2024 Winter

FREN 12003 Intensive French III

Intensive French I, II and III: This intensive, three-quarter sequence brings students with no prior background in French to advanced-low levels in all four skills-reading, writing, speaking, and listening-thus preparing students to take third-year level courses in French. Learners who are starting French late in their College careers or who wish to move forward swiftly will gain skills corresponding to two full years of study by completing the entire sequence. Although the three classes constitute a sequence, students may enter the sequence whenever it is appropriate for them based on prior courses or placement exam results. Students may also exit the sequence after any given class and continue in the appropriate course in the Elementary or Intermediate French track. NOTE: Each course is 200 units and corresponds in workload to taking two courses. FREN 12003, the third course in the sequence, covers the equivalent of FREN 20200 and 20300. Course is 200 units and corresponds in workload to taking two courses.

Prerequisites

FREN 12002, 14500, 20100, or placement in FREN 20200.

2023-2024 Spring

FREN 13333 Reading French for Research Purposes Prerequisite Course

This course is designed for students without prior experience or training in French who wish to take FREN 23333/33333. Reading French for Research Purposes. The prerequisite for FREN 33333 is either one year of French language instruction (FREN 10100-10200-10300), placement into FREN 20100, or successful completion of FREN 13333. In this course, students learn the basics of French grammar and syntax, some basic French vocabulary, and they also begin to learn some of the reading strategies they will need to be successful in FREN 33333.

2023-2024 Winter

FREN 13333 Reading French for Research Purposes Prerequisite Course

This course is designed for students without prior experience or training in French who wish to take FREN 23333/33333. Reading French for Research Purposes. The prerequisite for FREN 33333 is either one year of French language instruction (FREN 10100-10200-10300), placement into FREN 20100, or successful completion of FREN 13333. In this course, students learn the basics of French grammar and syntax, some basic French vocabulary, and they also begin to learn some of the reading strategies they will need to be successful in FREN 33333.

2023-2024 Autumn

FREN 14100 French for Romance Language Speakers

This course helps students quickly gain skills in spoken and written French by building on their prior working knowledge of another Romance language (Catalan, Italian, Portuguese or Spanish). By relying on the many similarities with other Romance languages, students can focus on mastering the different aspects of French. This class covers content from FREN 10100 and 10200.

Prerequisites

20100 in another Romance language or consent of instructor. Intended for students with no prior French.

2023-2024 Winter

FREN 14300 Phonétique et prononciation

French sounds nothing like how it’s written - until you know the code. Hone your accent and learn the sounds of French in this production-focused course for post-103 students. We will discuss and practice rhythm and intonation patterns as well as individual sounds, and introduce the underlying linguistic concepts that inform them. Towards the end of the course, we will explore varieties of French from around the world and the phonetic features that make them distinct. Taught in (accessible) French.

Prerequisites

FREN 10300, 12002 or placement into FREN 20100, 20200, or 20300.

2023-2024 Winter

FREN 14500 French for Global Studies and Economics

Crosslistings
GLST 24501

Designed as an alternative to FREN 20100 for students in Business Economics, Global Studies and related fields of study, this four-skills course meets the grammatical objectives of FREN 20100 while equipping students with the basic communication skills and cultural awareness necessary in the areas of international exchange and economics. Through exposure to a wide range of material-including essays, newspaper and journal articles, film reviews, professional writing practices-and interactive exercises including discussions, in-class activities, and group projects in simulated professional situations, students will acquire the linguistic skills and sociocultural knowledge required for engagement in international exchange and business economics as well as to participate in larger debates in the Francophone context.

Prerequisites

FREN 10300 or placement in FREN 20100.

2023-2024 Spring

FREN 20100 French Language, History, and Culture I

In this course—the first in the intermediate-level sequence—students will engage in all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational) and develop their oral and written skills in describing, narrating, and presenting arguments, reviewing all basic patterns of the language and acquiring new grammatical skills and a broader lexical base to speak and write in depth about leisure activities current and past (including movies), how weekends and vacations used to be spent, and studies. Listening and reading skills are also targeted through a variety of activities. Students will examine French cultural practices and perspectives on these topics, and will do their own research to present other French and Francophone practices and perspectives, which will raise cultural awareness and encourage intercultural reflection.

Prerequisites

FREN 10200, 12001, 14100, or placement into FREN 10300.

2023-2024 Spring

FREN 20100 French Language, History, and Culture I

In this course—the first in the intermediate-level sequence—students will engage in all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational) and develop their oral and written skills in describing, narrating, and presenting arguments, reviewing all basic patterns of the language and acquiring new grammatical skills and a broader lexical base to speak and write in depth about leisure activities current and past (including movies), how weekends and vacations used to be spent, and studies. Listening and reading skills are also targeted through a variety of activities. Students will examine French cultural practices and perspectives on these topics, and will do their own research to present other French and Francophone practices and perspectives, which will raise cultural awareness and encourage intercultural reflection.

Prerequisites

FREN 10200, 12001, 14100, or placement into FREN 10300.

2023-2024 Winter

FREN 20100 French Language, History, and Culture I

In this course—the first in the intermediate-level sequence—students will engage in all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational) and develop their oral and written skills in describing, narrating, and presenting arguments, reviewing all basic patterns of the language and acquiring new grammatical skills and a broader lexical base to speak and write in depth about leisure activities current and past (including movies), how weekends and vacations used to be spent, and studies. Listening and reading skills are also targeted through a variety of activities. Students will examine French cultural practices and perspectives on these topics, and will do their own research to present other French and Francophone practices and perspectives, which will raise cultural awareness and encourage intercultural reflection.

Prerequisites

FREN 10200, 12001, 14100, or placement into FREN 10300.

FREN 20200 French Language, History, and Culture II

In this course—the second in the intermediate-level sequence—students further develop their descriptive and narrative skills through a variety of texts, audio-visual materials, and activities to speak about the past objectively and subjectively; deepen their knowledge of various cultural practices and perspectives in the French context, including leisure activities, and health and health-care related issues; and learn to express personal and professional plans for the future. Students also carry out their own research to present other French and Francophone practices and perspectives on these same topics, which will enhance cultural awareness and encourage intercultural reflection. Students continue honing all skills (listening, reading, writing, and speaking) and engage in all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational).

Prerequisites

FREN 12002, 20100, or placement.

2023-2024 Spring

FREN 20200 French Language, History, and Culture II

In this course—the second in the intermediate-level sequence—students further develop their descriptive and narrative skills through a variety of texts, audio-visual materials, and activities to speak about the past objectively and subjectively; deepen their knowledge of various cultural practices and perspectives in the French context, including leisure activities, and health and health-care related issues; and learn to express personal and professional plans for the future. Students also carry out their own research to present other French and Francophone practices and perspectives on these same topics, which will enhance cultural awareness and encourage intercultural reflection. Students continue honing all skills (listening, reading, writing, and speaking) and engage in all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational).

Prerequisites

FREN 12002, 20100, or placement.

FREN 20200 French Language, History, and Culture II

In this course—the second in the intermediate-level sequence—students further develop their descriptive and narrative skills through a variety of texts, audio-visual materials, and activities to speak about the past objectively and subjectively; deepen their knowledge of various cultural practices and perspectives in the French context, including leisure activities, and health and health-care related issues; and learn to express personal and professional plans for the future. Students also carry out their own research to present other French and Francophone practices and perspectives on these same topics, which will enhance cultural awareness and encourage intercultural reflection. Students continue honing all skills (listening, reading, writing, and speaking) and engage in all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational).

Prerequisites

FREN 12002, 20100, or placement.

2023-2024 Autumn

FREN 20300 French Language, History, and Culture III

In the third and last course of the intermediate sequence, students continue to hone all skills (listening, reading, writing, and speaking) and engage in all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational). Students learn how to make hypotheses, express regrets and opinions, craft an argument, narrate and report a conversation or interaction through indirect speech, talk about languages and cultures in the global Francophone context as seen in a variety of texts and audio-visual materials, and begin to master the vocabulary and grammatical structures needed to convey all of that. Additionally, this course helps students develop their skills in understanding and producing written and spoken arguments in French as they read, summarize, and comment on an article of their choice in the Francophone press, and listen to, summarize, and comment on a podcast of their choice in French. Students also carry out their own research drawing on other written and audio sources for a final project on any French or Francophone topic, and participate in a discussion. Thus this course, like the others in the sequence, enhances cultural awareness and encourages intercultural reflection, and furthermore helps students develop academic literacy.

Prerequisites

FREN 20200 or placement.

2023-2024 Winter

FREN 20300 French Language, History, and Culture III

In the third and last course of the intermediate sequence, students continue to hone all skills (listening, reading, writing, and speaking) and engage in all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational). Students learn how to make hypotheses, express regrets and opinions, craft an argument, narrate and report a conversation or interaction through indirect speech, talk about languages and cultures in the global Francophone context as seen in a variety of texts and audio-visual materials, and begin to master the vocabulary and grammatical structures needed to convey all of that. Additionally, this course helps students develop their skills in understanding and producing written and spoken arguments in French as they read, summarize, and comment on an article of their choice in the Francophone press, and listen to, summarize, and comment on a podcast of their choice in French. Students also carry out their own research drawing on other written and audio sources for a final project on any French or Francophone topic, and participate in a discussion. Thus this course, like the others in the sequence, enhances cultural awareness and encourages intercultural reflection, and furthermore helps students develop academic literacy.

Prerequisites

FREN 20200 or placement.

FREN 20300 French Language, History, and Culture III

In the third and last course of the intermediate sequence, students continue to hone all skills (listening, reading, writing, and speaking) and engage in all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational). Students learn how to make hypotheses, express regrets and opinions, craft an argument, narrate and report a conversation or interaction through indirect speech, talk about languages and cultures in the global Francophone context as seen in a variety of texts and audio-visual materials, and begin to master the vocabulary and grammatical structures needed to convey all of that. Additionally, this course helps students develop their skills in understanding and producing written and spoken arguments in French as they read, summarize, and comment on an article of their choice in the Francophone press, and listen to, summarize, and comment on a podcast of their choice in French. Students also carry out their own research drawing on other written and audio sources for a final project on any French or Francophone topic, and participate in a discussion. Thus this course, like the others in the sequence, enhances cultural awareness and encourages intercultural reflection, and furthermore helps students develop academic literacy.

Prerequisites

FREN 20200 or placement.

2023-2024 Autumn

FREN 20500 Ecrire en français

The main goal of this course is to help students acquire advanced grammatical knowledge of the French language and develop their writing skills. This course is strongly recommended for all students who intend to take courses in which writing essays in French is required: French literature classes on campus, the Autumn Paris Civilization program, or the academic yearlong program in Paris. It is also strongly recommended for students who wish to take the advanced proficiency exam in French.

Prerequisites

FREN 20300 or placement.

FREN 20500 Ecrire en français

The main goal of this course is to help students acquire advanced grammatical knowledge of the French language and develop their writing skills. This course is strongly recommended for all students who intend to take courses in which writing essays in French is required: French literature classes on campus, the Autumn Paris Civilization program, or the academic yearlong program in Paris. It is also strongly recommended for students who wish to take the advanced proficiency exam in French.

Prerequisites

FREN 20300 or placement.

2023-2024 Winter

FREN 20500 Ecrire en français

The main goal of this course is to help students acquire advanced grammatical knowledge of the French language and develop their writing skills. This course is strongly recommended for all students who intend to take courses in which writing essays in French is required: French literature classes on campus, the Autumn Paris Civilization program, or the academic yearlong program in Paris. It is also strongly recommended for students who wish to take the advanced proficiency exam in French.

Prerequisites

FREN 20300 or placement.

2023-2024 Autumn

FREN 20601 Expression orale et phonétique

This course focuses on developing the tools necessary for advanced oral proficiency in an academic context. Through active class participation involving a number of class presentations, students practice a variety of discourse styles (e.g., debates, lectures, seminars, interviews). Special emphasis is placed on correct pronunciation.

Prerequisites

FREN 12003, 20300, or placement into FREN 20500.

2023-2024 Spring

FREN 20602 Expression orale : Décrire l'art moderne et contemporain en français

This course explores major contemporary French and francophone artists, art forms and art works. Students will acquire basic linguistic and analytical skills to apprehend visual arts, graphic novels, movies and theatrical performance in French. They will work on individual and group art and academic assignments. Taught in French. A screening and a museum field trip are required.

Prerequisites

FREN 12003, 20300, or placement into FREN 20500.

2023-2024 Autumn

FREN 20604 Expression orale : Parler du monde francophone contemporain

This course focuses on developing advanced oral proficiency skills in French in the context of contemporary cultural, social and political issues in the Francophone world. As Francophonie is a multifaceted concept that can be approached from various perspectives-institutional, linguistic, geopolitical, cultural, and literary-the course will start with a look at what Francophonie is and means in such places as the Caribbean, Europe, Francophone Africa, and North America. Students will read articles, watch and listen to films, reports, and interviews, engage in discussions and debates, conduct interviews, and carry out projects and presentations on themes of their own choosing within this framework.

Prerequisites

FREN 20300, FREN 12003, or placement into FREN 20500.

2023-2024 Winter

FREN 21601 Francophone Caribbean Culture and Society: Art, Music, and Cinema

Crosslistings
CRES 21600, GLST 21600, KREY 21600 (parent), LACS 21600

This course provides an interdisciplinary survey of the contemporary Francophone Caribbean. Students will study a wide range of its cultural manifestations (performing arts like music and dance, literature, cinema, architecture and other visual arts, gastronomy). Attention is also paid to such sociolinguistic issues as the coexistence of French and Kreyòl, and the standardization of Kreyòl. Taught in English.

2023-2024 Autumn

FREN 22724 French Detective Fiction

“Genre fiction,” such as the detective or mystery novel, is often given short shrift in the literary canon. Crime fiction has nonetheless long been one of the most popular literary genres in both English and French, and it has influenced French literature from the 19th century onward, whether in Baudelaire’s translations of Edgar Allan Poe or Nobel prize winner Patrick Modiano’s employment of the detective agency as a means of probing memory and the forgotten past.

Detective fiction likewise thrives on the fissures within society and lived experience, opening up – whether always intentionally or not – discussions of the police, criminality, and the justice system; the idea of truth and evidence; and questions of race, gender, and stereotypes.

This class will serve as an introduction to reading, discussing, and analyzing literature in French through major works in the French tradition of detective fiction. It will explore the above themes along with others such as urbanization, setting, and the relationship between anglophone and francophone mystery writing. Our readings will be supplemented with related films and series. Taught in French. This is an introductory-level course.

Prerequisites

FREN 20300.

2023-2024 Autumn

FREN 23180 Introduction à la comédie: rire, société et genre

Crosslistings
TAPS 28475

In this introductory-level literature course we will study the evolution of French comedy from the seventeenth-century until today, probing issues such as the problem of laughter, theatricality and performance practices, and the depiction of social and political change. We will in particular study representations of gender from the Ancien Régime (Madame de Villedieu, Molière, Françoise de Graffigny), through the Revolution (Olympe de Gouges), and to twentieth-century experiments in queer performance (Genet) and biting social satire (Yasmina Reza). Taught in French. This is an introductory-level course.

Prerequisites

FREN 20300.

2023-2024 Winter

FREN 23724 Law and Letters in France (17th-20th Century)

How can literature help us rethink the law? How can the law help us rethink literature? From the satirisation of complicated legal practices under Louis XIV to the literary efforts to abolish the death penalty in 20th-century France, we will survey the changing landscape of the relationship between law and literature in modern France. Through an engagement with various fields of inquiry, such as literature, history, cinema studies, theatre studies, law, and gender studies, this class will give you the necessary skills to understand and analyze the various manifestations of the law in literature, especially as we think about how contemporary legal practices shape the construction of literature and how literature, in turn, shaped thinking about legal questions. Students will also develop evidence-based arguments about the way legal questions play out in literature and how narrative may help us understand an author’s interpretation of the law. No prior education in the law is required. Taught in French, and students seeking credit for the French major/minor will complete readings and assignments in that language.

Prerequisites

FREN 20500, 20503 or a literature course taught in French for students seeking FREN credit.

2023-2024 Spring

FREN 23750 Race, Gender and Religion in Medieval and Early Modern France

Crosslistings
GNSE 23750, MDVL 23753

From the Middle Ages to the seventeenth century, France sees the development of several genres and literary movements that are foundational to the French literary tradition: the epic, the fable, the narrative genre, the essay, poetry, tragedy, comedy, and the fable are the various genres of premodern France that we will study. What was France at the time? Most of these texts are not originally written in a version of French you would recognize easily. How to build a nation, and how to live together, were also key questions for medieval and early modern writers. Some of the concepts developed in those texts undeniably led to a version of France that made Versailles but also the Code Noir – which defined the conditions of slavery in the French colonial empire – possible. In addition to race, gender, and class, we will discuss the themes that were important to premodern French authors and cultures, not least of them medievalism, Renaissance, and classicism. What makes these texts classics, and what do they still have to say for our time? Taught in French. This is an introductory-level course.

Prerequisites

FREN 20300.

2023-2024 Spring

FREN 24724 Empowering the Solo Voice: A Feminist Exploration of Francophone Theater Performance

Crosslistings
GNSE 23156, TAPS 20235

In this course, we will delve into the world of contemporary Francophone theater, focusing on the genre of solo performances, or "seules en scène''. We will examine the lineage, history, and practice of this genre, with a special emphasis on feminist playwrights and performers, such as Typhaine D, Jalila Baccar, Fanny Cabon, and Florence Foresti.

We will study the underlying components of solo performances and learn how to integrate them into different modes, including storytelling, one-woman or one-man shows, and standup. The selected plays will illustrate how the art of the solo voice can empower under-represented communities and minorities to share powerful narratives and create a new space for visibility and listening.

The class will combine history, practice, and creative writing, and will afford students the opportunity to apply this knowledge in a series of live performances that will allow them to creatively connect to the issues raised in the readings and draw from their own experiences, inspirations, and questions.

Students will develop creative and critical tools to fully explore the solo voice as a form of artistic expression, honing their talents in writing, devising, composing, producing, and creating work. Performance recordings will be obtained and shared with the class to further enhance the learning experience. One of the unique opportunities of this course is the opportunity to work with texts obtained directly from the playwrights. Class will be conducted in English with a separate discussion section available for students seeking credit for the French major/minor. Readings will be in French and in English.

Prerequisites

Reading knowledge of French.

Khouloud Gargouri
2023-2024 Autumn

FREN 24777 North African France: Decolonization, Immigration and Postcolonial Identity

Crosslistings
NEHC 24777

This course will combine a series of site visits with selected readings. For site visits, in addition to walks through historic African and Arab Paris, we will visit several institutions and museums in the French capital including the Institut du Monde Arabe (the Arab World Institute), the Grand Mosque of Paris, the Cité Nationale de l’Histoire de l’Immigration (France’s first national museum on the history of immigration), and the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris (a foundation and campus for international students). For further contextualization, we will visit bookstores, libraries, markets, and art collections (mainly the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay) in Paris and its suburbs. Time permitting, we may travel to Marseille to visit the Old Port, the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations (MUCEM), and other sites of interest.

This course will include readings from history, sociology, and literature, with a focus on the cultures and contemporary politics of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia from both North African and French perspectives. While drawing on foundational and recent scholarship in French studies, North African studies, and postcolonial studies, we will examine fictional and non-fictional texts by Maghrebi and second-generation Maghrebi authors. We will also analyze a selection of cinematic, artistic, and musical works by Franco-Maghrebi artists as a way to explore the relationship between verbal and visual modes of representation. The course will be taught in English, with an option for advanced French students to engage in French coursework through the Languages Across the Curriculum initiative. September term in Paris.

Prerequisites

Admission to Paris: Versailles: Art, Power, and Resistance (September) study abroad program.

2023-2024 Summer

FREN 25724 Ladies Errant: Adventure and Gender in Chivalric Literature

Crosslistings
MDVL 25724, GNSE 23161

Some of the most enduring stories to come out of medieval literature were undoubtedly knights’ tales: stories of King Arthur, Lancelot, Gawain, the Holy Grail, and a host of other chivalric figures. We commonly think of these stories as centering on a heroic, knightly male protagonist, and now many modern versions work to challenge this gender dynamic by placing women at the center or calling into question the values attributed to a knightly masculinity. But what if female heroism in chivalric literature isn’t a modern invention, but in fact existed from the genre’s very beginning? And what if knightly heroics have always been presented with a degree of complexity, humor, and ambivalence? As it turns out, we can find numerous examples of “adventuring ladies” or “ladies errant” in medieval literature, and the figure of the knight has never been simplistic. This class will read several examples of female protagonism in the French tradition of medieval romance, as Old French was the language of the earliest and most influential chivalric romances, and explore questions of gender, adventure, and conventions both social and literary. Knowledge of French is not required. The texts will be made available in English, modern French, and Old French. Regular class discussion will conducted in English, and coursework may be completed in English or in French. Students wishing to receive FREN credit will complete the readings and work in French and attend supplementary French-language discussions.

2023-2024 Winter

FREN 26324 C’est moi qui vous parle : La voix du narrateur/auteur dans la littérature française prémoderne

Nous sommes à une époque où le « je » règne : l’identité et l’authenticité de l’auteur ont atteint aujourd’hui une importance fondamentale pour la réception d’une œuvre. La popularité des genres de l’autofiction et du mémoire, ainsi que l’emploi fréquent de la première personne – le « je » - dans tous types d’écriture et de médias, attestent de l’importance du rapport entre l’auteur, le texte, et le public. Mais comment situer cet intérêt moderne pour la voix narrative et la voix de l’auteur dans l’histoire littéraire ?

Dans ce cours, nous découvrirons de divers « je » prémodernes. En lisant une sélection de textes qui couvre la période du Moyen Age jusqu’au 18e siècle, nous considérerons comment de différents auteurs ont employé le « je » pour créer un rapport particulier entre l’auteur, le narrateur, le texte, et – surtout – le lecteur. Ces textes poseront la question d’où se délimitent la fiction – ou l’expression littéraire – et l’expression d’une expérience authentique.

2023-2024 Spring

FREN 29301 Language Identity and Power in French-Creolophone Contexts

Crosslistings
KREY 29300 (parent), LACS 29299

This course examines the concept of language identity (i.e., the language[s] people employ to represent themselves) in multilingual Creolophone communities, particularly in Haiti. This course also examines the relationships between language identity, learning, language use, and literacy development in these societies. By the end of the course, students will be able to explain: 1) what language identity in multilingual Creolophone community reveal about speakers and their language attitudes; 2) how context and mode of communication can impact language identity and language use; 3) literacy acquisition and achievement in Creole communities; and 4) how Creolophones' learning and literacy development are affected by language policies and ideologies. A final project will require students to design and conduct a preliminary sociolinguistic study based on students' interests in the French-Creolophone world. Taught in English.

Prerequisites

Knowledge of French and Kreyòl will be helpful, but not required.

2023-2024 Spring

ITAL 10100 Beginning Elementary Italian I

This course is the first of a three-part language sequence that provides beginning students with a solid foundation in the language and the cultural norms necessary for everyday communication in Italy. It is designed to help students obtain functional competency in speaking, writing, reading, and listening. Students will practice all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational). They will also explore aspects of Italian culture, traditions, and regions through a selection of texts and audio-visual materials that aim to raise cultural awareness and encourage intercultural reflection.

2023-2024 Autumn

ITAL 10200 Beginning Elementary Italian II

This course offers a rapid review of the basic patterns of the language presented in ITAL 10100 and further explores the language and the cultural norms necessary for everyday communication in Italy. It is designed to help students obtain functional competency in speaking, writing, reading, and listening with a focus on present and past time frames. Students will practice all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational). They will also explore aspects of Italian culture, traditions, and regions through a selection of texts and audio-visual materials that aim to raise cultural awareness and encourage intercultural reflection.

Prerequisites

ITAL 10100 or placement.

ITAL 10300 Beginning Elementary Italian III

This course is the third of a three-part language sequence that provides a solid foundation in the language and the cultural norms necessary for everyday communication in Italy. It expands on the language presented in previous parts of the sequence, and provides functional competency in speaking, writing, reading, and listening, with a focus on present, past and future time frames. Students will practice all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational). They will also explore aspects of Italian culture, traditions, and regions through a selection of texts and audio-visual materials that aim to raise cultural awareness and encourage intercultural communication. Successful completion of ITAL 10300 meets the language competence requirement.

Prerequisites

ITAL 10200 or placement.

ITAL 12200 Italian for Speakers of Romance Languages

This course is intended for speakers of other Romance languages to quickly develop competence in spoken and written Italian. Students learn ways to apply their skills in another Romance language to Italian by concentrating on the similarities and differences between languages. Students with a placement of 20100 or higher in any of the other Romance Languages are eligible to take ITAL 12200 for completion of the College Language Competency Requirement.

Prerequisites

20100 in another Romance language or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Spring

ITAL 12200 Italian for Speakers of Romance Languages

This course is intended for speakers of other Romance languages to quickly develop competence in spoken and written Italian. Students learn ways to apply their skills in another Romance language to Italian by concentrating on the similarities and differences between languages. Students with a placement of 20100 or higher in any of the other Romance Languages are eligible to take ITAL 12200 for completion of the College Language Competency Requirement.

Prerequisites

20100 in another Romance language or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Winter

ITAL 16000 Italian Renaissance: Petrarch, Machiavelli, and the Wars of Popes and Kings

Crosslistings
HIST 12203 (parent), CLCV 22216, FNDL 22204, KNOW 12203, MDVL 12203, RENS 12203, RLST 22203, SIGN 26034

Florence, Rome, and the Italian city-states in the age of plagues and cathedrals, Petrarch and Machiavelli, Medici and Borgia (1250–1600), with a focus on literature, philosophy, primary sources, the revival of antiquity, and the papacy's entanglement with pan-European politics. We will examine humanism, patronage, politics, corruption, assassination, feuds, art, music, magic, censorship, education, science, heresy, and the roots of the Reformation. Writing assignments focus on higher level writing skills, with a creative writing component linked to our in-class role-played reenactment of a Renaissance papal election (LARP). First-year students and non-History majors welcome. Assignments: short papers, alternative projects.

Prerequisites

Graduate students by consent only; register for the course as HIST 90000 Reading and Research: History.

Ada Palmer
2023-2024 Spring

ITAL 20100 Language, History, and Culture I

In this course, students practice all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational), and further develop listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills through a variety of activities. This class reviews basic patterns of the language, and presents new grammatical structures and communicative functions. Students explore aspects of Italian society – with a focus on cultural practices and perspectives – through a variety of literary and non-literary texts and audio-visual materials, which raise cultural awareness and encourage intercultural reflection.

Prerequisites

ITAL 10300 or placement.

2023-2024 Autumn

ITAL 20200 Language, History, and Culture II

In this second part of the intermediate sequence, Students explore aspects of Italian society – with a focus on social issues and socioeconomic changes – cultural practices, and perspectives through a variety of literary and non-literary texts and audio-visual materials. The course raises cultural awareness and encourages intercultural reflection, while offering students several opportunities to practice all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational). Students develop listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills through a variety of activities. This class presents new grammatical structures and lexical items, while reviewing patterns from ITAL201.

Prerequisites

ITAL 20100 or placement.

2023-2024 Winter

ITAL 20222 Italian for Speakers of Romance Languages II

This course is intended for speakers of other Romance languages who have completed ITAL 12200 “Italian for Speakers of Romance Languages.” In this intermediate-level course, students will further develop their proficiency in Italian, by focusing on the similarities and differences between Romance languages. This course offers a rapid review of the basic patterns of the Italian language and expands on the material presented in ITAL 12200. Taught in Italian.

Prerequisites

ITAL 12200 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Spring

ITAL 20300 Language, History, and Culture III

This course completes the study of the common grammatical functions and syntactical structures of the language, while reviewing previously-acquired patterns. Students practice all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational), and further develop listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills through a variety of activities. They continue exploring aspects of Italian society, through audio-visual materials and the reading of a contemporary Italian novel. Like the other parts of the sequence, this course raises cultural awareness, encourages intercultural reflection, and help students develop academic literacy.

Prerequisites

ITAL 20200 or placement.

2023-2024 Spring

ITAL 20400 Corso di perfezionamento

This course helps students achieve a very high level of composition and style through the acquisition of numerous writing techniques. Using a variety of literary and nonliterary texts as models, students examine the linguistic structure and organization of several types of written Italian discourse. This course is also intended to help students attain high levels in reading, speaking, and listening through readings and debates on various issues of relevance in contemporary Italian society.

Prerequisites

ITAL 20300, placement, or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Autumn

ITAL 20600 Cinema italiano: lingua e cultura

This course examines aspects of Italian language and culture through the study of a variety of Italian films. While acquiring the necessary vocabulary and conceptual tools to identify formal filmic elements, students will improve their language proficiency and broaden their knowledge of Italian culture, with a particular attention to historical and sociolinguistic features. Film analysis will also help foster intercultural reflection and awareness of selected past and current social issues in Italy. Taught in Italian.

Prerequisites

ITAL 20300 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Winter

ITAL 23200 Children’s Literature as an Avant-Garde

This course explores a glorious season of Italian children’s literature (1970-80), focusing on its highly experimental character, indebted to the lessons of the historical avant-gardes. The authors we will study were often active members in the movements of Futurism and Surrealism, and they applied these movements’ aesthetic theories to their artifacts for children. Thus it is that in the calculated naiveté of this literary genre, we encounter elements of high sophistication, such as language games that subvert the existing order of things, research on spatial dynamism, and the exploration of nonlinear narrative. We will use children’s literature to explore the avant-garde, and the avant-garde to better understand children’s literature. We will begin with Iela Mari and Bruno Munari, who both challenged the nature of what constitutes a book, removing its primary function as an object that frames textual information, and instead transforming it into a visual and tactile object. We will then move to Toti Scialoja’s non-sense infused poems and to Gianni Rodari’s "Grammatica della fantasia," a theoretical exposition on the uses of imagination. We will conclude our exploration with Leo Lionni’s fables of racial identity composed with cutting-edge materials and techniques. Taught in Italian.

2023-2024 Autumn

ITAL 23624 The Geography of Italian Cinema

Crosslistings
CEGU 23624, CMST 23624

Italian cinema is widely known and appreciated, especially thanks to the masterpieces of Neorealism and some authors and actors capable of imposing themselves on an international scale. But Italian cinema is also made up of unforgettable places, mountains, volcanoes, rivers or trees that have taken on repeatedly the role of anonymous protagonists. Italian cinema is thus closely linked to means of transportation and all those infrastructures that have made and make possible the internal migration and viability along the Peninsula. This course rethinks the history and present of Italiancinema in relation to geography. Through the analysis of different films, the course examines the ability of filmmakers to document and, at the same time, participate in the physical, cultural, and social aspects of Italy, and how these depictions have changed over time. We will ask how Italian cinema has contributed to building a recognizable and shared image of a country characterized by profound landscape, economic and cultural differences. But we will also ask how the landscapes themselves have influenced and still influence the choices of directors and the aesthetic orientations of our gazes. Taught in English.

Francesco Zucconi
2023-2024 Spring

ITAL 25020 Opera Across Media

Crosslistings
MUSI 25020 (parent), CMST 24617, GNSE 25020, MAAD 13020, SIGN 26058, TAPS 26516

Open to all undergraduates. Over the course of the last hundred and twenty years, opera and cinema have been sounded and seen together again and again. Where opera is commonly associated with extravagant performance and production, cinema is popularly associated realism. Yet their encounter not only proves these assumptions wrong but produces some extraordinary third kinds-media hybrids. It also produces some extraordinary love affairs. Thomas Edison wanted a film of his to be "a grand opera," and Federico Fellini and Woody Allen wanted opera to saturate their films. Thinking about these mutual attractions, "Opera across Media" explores different operatic and cinematic repertories as well as other media forms. Among films to be studied are Pabst's Threepenny Opera (1931), Visconti's Senso (1954), Powell and Pressburger's Tales of Hoffmann (1951), Zeffirelli's La traviata (1981), De Mille's Carmen (1915), Losey's Don Giovanni (1979), Bergman's The Magic Flute (1975), and Fellini's E la nave va (1983). No prior background in music performance, theory, or notation is needed. Students may write papers based on their own skills and interests relevant to the course. Required work includes attendance at all screenings and classes; weekly postings on Canvas about readings and viewings; attendances at a Met HD broadcast and a Lyric Opera live opera; a short "think piece" midway through the course; and a final term paper of 8-10 pages

2023-2024 Spring

ITAL 26500 Renaissance Demonology

Crosslistings
CMLT 27602, GNSE 26504, HIST 22110, RLST 26501

In this course we analyze the complex concept of demonology according to early modern European culture from a theological, historical, philosophical, and literary point of view. The term 'demon' in the Renaissance encompasses a vast variety of meanings. Demons are hybrids. They are both the Christian devils, but also synonyms for classical deities, and Neo-platonic spiritual beings. As far as Christian theology is concerned, we read selections from Augustine's and Thomas Aquinas's treatises, some complex exorcisms written in Italy, and a recent translation of the infamous "Malleus maleficarum," the most important treatise on witch-hunt. We pay close attention to the historical evolution of the so-called witch-craze in Europe through a selection of the best secondary literature on this subject, with special emphasis on Michel de Certeau's "The Possession at Loudun." We also study how major Italian and Spanish women mystics, such as Maria Maddalena de' Pazzi and Teresa of Avila, approach the issue of demonic temptation and possession. As far as Renaissance Neoplatonic philosophy is concerned, we read selections from Marsilio Ficino's "Platonic Theology" and Girolamo Cardano's mesmerizing autobiography. We also investigate the connection between demonology and melancholy through a close reading of the initial section of Robert Burton's "Anatomy of Melancholy" and Cervantes's short story "The Glass Graduate" ("El licenciado Vidriera"). Taught in English.

2023-2024 Spring

KREY 12201 Kreyol for Speakers of Romance Languages I

Crosslistings
LACS 12201

This course is intended for speakers of other Romance Languages to quickly develop competence in spoken and written Kreyol (Kreyòl Ayisyen). In this introductory course, students learn ways to apply their skills in another Romance language to master Kreyol by concentrating on the similarities and differences between the two languages. Although familiarity with a Romance language is strongly recommended, students with no prior knowledge of a Romance Languages, and heritage learners, are also welcome.

2023-2024 Autumn

KREY 12301 Kreyol for Speakers of Romance Languages II

Crosslistings
LACS 12301

This course is intended for speakers of other Romance Languages, to quickly develop competence in spoken and written Kreyol (Kreyòl Ayisyen). In this intermediate-level course, students learn ways to apply their skills in another Romance language to master Kreyol by concentrating on the similarities and differences between the two languages. This course offers a rapid review of the basic patterns of the language and expands on the material presented in KREY 12201. Although familiarity with a Romance language is strongly recommended, students with no prior knowledge of a Romance language, and heritage learners, are also welcome.

Prerequisites

KREY 12201 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Winter

KREY 20400 Ekspresyon ekri: Kreyòl lakay soti Ayiti rive nan dyaspora a

Crosslistings
LACS 20401, RDIN 20410

This course will provide opportunities to promote deeper knowledge of the Haitian culture while emphasizing the development of writing skills in the Kreyòl language through the use of a variety of authentic texts and cultural experiences. Topics covered in the course will include the Haitian revolution, cuisine, and audio-visual and performing arts. Moreover, students will participate in different cultural exploration outings in the city of Chicago, which will provide additional opportunities to interpret cultural artifacts and reflect on the Haitian culture and its influence on the representation and daily lives of Haitians in the diaspora, particularly in Chicago. In this course, we will: 1) analyze different cultural artifacts in the Haitian cultures through primary and secondary texts, 2) examine the influences of these cultural phenomena on the representation of Haitians and the creation of Haitian identity in the diaspora, and 3) and reflect on the importance of cultural identity in a migration context. Those who will take the course for Kreyòl credits will also develop additional syntactic knowledge in the language through creation of diverse essays. This course will be conducted in two weekly sessions: a common lecture session in English and an additional weekly discussion session in English or Kreyòl.

2023-2024 Spring

KREY 21100 Lang, Sosyete ak Kilti Ayisyèn I

Crosslistings
LACS 21101

This advanced-level course will focus on speaking and writing skills through the study of a wide variety of contemporary texts and audiovisual materials. It will provide students with a better understanding of contemporary Haitian society. Students will review problematic grammatical structures, write a number of essays, and participate in multiple class debates. Taught in Kreyòl.

Prerequisites

KREY 12300, 12301 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Autumn

KREY 21200 Lang, Sosyete ak Kilti Ayisyèn II

Crosslistings
LACS 21200

This advanced-level course will focus on speaking and writing skills through a wide variety of texts, audiovisual materials, and cultural experiences. We will study a wide range of Haitian cultural manifestations (e.g., visual arts, music, gastronomy). Students will also review advanced grammatical structures, write a number of essays, participate in multiple class debates, and take cultural trips to have a comprehensive learning experience with Haitian language and culture. Taught in Kreyòl.

Prerequisites

KREY 21100 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Winter

KREY 21600 Francophone Caribbean Culture and Society: Art, Music, and Cinema

Crosslistings
GLST 21600, CRES 21600, FREN 21601, LACS 21600

This course provides an interdisciplinary survey of the contemporary Francophone Caribbean. Students will study a wide range of its cultural manifestations (performing arts like music and dance, literature, cinema, architecture and other visual arts, gastronomy). Attention is also paid to such sociolinguistic issues as the coexistence of French and Kreyòl, and the standardization of Kreyòl. Taught in English.

2023-2024 Autumn

KREY 29300 Language Identity and Power in French-Creolophone Contexts

Crosslistings
FREN 29301, LACS 29299

This course examines the concept of language identity (i.e., the language[s] people employ to represent themselves) in multilingual Creolophone communities, particularly in Haiti. This course also examines the relationships between language identity, learning, language use, and literacy development in these societies. By the end of the course, students will be able to explain: 1) what language identity in multilingual Creolophone community reveal about speakers and their language attitudes; 2) how context and mode of communication can impact language identity and language use; 3) literacy acquisition and achievement in Creole communities; and 4) how Creolophones' learning and literacy development are affected by language policies and ideologies. A final project will require students to design and conduct a preliminary sociolinguistic study based on students' interests in the French-Creolophone world. Taught in English.

Prerequisites

Knowledge of French and Kreyòl will be helpful, but not required.

2023-2024 Spring

PORT 10100 Beginning Elementary Portuguese I

This sequence is intended for beginning and beginning/intermediate students in Portuguese. It provides students with a solid foundation in the basic patterns of spoken and written Portuguese (e.g., grammar, vocabulary, phonetics, sociocultural norms) to develop their speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills. Although the three courses constitute a sequence, there is enough review and recycling at every level for students to enter the sequence whenever it is appropriate for them. This course is intended for students who have no previous knowledge of Portuguese and for students who need an in-depth review of the basic patterns of the language.

2023-2024 Autumn

PORT 10200 Beginning Elementary Portuguese II

This course is a rapid review of the basic patterns of the language and expands on the material presented in PORT 10100.

Prerequisites

PORT 10100 or placement.

2023-2024 Winter

PORT 10300 Beginning Elementary Portuguese III

This course expands on the material presented in PORT 10200, reviewing and elaborating the basic patterns of the language. Successful completion of PORT 10300 fulfills the competency requirement.

Prerequisites

PORT 10200 or placement.

2023-2024 Spring

PORT 12200 Portuguese for Spanish Speakers

Crosslistings
LACS 12200

This course is intended for speakers of Spanish to develop competence quickly in spoken and written Portuguese. In this intermediate-level course, students learn ways to apply their Spanish language skills to mastering Portuguese by concentrating on the similarities and differences between the two languages. Students with a placement of 20100 or higher in any of the other Romance Languages are eligible to take PORT 12200 for completion of the College Language Competency Requirement.

Prerequisites

SPAN 10300 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Autumn

PORT 12200 Portuguese for Spanish Speakers

Crosslistings
LACS 12200

This course is intended for speakers of Spanish to develop competence quickly in spoken and written Portuguese. In this intermediate-level course, students learn ways to apply their Spanish language skills to mastering Portuguese by concentrating on the similarities and differences between the two languages. Students with a placement of 20100 or higher in any of the other Romance Languages are eligible to take PORT 12200 for completion of the College Language Competency Requirement.

Prerequisites

SPAN 10300 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Spring

PORT 14100 Portuguese for Speakers of Romance Languages

Crosslistings
LACS 14100

This course helps students quickly gain skills in spoken and written Portuguese by building on their prior working knowledge of another Romance language (Spanish, French, Catalan or Italian). By relying on the many similarities with other Romance languages, students can focus on mastering the different aspects of Portuguese, allowing them to develop their abilities for further study. This class covers content from PORT 10100 and 10200.

Prerequisites

20100 in another Romance language or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Winter

PORT 14500 Portuguese for the Professions: Intensive Business Portuguese

Crosslistings
LACS 14500

This is an accelerated language course that covers vocabulary and grammar for students interested in working in a business environment where Portuguese is spoken. The focus of this highly interactive class is to develop basic communication skills and cultural awareness through formal classes, readings, discussions, and writings.

Prerequisites

PORT 10200, SPAN 20100, or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Spring

PORT 20100 Intermediate Portuguese

This course is intended for intermediate students in Portuguese. Students explore selected aspects of Luso-Brazilian tradition through a variety of media. In this course, students build on the speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills that were acquired previously to communicate and discuss topics of local, national, and international interest. These topics include cultural identities, representation in media industry, human rights and current issues pertaining to education. PORT 201 has three main objectives: 1) to express more nuanced ideas orally and in writing in grammatically accurate, lexically rich, and sociolinguistically appropriate Portuguese; 2) to demonstrate listening and reading comprehension of authentic texts in a variety of social and academic contexts; and 3) to help students build on their intercultural competence by identifying the beliefs and practices of Portuguese-speaking individuals and cultures and comparing them with their own worldview.

Prerequisites

PORT 10300, 12200 or placement.

2023-2024 Autumn

PORT 20500 Cultura do Mundo Lusófono

Crosslistings
LACS 20500

In this course students will explore the culture of the Lusophone world through the study of a wide variety of contemporary literary and journalistic texts from Brazil, Portugal, Angola and Mozambique, and unscripted recordings. This advanced language course targets the development of writing skills and oral proficiency in Portuguese. Students will review problematic grammatical structures, write a number of essays, and participate in multiple class debates, using authentic readings and listening segments as linguistic models on which to base their own production.

Prerequisites

PORT 20100 or consent of the instructor.

2023-2024 Winter

PORT 20600 Composição e Conversação Avançada

Crosslistings
LACS 20600

The objective of this course is to help students acquire advanced grammatical knowledge of the Portuguese language through exposure to cultural and literary content with a focus on Brazil. Students develop skills to continue perfecting their oral and written proficiency and comprehension of authentic literary texts and recordings, while also being exposed to relevant sociocultural and political contemporary topics. Students read, analyze, and discuss authentic texts by established writers from the lusophone world; they watch and discuss videos of interviews with writers and other prominent figures to help them acquire the linguistic skills required in academic discourse. Through exposure to written and spoken authentic materials, students learn the grammatical and lexical tools necessary to understand such materials as well as produce their own written analysis, response, and commentary. In addition, they acquire knowledge on major Brazilian authors and works.

Prerequisites

PORT 20100 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Winter

PORT 21500 Curso de Aperfeiçoamento

Crosslistings
LACS 21500

This course helps students develop their skills in understanding, summarizing, and producing written and spoken arguments in Portuguese through readings and debates on various issues of relevance in contemporary Luso-Brazilian societies. Special consideration is given to the major differences between continental and Brazilian Portuguese. In addition to reading, analyzing, and commenting on advanced texts (both literary and nonliterary), students practice and extend their writing skills in a series of compositions.

Prerequisites

PORT 20200, PORT 20600 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Spring

PORT 23424 Building a Nation: Brazilian Culture from Modernism to the Present

Crosslistings
LACS 23424

In this course we will go over the last one hundred years in the cultural history of Brazil, a Latin American country which has dealt with multiple labels throughout the years, ranging from post-racial paradise to the country of the future. We will focus on Brazilian literature, from the 1920s to the present day, but we will also consider cinema and other types of art and how they have shaped artists' perception of their nation as a project. How have writers and filmmakers in the last century dealt with the legacy of colonialism and slavery? How have artists depicted and envisioned such a heterogenous continental country? What are the latest trends in Brazilian literature and arts and how do they engage with or depart from tradition? In this course, which will be taught in English, we will close read and discuss texts and films not only by canonical artists such as Clarice Lispector, Guimarães Rosa and Glauber Rocha but also by other artists who have been shaping the new directions of Brazilian art today. While all required texts and classroom instruction will be in English, the primary texts will also be available in Portuguese and interested students will have opportunities to practice the language in the classroom.

2023-2024 Winter

SPAN 10100 Beginning Elementary Spanish I

SPAN 10100 is the initial segment of the introductory-level course sequence in Spanish language and Hispanic culture, and presupposes no previous exposure to Spanish. The introductory course sequence in Spanish has two main objectives: 1) to enable students to understand simple texts and dialogues and communicate successfully with highly proficient speakers about everyday, concrete topics; and 2) to build students’ transcultural competence via exposure to different aspects of Spanish-speaking cultures. Using a task-based approach, the course will provide students with a solid foundation in the basic patterns of spoken and written communication in Spanish (grammar, syntax, vocabulary, sociolinguistic norms), with emphasis on all four linguistic skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing).

SPAN 10100 Beginning Elementary Spanish I

SPAN 10100 is the initial segment of the introductory-level course sequence in Spanish language and Hispanic culture, and presupposes no previous exposure to Spanish. The introductory course sequence in Spanish has two main objectives: 1) to enable students to understand simple texts and dialogues and communicate successfully with highly proficient speakers about everyday, concrete topics; and 2) to build students’ transcultural competence via exposure to different aspects of Spanish-speaking cultures. Using a task-based approach, the course will provide students with a solid foundation in the basic patterns of spoken and written communication in Spanish (grammar, syntax, vocabulary, sociolinguistic norms), with emphasis on all four linguistic skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing).

2023-2024 Winter

SPAN 10200 Beginning Elementary Spanish II

SPAN 10200 is the second segment of the introductory-level course sequence in Spanish language and Hispanic culture. The introductory course sequence in Spanish has two main objectives: 1) to enable students to understand simple texts and dialogues and communicate successfully with highly proficient speakers about everyday, concrete topics; and 2) to build students’ transcultural competence via exposure to different aspects of Spanish-speaking cultures. Using a task-based approach, the course will provide students with a solid foundation in the basic patterns of spoken and written communication in Spanish (grammar, syntax, vocabulary, sociolinguistic norms), with emphasis on all four linguistic skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing).

Prerequisites

SPAN 10100 or placement.

2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 10200 Beginning Elementary Spanish II

SPAN 10200 is the second segment of the introductory-level course sequence in Spanish language and Hispanic culture. The introductory course sequence in Spanish has two main objectives: 1) to enable students to understand simple texts and dialogues and communicate successfully with highly proficient speakers about everyday, concrete topics; and 2) to build students’ transcultural competence via exposure to different aspects of Spanish-speaking cultures. Using a task-based approach, the course will provide students with a solid foundation in the basic patterns of spoken and written communication in Spanish (grammar, syntax, vocabulary, sociolinguistic norms), with emphasis on all four linguistic skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing).

Prerequisites

SPAN 10100 or placement.

SPAN 10200 Beginning Elementary Spanish II

SPAN 10200 is the second segment of the introductory-level course sequence in Spanish language and Hispanic culture. The introductory course sequence in Spanish has two main objectives: 1) to enable students to understand simple texts and dialogues and communicate successfully with highly proficient speakers about everyday, concrete topics; and 2) to build students’ transcultural competence via exposure to different aspects of Spanish-speaking cultures. Using a task-based approach, the course will provide students with a solid foundation in the basic patterns of spoken and written communication in Spanish (grammar, syntax, vocabulary, sociolinguistic norms), with emphasis on all four linguistic skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing).

Prerequisites

SPAN 10100 or placement.

SPAN 10300 Beginning Elementary Spanish III

SPAN 10300 is the third and final segment of the introductory-level course sequence in Spanish language and Hispanic culture. The introductory course sequence in Spanish has two main objectives: 1) to enable students to understand simple texts and dialogues and communicate successfully with highly proficient speakers about everyday, concrete topics; and 2) to build students’ transcultural competence via exposure to different aspects of Spanish-speaking cultures. Using a task-based approach, the course will provide students with a solid foundation in the basic patterns of spoken and written communication in Spanish (grammar, syntax, vocabulary, sociolinguistic norms), with emphasis on all four linguistic skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing).

Prerequisites

SPAN 10200, SPAN 14100, or placement.

SPAN 10300 Beginning Elementary Spanish III

SPAN 10300 is the third and final segment of the introductory-level course sequence in Spanish language and Hispanic culture. The introductory course sequence in Spanish has two main objectives: 1) to enable students to understand simple texts and dialogues and communicate successfully with highly proficient speakers about everyday, concrete topics; and 2) to build students’ transcultural competence via exposure to different aspects of Spanish-speaking cultures. Using a task-based approach, the course will provide students with a solid foundation in the basic patterns of spoken and written communication in Spanish (grammar, syntax, vocabulary, sociolinguistic norms), with emphasis on all four linguistic skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing).

Prerequisites

SPAN 10200, SPAN 14100, or placement.

SPAN 10300 Beginning Elementary Spanish III

SPAN 10300 is the third and final segment of the introductory-level course sequence in Spanish language and Hispanic culture. The introductory course sequence in Spanish has two main objectives: 1) to enable students to understand simple texts and dialogues and communicate successfully with highly proficient speakers about everyday, concrete topics; and 2) to build students’ transcultural competence via exposure to different aspects of Spanish-speaking cultures. Using a task-based approach, the course will provide students with a solid foundation in the basic patterns of spoken and written communication in Spanish (grammar, syntax, vocabulary, sociolinguistic norms), with emphasis on all four linguistic skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing).

Prerequisites

SPAN 10200, SPAN 14100, or placement.

SPAN 10402 Heritage Spanish: Developing Foundational Skills

This course provides heritage learners of Spanish differentiated help to successfully reach Intermediate Mid/High-level course objectives, so they can successfully continue in the Intermediate heritage language track. Skill areas include in-depth practice in reading and writing, along with review and expansion of targeted grammar structures, and development of precision in vocabulary and orthography. The curriculum will be structured around a total of eight thematic modules. Although the main objective is to improve reading and writing on all fronts, from informal, mostly communicative (emails, letters, and such), to formal and well-structured (short academic essays), students' oral and listening skills will also be addressed. During the program students will work on a portfolio, based on weekly interviews with family or community members about the topic of the module.

Prerequisites

SPAN 10200 or SPAN 10300 or placement. Open only to heritage speakers or with consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Autumn

SPAN 12001 Intensive Spanish I

This intensive, three-quarter sequence brings students with no prior background in Spanish to Advanced-Low levels in all four skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening), thus preparing students to take third-year level courses in the language. Learners who are starting Spanish late in their college careers or who wish to move forward swiftly will gain skills corresponding to two full years of study by completing the entire sequence. Although the three classes constitute a sequence, students may enter the sequence whenever it is appropriate for them based on prior courses or placement exam results. Students may also exit the sequence after any given class and continue in the appropriate course in the Elementary or Intermediate Spanish track. NOTE: Each course is 200 units and corresponds in workload to taking two courses. Spanish 12001 is the equivalent of Spanish 101 and Spanish 102.

2023-2024 Autumn

SPAN 12002 Intensive Spanish II

This intensive, three-quarter sequence brings students with no prior background in Spanish to advanced-low levels in all four skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening), thus preparing students to take third-year level courses in the language. Learners who are starting Spanish late in their college careers or who wish to move forward swiftly will gain skills corresponding to two full years of study by completing the entire sequence. Although the three classes constitute a sequence, students may enter the sequence whenever it is appropriate for them based on prior courses or placement exam results. Students may also exit the sequence after any given class and continue in the appropriate course in the Elementary or Intermediate Spanish track. NOTE: Each course is 200 units and corresponds in workload to taking two courses. Spanish 12002 is the equivalent of Spanish 103 and Spanish 201

Prerequisites

SPAN 10200, SPAN 12001, SPAN 14100, or placement into SPAN 10300.

2023-2024 Winter

SPAN 12003 Intensive Spanish III

This intensive, three-quarter sequence brings students with no prior background in Spanish to advanced-low levels in all four skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening), thus preparing students to take third-year level courses in the language. Learners who are starting Spanish late in their college careers or who wish to move forward swiftly will gain skills corresponding to two full years of study by completing the entire sequence. Although the three classes constitute a sequence, students may enter the sequence whenever it is appropriate for them based on prior courses or placement exam results. Students may also exit the sequence after any given class and continue in the appropriate course in the Elementary or Intermediate Spanish track. NOTE: Each course is 200 units and corresponds in workload to taking two courses. Spanish 12003 is the equivalent of Spanish 20200 and Spanish 20300.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20100, SPAN 12002, or placement into SPAN 20200.

2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 20100 Language, History, and Culture I

This course is the first segment of the intermediate-level course sequence in Spanish language and Hispanic cultures. In this course, students build on the speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills that were acquired previously to communicate and discuss topics of local, national, and international interest. These topics include cultural identities, representation in media industry, human rights and current issues pertaining to education and the job market, with a special emphasis on how they operate in the Spanish-speaking world. SPAN 201 has three main objectives: 1) to express more nuanced ideas orally and in writing in grammatically accurate, lexically rich, and sociolinguistically appropriate Spanish; 2) to demonstrate listening and reading comprehension of authentic texts in a variety of social and academic contexts; and 3) to help students build on their intercultural competence by identifying the beliefs and practices of Spanish-speaking individuals and cultures and comparing them with their own worldview.

Prerequisites

FREN 10200, 12001, 14100, or placement into FREN 10300.

SPAN 20100 Language, History, and Culture I

This course is the first segment of the intermediate-level course sequence in Spanish language and Hispanic cultures. In this course, students build on the speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills that were acquired previously to communicate and discuss topics of local, national, and international interest. These topics include cultural identities, representation in media industry, human rights and current issues pertaining to education and the job market, with a special emphasis on how they operate in the Spanish-speaking world. SPAN 201 has three main objectives: 1) to express more nuanced ideas orally and in writing in grammatically accurate, lexically rich, and sociolinguistically appropriate Spanish; 2) to demonstrate listening and reading comprehension of authentic texts in a variety of social and academic contexts; and 3) to help students build on their intercultural competence by identifying the beliefs and practices of Spanish-speaking individuals and cultures and comparing them with their own worldview.

Prerequisites

SPAN 10300 or placement.

2023-2024 Winter

SPAN 20100 Language, History, and Culture I

This course is the first segment of the intermediate-level course sequence in Spanish language and Hispanic cultures. In this course, students build on the speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills that were acquired previously to communicate and discuss topics of local, national, and international interest. These topics include cultural identities, representation in media industry, human rights and current issues pertaining to education and the job market, with a special emphasis on how they operate in the Spanish-speaking world. SPAN 201 has three main objectives: 1) to express more nuanced ideas orally and in writing in grammatically accurate, lexically rich, and sociolinguistically appropriate Spanish; 2) to demonstrate listening and reading comprehension of authentic texts in a variety of social and academic contexts; and 3) to help students build on their intercultural competence by identifying the beliefs and practices of Spanish-speaking individuals and cultures and comparing them with their own worldview.

Prerequisites

SPAN 10300 or placement.

2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 20102 Language, History, and Culture for Heritage Speakers I

The curricular development of this first course in a two-course intermediate sequence for heritage learners of Spanish will target all communicative competencies. The weekly modules will help the student improve their language skills on all fronts and are designed from informal, mostly communicative (emails), to formal and well-structured (academic essays). The focus of this course is not on grammar per se, but grammar and style have an important role as we go along.
There will be eight weekly writing assignments, which will receive instructor feedback. The student will also have a portfolio of work at the end; this portfolio will be presented to the class during the last week as a final project.

Prerequisites

SPAN 10300 or SPAN 10402 or placement. Open only to heritage speakers.

2023-2024 Winter

SPAN 20102 Language, History, and Culture for Heritage Speakers I

The curricular development of this first course in a two-course intermediate sequence for heritage learners of Spanish will target all communicative competencies. The weekly modules will help the student improve their language skills on all fronts and are designed from informal, mostly communicative (emails), to formal and well-structured (academic essays). The focus of this course is not on grammar per se, but grammar and style have an important role as we go along.
There will be eight weekly writing assignments, which will receive instructor feedback. The student will also have a portfolio of work at the end; this portfolio will be presented to the class during the last week as a final project.

Prerequisites

SPAN 10300 or SPAN 10402 or placement. Open only to heritage speakers.

2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 20200 Language, History, and Culture II

This course is the second segment of the intermediate-level course sequence in Spanish language and Hispanic cultures. In this course, students build on the speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills that were acquired previously to communicate and discuss topics of local, national, and international interest. These topics include society and technology, creativity and leisure in the post-pandemic era, bilingualism and multicultural communities and environmental ethics, with a special emphasis on how they operate in the Spanish-speaking world. SPAN 202 has three main objectives: 1) to express more nuanced ideas orally and in writing in grammatically accurate, lexically rich, and sociolinguistically appropriate Spanish; 2) to demonstrate listening and reading comprehension of authentic texts in a variety of social and academic contexts; and 3) to help students build on their intercultural competence by identifying the beliefs and practices of Spanish-speaking individuals and cultures and comparing them with their own worldview.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20100 or placement.

2023-2024 Autumn

SPAN 20200 Language, History, and Culture II

This course is the second segment of the intermediate-level course sequence in Spanish language and Hispanic cultures. In this course, students build on the speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills that were acquired previously to communicate and discuss topics of local, national, and international interest. These topics include society and technology, creativity and leisure in the post-pandemic era, bilingualism and multicultural communities and environmental ethics, with a special emphasis on how they operate in the Spanish-speaking world. SPAN 202 has three main objectives: 1) to express more nuanced ideas orally and in writing in grammatically accurate, lexically rich, and sociolinguistically appropriate Spanish; 2) to demonstrate listening and reading comprehension of authentic texts in a variety of social and academic contexts; and 3) to help students build on their intercultural competence by identifying the beliefs and practices of Spanish-speaking individuals and cultures and comparing them with their own worldview.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20100 or placement.

2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 20200 Language, History, and Culture II

This course is the second segment of the intermediate-level course sequence in Spanish language and Hispanic cultures. In this course, students build on the speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills that were acquired previously to communicate and discuss topics of local, national, and international interest. These topics include society and technology, creativity and leisure in the post-pandemic era, bilingualism and multicultural communities and environmental ethics, with a special emphasis on how they operate in the Spanish-speaking world. SPAN 202 has three main objectives: 1) to express more nuanced ideas orally and in writing in grammatically accurate, lexically rich, and sociolinguistically appropriate Spanish; 2) to demonstrate listening and reading comprehension of authentic texts in a variety of social and academic contexts; and 3) to help students build on their intercultural competence by identifying the beliefs and practices of Spanish-speaking individuals and cultures and comparing them with their own worldview.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20100 or placement.

SPAN 20300 Language, History, and Culture III

This course is the third segment of the intermediate-level course sequence in Spanish language and Hispanic cultures. In this course, students build on the speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills that were acquired previously to communicate and discuss topics of local, national, and international interest. These topics include human rights and social inclusion, indigenous peoples and communities, rural-urban transformations, and borders as liminal spaces with a special emphasis on how they operate in the Spanish-speaking world. SPAN 203 has three main objectives: 1) to express more nuanced ideas orally and in writing in grammatically accurate, lexically rich, and sociolinguistically appropriate Spanish; 2) to demonstrate listening and reading comprehension of authentic texts in a variety of social and academic contexts; and 3) to help students build on their intercultural competence by identifying the beliefs and practices of Spanish-speaking individuals and cultures and comparing them with their own worldview.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20200 or placement.

2023-2024 Autumn

SPAN 20300 Language, History, and Culture III

This course is the third segment of the intermediate-level course sequence in Spanish language and Hispanic cultures. In this course, students build on the speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills that were acquired previously to communicate and discuss topics of local, national, and international interest. These topics include human rights and social inclusion, indigenous peoples and communities, rural-urban transformations, and borders as liminal spaces with a special emphasis on how they operate in the Spanish-speaking world. SPAN 203 has three main objectives: 1) to express more nuanced ideas orally and in writing in grammatically accurate, lexically rich, and sociolinguistically appropriate Spanish; 2) to demonstrate listening and reading comprehension of authentic texts in a variety of social and academic contexts; and 3) to help students build on their intercultural competence by identifying the beliefs and practices of Spanish-speaking individuals and cultures and comparing them with their own worldview.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20200 or placement.

2023-2024 Winter

SPAN 20300 Language, History, and Culture III

This course is the third segment of the intermediate-level course sequence in Spanish language and Hispanic cultures. In this course, students build on the speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills that were acquired previously to communicate and discuss topics of local, national, and international interest. These topics include human rights and social inclusion, indigenous peoples and communities, rural-urban transformations, and borders as liminal spaces with a special emphasis on how they operate in the Spanish-speaking world. SPAN 203 has three main objectives: 1) to express more nuanced ideas orally and in writing in grammatically accurate, lexically rich, and sociolinguistically appropriate Spanish; 2) to demonstrate listening and reading comprehension of authentic texts in a variety of social and academic contexts; and 3) to help students build on their intercultural competence by identifying the beliefs and practices of Spanish-speaking individuals and cultures and comparing them with their own worldview.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20200 or placement.

SPAN 20302 Language, History, and Culture for Heritage Speakers II/III

The curricular development of this second course in a two-course intermediate sequence for heritage learners of Spanish will target all communicative competencies. The weekly modules will help the student improve their language skills on all fronts and are designed from informal, mostly communicative (emails), to formal and well-structured (academic essays). The focus of this course is not on grammar per se, but grammar and style have an important role as we go along. There will be eight weekly writing assignments, which will receive instructor feedback. The student will also have a portfolio of work at the end; this portfolio will be presented to the class during the last week as a final project.
 

Prerequisites

SPAN 20102 or SPAN 20200 or placement. Open only to heritage speakers or with consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Autumn

SPAN 20302 Language, History, and Culture for Heritage Speakers II/III

The curricular development of this second course in a two-course intermediate sequence for heritage learners of Spanish will target all communicative competencies. The weekly modules will help the student improve their language skills on all fronts and are designed from informal, mostly communicative (emails), to formal and well-structured (academic essays). The focus of this course is not on grammar per se, but grammar and style have an important role as we go along.
There will be eight weekly writing assignments, which will receive instructor feedback. The student will also have a portfolio of work at the end; this portfolio will be presented to the class during the last week as a final project.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20102 or SPAN 20200 or placement. Open only to heritage speakers or with consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Winter

SPAN 20302 Language, History, and Culture for Heritage Speakers II/III

The curricular development of this second course in a two-course intermediate sequence for heritage learners of Spanish will target all communicative competencies. The weekly modules will help the student improve their language skills on all fronts and are designed from informal, mostly communicative (emails), to formal and well-structured (academic essays). The focus of this course is not on grammar per se, but grammar and style have an important role as we go along.
There will be eight weekly writing assignments, which will receive instructor feedback. The student will also have a portfolio of work at the end; this portfolio will be presented to the class during the last week as a final project.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20102 or SPAN 20200 or placement. Open only to heritage speakers or with consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 20304 Spanish for the Professions

This course is designed as an alternative to SPAN 20300 for students aspiring to use Spanish in a professional context. Students will expand their lexical and cultural knowledge of their chosen professional area through two course-long projects (a blog/vlog and a mini research project), and will hone linguistic skills relevant to any workplace environment. In order for 20304 to serve as preparation for the following course in the sequence (SPAN 20400), the textbook used and the vocabulary and grammatical topics covered in SPAN 20300 and 20304 are identical.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20200 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Winter

SPAN 20305 Legal Spanish: Public interest law in the US

Crosslistings
LAWS 97123

This course brings students to high-intermediate levels in reading, speaking, and listening for the practice of public interest law in the US. Learners will build proficiency around relevant topic areas so that they can read, listen, explain, present and solicit information related to rights, client history / interviews, procedural language, legal actions, etc. Focus is on communication and strategy instruction. The final exam is a proficiency test offered through the University of Chicago Office of Language Assessment that yields a certificate and a proficiency rating on students' transcripts. This class will follow the College's academic calendar with flexibility for law students' schedules.

Prerequisites

One year of university-level Spanish or equivalent.

2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 20310 Chicago habla español

Crosslistings
CHST 20310, LACS 20310

Chicago is known to have multiple, diverse Spanish-speaking communities. In this course, students will use these communities as their classroom to analyze and debate current issues confronting the LatinX experience in the United States and Midwest. In parallel, class instruction will reinforce and expand students' grammatical and lexical proficiency in a manner that will allow students to engage in real-life activities involving speaking, reading, listening and writing skills. This intermediate-high language course targets the development of writing skills and oral proficiency in Spanish and is designed as an alternative to SPAN 20300. Students will review problematic grammatical structures, write a number of essays, and participate in multiple class conversations using authentic readings and listening segments as linguistic models on which to base their own production. At the end of class, students are expected to produce an individual project.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20200 or placement.

2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 20401 Gramática avanzada y cultura contemporánea para la argumentación I

This course is the first segment of the third-year (advanced) Spanish language sequence. It aims to strengthen all four linguistic skills, advanced argumentation, critical thinking and transcultural competence via discussion of press articles, short stories, films, and recorded interviews with native speakers from a variety of regions. Grammatical structures, syntactic patterns and vocabulary known to be problematic for English speakers will be reviewed and practiced. Controversial topics in politics, contemporary culture and modern Spanish and Latin American history will be debated and discussed orally and in writing through a formal debate, several argumentative essays, weekly posts on online discussion boards, class discussions, and summaries of texts and audios assigned. Students will also be asked to formulate well-supported arguments on these topics, and to reflect on similarities and contrasts between their own culture and those of the Spanish-speaking world.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20300 or consent of instructor.

SPAN 20401 Gramática avanzada y cultura contemporánea para la argumentación I

This course is the first segment of the third-year (advanced) Spanish language sequence. It aims to strengthen all four linguistic skills, advanced argumentation, critical thinking and transcultural competence via discussion of press articles, short stories, films, and recorded interviews with native speakers from a variety of regions. Grammatical structures, syntactic patterns and vocabulary known to be problematic for English speakers will be reviewed and practiced. Controversial topics in politics, contemporary culture and modern Spanish and Latin American history will be debated and discussed orally and in writing through a formal debate, several argumentative essays, weekly posts on online discussion boards, class discussions, and summaries of texts and audios assigned. Students will also be asked to formulate well-supported arguments on these topics, and to reflect on similarities and contrasts between their own culture and those of the Spanish-speaking world.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20300 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Winter

SPAN 20401 Gramática avanzada y cultura contemporánea para la argumentación I

This course is the first segment of the third-year (advanced) Spanish language sequence. It aims to strengthen all four linguistic skills, advanced argumentation, critical thinking and transcultural competence via discussion of press articles, short stories, films, and recorded interviews with native speakers from a variety of regions. Grammatical structures, syntactic patterns and vocabulary known to be problematic for English speakers will be reviewed and practiced. Controversial topics in politics, contemporary culture and modern Spanish and Latin American history will be debated and discussed orally and in writing through a formal debate, several argumentative essays, weekly posts on online discussion boards, class discussions, and summaries of texts and audios assigned. Students will also be asked to formulate well-supported arguments on these topics, and to reflect on similarities and contrasts between their own culture and those of the Spanish-speaking world.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20300 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 20402 Curso de redacción para hablantes nativos

This is an advanced writing, reading comprehension course whose goal is for native and heritage Spanish-speaking students to improve their written and oral expression skills using a selection of texts literature written in Spanish. It is sought that students acquires tools that allow them to improve their competence in the use of language as a means of intellectual debate and academic expression, while they reflect on various socio-cultural issues in Latin America and Spain, and on the approaches to these issues of some of the most important writers in the Spanish language. Throughout the course, students will write three essays based on reading assigned texts and/or class discussion. This process will be complemented with the analysis of grammatical and lexical structures that usually present difficulties for native and heritage Spanish speakers.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20302 or placement. Open to native and heritage speakers. No auditors permitted. If course is full, or total enrollment is less than enrollment limit & you can't register, attend on 1st day. Registered students who don't attend on 1st day may lose spot.

SPAN 20402 Curso de redacción para hablantes nativos

This is an advanced writing, reading comprehension course whose goal is for native and heritage Spanish-speaking students to improve their written and oral expression skills using a selection of texts literature written in Spanish. It is sought that students acquires tools that allow them to improve their competence in the use of language as a means of intellectual debate and academic expression, while they reflect on various socio-cultural issues in Latin America and Spain, and on the approaches to these issues of some of the most important writers in the Spanish language. Throughout the course, students will write three essays based on reading assigned texts and/or class discussion. This process will be complemented with the analysis of grammatical and lexical structures that usually present difficulties for native and heritage Spanish speakers.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20302 or placement. Open to native and heritage speakers. No auditors permitted. If course is full, or total enrollment is less than enrollment limit & you can't register, attend on 1st day. Registered students who don't attend on 1st day may lose spot.

2023-2024 Winter

SPAN 20501 Gramática avanzada y cultura contemporánea para la argumentación II

This course is the second segment of the third-year (advanced) Spanish language sequence. It aims to strengthen all four linguistic skills, advanced argumentation, critical thinking and transcultural competence via discussion of press articles, short stories, films, and recorded interviews with native speakers from a variety of regions. Grammatical structures, syntactic patterns and vocabulary known to be problematic for English speakers will be reviewed and practiced. Controversial topics in politics, contemporary culture and modern Spanish and Latin American history will be debated and discussed orally and in writing through a formal debate, several argumentative essays, weekly posts on online discussion boards, class discussions, and summaries of texts and audios assigned. Students will also be asked to formulate well-supported arguments on these topics, and to reflect on similarities and contrasts between their own culture and those of the Spanish-speaking world. This course is the equivalent of SPAN 20500

Prerequisites

SPAN 20400 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 20501 Gramática avanzada y cultura contemporánea para la argumentación II

This course is the second segment of the third-year (advanced) Spanish language sequence. It aims to strengthen all four linguistic skills, advanced argumentation, critical thinking and transcultural competence via discussion of press articles, short stories, films, and recorded interviews with native speakers from a variety of regions. Grammatical structures, syntactic patterns and vocabulary known to be problematic for English speakers will be reviewed and practiced. Controversial topics in politics, contemporary culture and modern Spanish and Latin American history will be debated and discussed orally and in writing through a formal debate, several argumentative essays, weekly posts on online discussion boards, class discussions, and summaries of texts and audios assigned. Students will also be asked to formulate well-supported arguments on these topics, and to reflect on similarities and contrasts between their own culture and those of the Spanish-speaking world. This course is the equivalent of SPAN 20500.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20400 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Winter

SPAN 20602 Discurso académico para hablantes nativos

The goal of this advanced conversation course is to help students identify and acquire the mechanisms necessary to engage in academic discourse. Throughout the course, students will participate in debates, lectures, and seminars. In addition, they will conduct a formal interview with a Spanish speaker. The topics of the different activities will be selected by the students according to their specializations at the University, but they will always try to establish a relationship with the Spanish-speaking world. All activities will expose the student to different styles of discourse and academic vocabulary.
To also encourage spontaneous and informal conversation, six student-led get-togethers will be organized on a variety of topics. At the end of the course, students will know how to express themselves orally following the established academic conventions.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20302 or placement. Open only to native and heritage speakers with consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 20602 Discurso académico para hablantes nativos

The goal of this advanced conversation course is to help students identify and acquire the mechanisms necessary to engage in academic discourse. Throughout the course, students will participate in debates, lectures, and seminars. In addition, they will conduct a formal interview with a Spanish speaker. The topics of the different activities will be selected by the students according to their specializations at the University, but they will always try to establish a relationship with the Spanish-speaking world. All activities will expose the student to different styles of discourse and academic vocabulary.
To also encourage spontaneous and informal conversation, six student-led get-togethers will be organized on a variety of topics. At the end of the course, students will know how to express themselves orally following the established academic conventions.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20302 or placement. Open only to native and heritage speakers with consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Winter

SPAN 21100 Las regiones del español

Crosslistings
LACS 21100

This sociolinguistic course expands understanding of the historical development of Spanish and awareness of the great sociocultural diversity within the Spanish-speaking world and its impact on the Spanish language. We emphasize the interrelationship between language and culture as well as ethno-historical transformations within the different regions of the Hispanic world. Special consideration is given to identifying lexical variations and regional expressions exemplifying diverse sociocultural aspects of the Spanish language, and to recognizing phonological differences between dialects. We also examine the impact of indigenous cultures on dialectical aspects. The course includes literary and nonliterary texts, audio-visual materials, and visits by native speakers of a variety of Spanish-speaking regions.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20300 or placement.

2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 21100 Las regiones del español

Crosslistings
LACS 21100

This sociolinguistic course expands understanding of the historical development of Spanish and awareness of the great sociocultural diversity within the Spanish-speaking world and its impact on the Spanish language. We emphasize the interrelationship between language and culture as well as ethno-historical transformations within the different regions of the Hispanic world. Special consideration is given to identifying lexical variations and regional expressions exemplifying diverse sociocultural aspects of the Spanish language, and to recognizing phonological differences between dialects. We also examine the impact of indigenous cultures on dialectical aspects. The course includes literary and nonliterary texts, audio-visual materials, and visits by native speakers of a variety of Spanish-speaking regions.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20300 or placement.

2023-2024 Autumn

SPAN 21150 El español en los Estados Unidos

Crosslistings
LACS 21150

This sociolinguistic course expands understanding of both the historical and the contemporary development of Spanish in parts of the United States, and awareness of the great sociocultural diversity within the Spanish-speaking communities in the United States and its impact on the Spanish language. This course emphasizes the interrelationship between language and culture as well as ethno-historical transformations within the different regions of the United States. Special consideration is given to identifying lexical variations and regional expressions exemplifying diverse sociocultural aspects of the Spanish language, and to recognizing phonological differences between dialects. We also examine the impact of English on dialectical aspects. The course includes sociolinguistic texts, audio-visual materials, and visits by native speakers of a variety of Spanish-speaking regions in the United States.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20300.

2023-2024 Winter

SPAN 21610 Catalan Culture and Society: Art, Music and Cinema

Crosslistings
CATA 21600 (parent), GLST 21601

This course provides an interdisciplinary survey of contemporary Catalonia. We study a wide range of its cultural manifestations (architecture, paintings, music, arts of the body, literature, cinema, gastronomy). Attention is also paid to some sociolinguistic issues, such as the coexistence of Catalan and Spanish, and the standardization of Catalan. The course will be conducted in English.

2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 21705 Iberian Literatures and Cultures: Medieval and Early Modern

Crosslistings
MDVL 21705

This class explores Spanish language, literature, and culture focusing on premodern Iberian texts and artifacts. We will start by anonymous Cantar de Mio Cid, the first great vernacular epic in the Middle Ages, and we will end in Maria de Zayas's Novelas ejemplares, one of the finest expressions of European early modern short story. Between these two literary works we will talk about music, painting, witchcraft, conversion, and the Inquisition as milestones of a five-century span. In this time Spanish consolidates as a written language, while numerous political and religious conflicts mark the struggle for hegemony in the Iberian Peninsula.
In addition to enhancing your knowledge of Iberian cultural history and improving your close reading and critical thinking skills, this course is designed to continue building on your linguistic competence in Spanish. Taught in Spanish.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20300 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Autumn

SPAN 21805 Iberian Literatures and Cultures: Modern and Contemporary

This is a survey of the literatures and cultures of Spain from the 19th to the 21st centuries. The course offers an introduction to key historical moments of Spanish modernity, including the age of liberalism and the end of the empire, the Civil War and the Spanish exile, and the fight for democracy and equality in the Transition period and in the present day. Through literature, film, and the visual arts we will discuss topics such as the rivalry of competing national projects, the creative tension between tradition and avant-garde, the relationship between languages, literature, and society, and the struggles of women, among others. We will study towering cultural figures such as Emilia Pardo Bazán, Federico García Lorca, Mercè Rodoreda, Pablo Picasso, or Luis Buñuel, among many others. In addition to enhancing your knowledge of Iberian cultural history and improving your close reading and critical thinking skills, this course is designed to continue building on your linguistic competence in Spanish. Taught in Spanish.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20300 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Autumn

SPAN 21805 Iberian Literatures and Cultures: Modern and Contemporary

This is a survey of the literatures and cultures of Spain from the 19th to the 21st centuries. The course offers an introduction to key historical moments of Spanish modernity, including the age of liberalism and the end of the empire, the Civil War and the Spanish exile, and the fight for democracy and equality in the Transition period and in the present day. Through literature, film, and the visual arts we will discuss topics such as the rivalry of competing national projects, the creative tension between tradition and avant-garde, the relationship between languages, literature, and society, and the struggles of women, among others. We will study towering cultural figures such as Emilia Pardo Bazán, Federico García Lorca, Mercè Rodoreda, Pablo Picasso, or Luis Buñuel, among many others. In addition to enhancing your knowledge of Iberian cultural history and improving your close reading and critical thinking skills, this course is designed to continue building on your linguistic competence in Spanish. Taught in Spanish.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20300 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 21905 Latin American Literatures and Cultures: Colonial and 19th-Century

Crosslistings
CRES 21950, LACS 21900

This course introduces students to the writing produced in Hispanic and Portuguese America during the period marked by the early processes of European colonization in the sixteenth century through the revolutionary movements that, in the nineteenth century, led to the establishment of independent nation-states across the continent. The assigned texts relate to the first encounters between Indigenous, Black, and European populations in the region, to the emergence of distinct (“New World”) notions of cultural identity (along with the invention of new racial categories), and to the disputes over the meaning of nationhood that characterized the anti-colonial struggles for independence. Issues covered in this survey include the idea of texts as spaces of cultural and political conflict; the relationships between Christianization, secularization, and practices of racialization; the transatlantic slave trade; the uses of the colonial past in early nationalist projects; and the aesthetic languages through which this production was partly articulated (such as the Barroco de Indias, or “New World baroque,” Neoclassicism, Romanticism, and Modernismo, among others). In addition to enhancing your knowledge of Latin American cultural history and improving your close reading and critical thinking skills, this course is designed to continue building on your linguistic competence in Spanish. Taught in Spanish.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20300 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 21950 Dark Stairways of Desire: Lusting beyond the Norm in Contemporary Catalan Literature

Crosslistings
CATA 21950 (parent), GNSE 23150

Although we can find a significant number of authors exploring queer desire and identities throughout the history of Catalan Literature (from lesbian scenes in Joanot Martorell's "Tirant lo blanc" to expanding gender identities in Maria Aurèlia Capmany's "Quim/Quima"), more recent Catalan Literature is blooming with queerness and non-normative lust. This course will give an overview of contemporary Catalan works influenced by feminist and queer debates from the seventies on. Beginning with renowned poet Maria Mercè Marçal's only novel, "The Passion According to Rennée Vivien," winner of several of the most prestigious literary awards for Catalan Literature, we will go on to discover 21st-century works by Eva Baltasar and Anna Punsoda. We will also read poems, short stories and excerpts from authors such as Maria Sevilla, Mireia Calafell, Raquel Santanera, Sebastià Portell, Sil Bel and Ian Bermúdez, among others. Taught in English.

2023-2024 Winter

SPAN 22005 Latin American Literatures and Cultures: 20th and 21st Centuries

Crosslistings
LACS 22005, CRES 21955

This course will survey some of the main literary and cultural tendencies in Latin America from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present. We will pay special attention to their aesthetic dimensions, as well as the socio-historical and political conditions that made them possible, and in which they simultaneously intervened. Questions to be studied might include the innovations of the Modernist and avant-garde movements, fantastic literature, the novel of the so-called “Boom,” cultural production associated with revolutionary movements, military dictatorships, and the Cold War, as well as new currents in literary and theatrical practices. Likewise, the course will foreground some of the following concepts relevant to the study of this production: modernity and modernization; development and neoliberalism; neo-colonialism and empire; cultural autonomy and ideas of poetic and cultural renewal; the epic vs. the novel; realism and non-verisimilitude; and performativity, among others. In addition to enhancing your knowledge of Latin American cultural history and improving your close reading and critical thinking skills, this course is designed to continue building on your linguistic competence in Spanish. Taught in Spanish

Prerequisites

SPAN 20300 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Winter

SPAN 22005 Latin American Literatures and Cultures: 20th and 21st Centuries

Crosslistings
LACS 22005, CRES 21955

This course will survey some of the main literary and cultural tendencies in Latin America from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present. We will pay special attention to their aesthetic dimensions, as well as the socio-historical and political conditions that made them possible, and in which they simultaneously intervened. Questions to be studied might include the innovations of the Modernist and avant-garde movements, fantastic literature, the novel of the so-called “Boom,” cultural production associated with revolutionary movements, military dictatorships, and the Cold War, as well as new currents in literary and theatrical practices. Likewise, the course will foreground some of the following concepts relevant to the study of this production: modernity and modernization; development and neoliberalism; neo-colonialism and empire; cultural autonomy and ideas of poetic and cultural renewal; the epic vs. the novel; realism and non-verisimilitude; and performativity, among others. In addition to enhancing your knowledge of Latin American cultural history and improving your close reading and critical thinking skills, this course is designed to continue building on your linguistic competence in Spanish. Taught in Spanish.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20300 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Winter

SPAN 22005 Latin American Literatures and Cultures: 20th and 21st Centuries

Crosslistings
LACS 22005, CRES 21955

This course will survey some of the main literary and cultural tendencies in Latin America from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present. We will pay special attention to their aesthetic dimensions, as well as the socio-historical and political conditions that made them possible, and in which they simultaneously intervened. Questions to be studied might include the innovations of the Modernist and avant-garde movements, fantastic literature, the novel of the so-called “Boom,” cultural production associated with revolutionary movements, military dictatorships, and the Cold War, as well as new currents in literary and theatrical practices. Likewise, the course will foreground some of the following concepts relevant to the study of this production: modernity and modernization; development and neoliberalism; neo-colonialism and empire; cultural autonomy and ideas of poetic and cultural renewal; the epic vs. the novel; realism and non-verisimilitude; and performativity, among others. In addition to enhancing your knowledge of Latin American cultural history and improving your close reading and critical thinking skills, this course is designed to continue building on your linguistic competence in Spanish. Taught in Spanish.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20300 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Autumn

SPAN 22005 Latin American Literatures and Cultures: 20th and 21st Centuries

Crosslistings
LACS 22005, CRES 21955

This course will survey some of the main literary and cultural tendencies in Latin America from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present. We will pay special attention to their aesthetic dimensions, as well as the socio-historical and political conditions that made them possible, and in which they simultaneously intervened. Questions to be studied might include the innovations of the Modernist and avant-garde movements, fantastic literature, the novel of the so-called “Boom,” cultural production associated with revolutionary movements, military dictatorships, and the Cold War, as well as new currents in literary and theatrical practices. Likewise, the course will foreground some of the following concepts relevant to the study of this production: modernity and modernization; development and neoliberalism; neo-colonialism and empire; cultural autonomy and ideas of poetic and cultural renewal; the epic vs. the novel; realism and non-verisimilitude; and performativity, among others. In addition to enhancing your knowledge of Latin American cultural history and improving your close reading and critical thinking skills, this course is designed to continue building on your linguistic competence in Spanish. Taught in Spanish.

Prerequisites

SPAN 20300 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Autumn

SPAN 22090 Reading Transnational Early Modern Race through Gender

Crosslistings
CMLT 21090 (parent)

Is race an anachronistic expression in Renaissance Europe? What are the stakes for studies of race in premodern periods? How did early modern race operate differently from contemporary racialized epistemologies and in what ways are we continuously influenced by the premodern times? This course tackles these questions by foregrounding two vocabularies in the early modern racial paradigm: gender and transnational constructions. We will read primary texts set and produced both in Renaissance Europe and its colonies in Africa, Americas, and Asia, and ask: how did the structural relationship of race and gender work in tandem with, or against each other? What roles did transnational and transcultural exchanges such as Christian missions, colonization, commerce, and slave trade play in the ideations of race? We will pay close attention to fictionalized female characters and women writers, ranging from the desired white beauties in Shakespeare’s Othello and Cervantes’s The Bagnios of Algiers, to Nahua (Mexico) and Visayan (the Philippines) women in The Florentine Codex and The Boxer Codex, to the spiritual diaries of indigenous and black nuns in the Colonial Spanish America, to Aphra Behn’s depiction of Oroonoko’s execution in Surinam, and finally to the unwritten disposable lives of enslaved black women in the Atlantic slave trade. These primary readings will be supplemented by fundamental texts on premodern race (Kim F. Hall, Jennifer Morgan, Geraldine Heng, among others) and visual resources of premodern racial representations. All readings will be available in English. Class taught in English. Regular class discussion will be conducted in English, and coursework may be completed in English or in Spanish. Students seeking SPAN credit will complete the readings and work in Spanish and attend supplementary Spanish discussion section.

Yunning Zhang
2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 22324 Empire and Nation in Modern Spain

This course examines the relationship between cultural products and imperialism in 19th- and 20th-century Spain. We will follow the historical development of Spanish imperialism during that period and how it interacted with the contours of modernity, Spanish identity, and nation-building projects. Through studying texts and cultural products, including visual art and film, we will examine how writers, artists, and scholars represented and debated the multiple Spanish imperial practices in places such as Morocco, the Dominican Republic, and Equatorial Guinea. We will also analyze some responses to the loss of the last Spanish colonies —Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines— and Franco’s involvement in imperial practices. Other topics we will address are the intersection of race and gender in colonized spaces; the construction of otherness; the colonial body; the connections between culture, empire, and science; and Spain’s internal diversity and political struggles. Some of the authors we will study include Aurora Bertrana, Benito Pérez Galdós, Emilia Pardo Bazán, Pedro Antonio de Alarcón, Carmen de Burgos, Mariano Fortuny, among others. Course readings, instruction, and discussion will be in Spanish.

2023-2024 Winter

SPAN 22770 “Que otros sean lo Normal”: Pertinencia y otredad en la literatura trans en español

Crosslistings
GNSE 23158, GLST 22770

¿Qué nos dicen de una sociedad sus alteridades? Es decir, ¿cómo nos informa de la norma lo que queda fuera de ella? A partir de la lectura y análisis de obras escritas por autores trans, conoceremos más a fondo la actualidad de algunos países hispanohablantes, centrándonos en un elemento básico de cualquier identidad: el género.

El curso está organizado a partir de la lectura y visualización de materiales reales y con actividades orales y escritas dirigidas a ampliar el conocimiento de la literatura contemporánea en español (y las sociedades en las que florece), y también a reforzar las habilidades de expresión oral y escrita de les participantes. Taught in Spanish.

2023-2024 Autumn

SPAN 23501 Alone in the Mountains: Tales of Freedom and Violence in Contemporary Catalan Literature

Crosslistings
CATA 23500 (parent), GLST 23500, GNSE 23157

From witches to "goges" ("water women"), Catalan folklore shows a tradition of women living on their own in the mountains, liberated from societal conventions. These women are portrayed as fascinating yet threatening figures. This ancient imagery has permeated contemporary literature, manifested in novels that depict women who remove themselves from "civilization" to inhabit rural areas of Catalunya, seeking freedom and having to confront at the same time societal norms, abusive partners or even their own personal demons. The mountains, far from ideal and peaceful, are an untamed and often brutal space in which human lives hold no greater value than those of goats, mushrooms, rivers. In this course we shall engage with four novels authored by women: "Solitude (1904) by Victor Català, "Stone in a Landslide" (1984) by Maria Barbal, "When I Sing Mountains Dance" (2019) by Irene Solà, and "Alone" (2021) by Carlota Gurt. Through the analysis of these literary works, we aim to delve into Catalan culture and explore its literary archetypes, while establishing significant connections among these texts and their place in modern and contemporary literature. Taught in English, but students seeking credit for the HLBS major/minor must do part of the readings and written work in Catalan or Spanish as necessary for their degree.

2023-2024 Autumn

SPAN 24524 Contemporary Women Writers in Latin America

Crosslistings
LACS 24524, GNSE 23160

Latin America has recently seen an explosion of internationally lauded literature by women writers: as one article stated, “The new Latin American Boom is here, and it is being led by women.” This course focuses on Latin American women’s writing from 1960 to the present, addressing both this recent boom and their literary predecessors. Students will contend with changing trends and historically and culturally specific ideas of representation, womanhood, and feminine sexuality in Latin America, analyze the roles of race, class, and ability in women’s writing, and engage with legacies of authoritarianism, political violence, and femicide throughout the region. Texts traverse the region and period, ranging from the 1970s crónicas of Elena Poniatowska (Mexico, 1932-) and the short stories of Isabel Allende (Chile, 1942-) to the concept albums of Rita Indiana (Dominican Republic, 1977-) and the 2017 novel "Temporada de huracanes" by Fernanda Melchor (Mexico, 1982-). Taught in Spanish. 

2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 24701 Introduction to Basque Culture

Crosslistings
BASQ 24700 (parent)

Straddling the border of southern France and northern Spain, the land of the Basques has long been home to a people who had no country of their own but have always viewed themselves as a nation. No one has ever been able to find their roots, and their peculiar language is not related to any other in the world, but they have managed to keep their mysterious identity alive, even if many other civilizations tried to blot it out. The aim of this course is to create real situations that will enable the students to learn the meaning of Basque culture. It will be a guided tour throughout Basque history and society. Students will learn about the mysterious origins of the language; they will visit the most beautiful places of the Basque country; they will get to know and appreciate Basque traditions, gastronomy, music . . . and most importantly, they will be able to compare and contrast their own cultures and share their ideas during the lessons, creating an enriching atmosphere full of entertaining activities, such as listening to music, reading legends and tales, watching documentaries, and much more. This course will be conducted in English. Prior knowledge of Basque language or culture is not required.

2023-2024 Winter

SPAN 28700 Monsters and Misfits: Disability in Early Modern Spanish Literature

Crosslistings
HLTH 28700

In this course, we will explore a selection of Spanish early modern texts that foreground disability and bodily difference in their narratives. Through our analysis of these texts, we will examine how early modern Spanish authors constructed and challenged notions of difference in relation to the cultural, social, and political context of their time. Moreover, we will reflect on how these representations, produced before the notion of a “normal body” came into being, inform our understanding of human diversity and social inclusion. Critical readings from disability literary studies will provide us with the necessary theoretical and conceptual tools for understanding and analyzing the texts. We will read literary works of diverse genres written by canonical authors of the period, such as Miguel de Cervantes, Juan Ruiz de Alarcón, Tirso de Molina, and Mateo Alemán. Taught in Spanish.

2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 28922 Literary “Selfies”: Autobiographical Discourses in Contemporary Latin America

Crosslistings
LACS 28922

Have you ever written a diary? Have you ever asked “what for”? Why tell a life, and why not? Can every life story be told? How? All these questions bundle behind a more general one: why is the “self” such a hot topic in contemporary literature? How has literature reacted to this interest in subjectivity? In this course we will look into ––and challenge–– a series of terms that tend to be confused: autobiography, autobiographical novel, memoir, diary, autofiction, correspondence. Are these distinctions helpful? What kind of “truth” do they look up to? Are all lives worth their telling? How has that changed with time? We will read contemporary authors that engage with these different genres. We will read about splendid and “minor” lives. We will study maniac authors that simply can’t interrupt their production. (The instructor is one of these rare creatures!) We will delve into the main critical discussions of the field and use them to think of the different types of autobiographical works that will be covered in the program. Also, once a week (myself included) we will write a short reading diary entry as a hands-on “autobiographical” practice. Taught in Spanish.

2023-2024 Winter

BASQ 26624/BASQ 36624 Repression, Resilience, and Gender Politics in Basque Cultural Memory

Crosslistings
SPAN 26624/36624

This course aims to explore the resilient character of contemporary Basque artistic and cultural production, with a particular focus on the increasing presence of strong female voices. One of the goals will be to explore forms of Basque cultural resistance that question the silencing and homogenizing tendencies of political institutions and their cultural hegemony, thus shedding light on both the dialectic between culture and counterculture and the mechanisms and agents of artistic censorship that come into play. Significant attention will also be given to the narrative poetics of the post-ETA period, during which works by female authors have played a leading role in examining the gender policies that have governed the so-called Basque conflict. The link established between the female figure and the transmission of a "dangerous" memory must be interpreted in the light of the current historical moment characterized by the struggle for the telling of the past and the interrogation of gender. Thus, with a focus on memory and gender, and drawing upon a diverse range of materials —including literary texts, sculptural works, music, and films— the course will provide students with a broad overview of contemporary culture in the Basque Country. Classes will be conducted in Spanish, and prior knowledge of the Basque language or culture is not necessary.

2023-2024 Spring

BASQ 41500 Fundamentos de análisis literario

Crosslistings
SPAN 41500 (parent), CATA 41500

What does it mean to read and interpret a text? The critical engagement with literary objects is a craft that requires paying careful and methodical attention not only to the conditions of creation, production, and circulation of works, but also to their various material components and levels of signification. Through the close study of a selection of works of contemporary Iberian literatures, in this seminar we will explore a number of tools for the critical analysis of literature. Special attention will be given to strategies that can be helpful in the process of identifying questions, formulating research problems, and assessing evidence to support your interpretation. Taught in Spanish.

2023-2024 Winter

CATA 23333/CATA 33333 Reading Catalan for Research Purposes

This fast-paced course prepares students to read and do research using texts in Catalan. Students will work on grammar, vocabulary and reading skills, and they will also get introduced to some translation strategies. Part of the texts students will work on will be academic texts in their respective areas of research. This course may fulfill the graduate language requirement in some departments.

Prerequisites

Familiarity with a Romance language is highly recommended.

2023-2024 Winter

CATA 28024/CATA 38024 Ficción del siglo XX, tradición y canon: la narrativa en catalán

Crosslistings
SPAN 28024/38024

El curso ofrece una introducción al concepto de ‘tradición’ y a sus mecanismos de funcionamiento, y analiza su relación con la creación literaria contemporánea a partir del estudio de tres obras fundamentales de la narrativa catalana del siglo XX: "El quadern gris" de Pla, "Mirall trencat" de Mercè Rodoreda y "Estremida memòria" de Jesús Moncada. Estas obras de géneros distintos —diario y relato— serán puestas en relación con la ficción contemporánea universal: leeremos los textos de Pla a la luz de la tradición diarista contemporánea, de Woolf o Nin a Walser, Pavese, Gombrowicz, Torga, Ribeyro o Piglia; la novela de Rodoreda, desde el conocimiento de las técnicas experimentales del modernism; y la de Moncada, a través de los universos ficcionales de Faulkner, Bassani, Carpentier, o García Márquez, y de la novela clásica de aventuras de Dumas y Verne. El propósito es contribuir no sólo a clarificar un concepto esencial en las humanidades, como es el de ‘tradición’, sino a situar en el contexto literario de la ficción internacional tres autores de lengua catalana que han devenido clásicos por su éxito comercial y académico, por el elevado número de traducciones que han merecido, y por su ascendiente en autores posteriores. Estudiaremos el proceso creativo de la ficción contemporánea y sus lazos con la tradición a través de un enfoque comparatista que tiene en cuenta cuestiones como la tensión entre literaturas de lenguas minoritarias y literaturas dominantes. Taught in Spanish.

2023-2024 Spring

CATA 41500 Fundamentos de análisis literario

Crosslistings
SPAN 41500 (parent), BASQ 41500

What does it mean to read and interpret a text? The critical engagement with literary objects is a craft that requires paying careful and methodical attention not only to the conditions of creation, production, and circulation of works, but also to their various material components and levels of signification. Through the close study of a selection of works of contemporary Iberian literatures, in this seminar we will explore a number of tools for the critical analysis of literature. Special attention will be given to strategies that can be helpful in the process of identifying questions, formulating research problems, and assessing evidence to support your interpretation. Taught in Spanish.

2023-2024 Winter

FREN 21506/FREN 31506 Approches à l'analyse littéraire: questionner les classiques

Ce cours est une initiation aux techniques et méthodes de l’analyse littéraire, prenant le parti de lire, commenter, et questionner des œuvres et textes considérés comme « classiques » en France et dans le monde francophone. On apprendra à analyser les formes littéraires, les figures de style, les procédés esthétiques et stylistiques, les structures et les voix narratives ainsi que les choix syntaxiques et lexicaux. Le cours s’appuiera sur la critique littéraire, avec des auteur·e·s et textes choisi·e·s afin de continuer à interroger la validité de la notion de classique. Qui sont les nouveaux classiques ? Nous ne limiterons pas cette question au contemporain, ou à sa dimension géographique, et remonterons la chronologie linéaire afin de considérer les œuvres qui ont été écartées. Taught in French.

Prerequisites

FREN 20500, 20503 or consent of instructor.

2023-2024 Winter

FREN 22410/FREN 32410 Proust: The First Two Volumes

Crosslistings
CMLT 22410/42410 (parent)

This course will undertake in-depth readings of the first volume of Proust’s "In Search of Lost Time." While we will use a translation, any student who can read the French is strongly encouraged to do so (alongside the English, to facilitate class discussion). By doing close readings, we will explore the famous Proustian world, its textual and cultural complexities, the literary style it inaugurates, as well as the belle époque it depicts. The course will thus consider social, literary, historical, and critical approaches to this seminal text.

Prerequisites

The course is intended for graduate students, but advanced undergraduates (third- or fourth-years) can take the course with the permission of the instructor.

2023-2024 Winter

FREN 22620/FREN 32620 Paris from Victor Hugo to the Liberation, c. 1830-1950

Crosslistings
ARCH 22611, ENST 22611, HIST 22611/32611 (parent)

Starting with the grim and dysfunctional city described in Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables," the course will examine the history of Paris over the period in which it became viewed as the city par excellence of urban modernity through to the testing times of Nazi occupation and then liberation (c. 1830-1950). As well as focussing on architecture and the built environment, we will examine the political, social, and especially cultural history of the city. A particular feature of the course will be representations of the city-literary (Victor Hugo, Baudelaire, Zola, etc.) and artistic (impressionism and postimpressionism, cubism, surrealism). We will also examine the city's own view of itself through the prism of successive world fairs (expositions universelles). Students taking FREN 22620/32620 must read texts in French.

2023-2024 Winter

FREN 23333/FREN 33333 Reading French for Research Purposes

Reading French for Research Purposes prepares students to read and do research using scholarly texts in French. Students will build on their fundamental knowledge of French grammar and the most common vocabulary terms used in scholarly writing, while developing reading comprehension skills and working intensively with academic texts in their areas of research specialty. Students who perform well in FREN 33333/23333 will be able to synthesize key points, arguments and evidence in scholarly texts into their own research. The course also includes practice of skills necessary to pass the Academic Reading Comprehension Assessment (ARCA) in French, administered by the Office for Language Assessment (OLA). Undergraduate students have the option of taking the ARCA, or completing a final assignment in which they identify, cite, and describe the relevance of multiple French secondary texts in their discipline or to a specific project. Note: this course can be counted on a case-by-case basis and with approval from the French Undergraduate Adviser.

Prerequisites

PQ for 23333: FREN 10300 or 13333, placement into FREN 20100 or instructor consent. PQ for 33333: FREN 10300 or 13333, placement into FREN 20100, or the equivalent of one year college-level introductory French.

2023-2024 Autumn

FREN 23333/FREN 33333 Reading French for Research Purposes

Reading French for Research Purposes prepares students to read and do research using scholarly texts in French. Students will build on their fundamental knowledge of French grammar and the most common vocabulary terms used in scholarly writing, while developing reading comprehension skills and working intensively with academic texts in their areas of research specialty. Students who perform well in FREN 33333/23333 will be able to synthesize key points, arguments and evidence in scholarly texts into their own research. The course also includes practice of skills necessary to pass the Academic Reading Comprehension Assessment (ARCA) in French, administered by the Office for Language Assessment (OLA). Undergraduate students have the option of taking the ARCA, or completing a final assignment in which they identify, cite, and describe the relevance of multiple French secondary texts in their discipline or to a specific project. Note: this course can be counted on a case-by-case basis and with approval from the French Undergraduate Adviser.

Prerequisites

PQ for 23333: FREN 10300 or 13333, placement into FREN 20100 or instructor consent. PQ for 33333: FREN 10300 or 13333, placement into FREN 20100, or the equivalent of one year college-level introductory French.

2023-2024 Winter

FREN 23333/FREN 33333 Reading French for Research Purposes

Reading French for Research Purposes prepares students to read and do research using scholarly texts in French. Students will build on their fundamental knowledge of French grammar and the most common vocabulary terms used in scholarly writing, while developing reading comprehension skills and working intensively with academic texts in their areas of research specialty. Students who perform well in FREN 33333/23333 will be able to synthesize key points, arguments and evidence in scholarly texts into their own research. The course also includes practice of skills necessary to pass the Academic Reading Comprehension Assessment (ARCA) in French, administered by the Office for Language Assessment (OLA). Undergraduate students have the option of taking the ARCA, or completing a final assignment in which they identify, cite, and describe the relevance of multiple French secondary texts in their discipline or to a specific project. Note: this course can be counted on a case-by-case basis and with approval from the French Undergraduate Adviser.

Prerequisites

PQ for 23333: FREN 10300 or 13333, placement into FREN 20100 or instructor consent. PQ for 33333: FREN 10300 or 13333, placement into FREN 20100, or the equivalent of one year college-level introductory French.

2023-2024 Spring

FREN 24100/FREN 34100 Nature and the Natural in the Middle Ages

Crosslistings
CEGU 24110, GNSE 24103/34103, ENST 24110, MDVL 24103

In this course we will undertake a study of nature and ideas about what is “natural” centered around three main axes, and will adopt a variety of relevant critical perspectives (e.g., ecocriticism, studies of gender and sexuality, political theory) to support our analyses. First, we will explore nature as the created world of which humans are a part (as one of God’s creations), yet from which they also stand apart (as sovereign caretakers). Second, we will examine how the diffusion of Aristotelian works (notably the Politics) in the later Middle Ages provided a justificatory framework for social and political hierarchies and practices of economic exploitation. Third, we will consider the intersection of nature with gender, sexuality, and reproduction, a topic complicated by the fact that Nature is itself represented, in allegorical terms, as a woman. Taught in English, with a discussion section held in French for those seeking credit for the major/minor. All registered students will attend the cours magistral (taught in English). In addition, all registered students will select and attend either the French discussion section, or the critical theory section. Students are welcome to attend both.

Prerequisites

Reading knowledge of French for all students. FREN 20500, 20503 or a literature course taught in French for those seeking credit for the French major/minor.

2023-2024 Autumn

FREN 24210/FREN 34210 Écrire le quotidien (XXe-XXIe siècles)

"La vie quotidienne abonde... en menues découvertes" (André Breton). Des surréalistes à Annie Ernaux, en passant par Michel Leiris, Roland Barthes, Marguerite Duras, Georges Perec, Nathalie Quintane, ou Maryse Condé, les "écritures du quotidien" – explorations d'espaces urbains, répertoires de tâches professionnelles ou domestiques, enquêtes anthropologiques, notations descriptives, journaux plus ou moins intimes – occupent une place considérable dans le paysage littéraire français et francophone des XXe et XXIe siècles. À travers des analyses littéraires et des exercices de création, et en nous appuyant sur des lectures théoriques (Henri Lefebvre, Michel de Certeau), il s'agira dans ce cours d'étudier et de pratiquer différentes approches littéraires de la vie de tous les jours. Taught in French.

Prerequisites

FREN 20500, 20503 or a literature course taught in French.

2023-2024 Spring

FREN 25000/FREN 35000 Molière: Comedy, Power and Subversion

Crosslistings
FNDL 25001, TAPS 28470/38470

Molière crafted a new form of satirical comedy that revolutionized European theater, though it encountered strong opposition from powerful institutions. We will read the plays in the context of the literary, dramatic, and theatrical/performance traditions which he reworked (farce, commedia dell'arte, Latin comedy, Spanish Golden Age theater, satiric poetry, the novel), while considering the relationship of laughter to social norms, with particular emphasis on sexuality, gender roles, and cultural identities. Taught in French.

Prerequisites

FREN 20500, 20503 or a literature course taught in French.

2023-2024 Autumn

FREN 43300 Baudelaire

Crosslistings
CMLT 23310/43300 (parent), RLIT 43500

This course will consider the major poems of Baudelaire as well as the chaotic political landscape that he inhabited.

Prerequisites

Undergrads by consent only.

2023-2024 Spring

FREN 44700 Becoming Montaigne

Many great writers seem to have loved Montaigne, from Shakespeare and Emerson to Derrida or Virginia Woolf, who writes: “Surely then, if we ask this great master of the art of life to tell us his secret, he will advise us to withdraw to the inner room of our tower and there turn the pages of books, pursue fancy after fancy as they chase each other up the chimney, and leave the government of the world to others.” Even the scholarship on Montaigne is torn between treating his "Essays" as a work of philosophy or a work of literature, a distinction that only makes sense in modernity. A most imaginative writer, Montaigne created the genre of the essay and its characteristic poetics of “entreglose”—the subtitle of a recent book that claims that the essay, inherited from Montaigne, is the postcolonial genre by excellence—somewhere between the self and the world, asking unsettling questions and picking random things as objects. Reading some of his most well-known, and some of his least known essays, this course will, via the practice of the essay, seek to identify and take inspiration from the unique mix of affect, sensibility and philosophy that gave Montaigne the ability to become the writer that he was. While we will read scholarship to help us in this endeavor, the course’s outcome is to improve as a writer and foster creative approaches to writing about things. Taught in English.

2023-2024 Spring

ITAL 21820/ITAL 31820 Italo Calvino: the Dark Side

Crosslistings
FNDL 21820

An intense reading of Italo Calvino’s later works: we will contemplate the orbital debris of "Cosmicomics" and "t zero," and we will follow the labyrinthine threads of "The Castle of Crossed Destinies" and the "Invisible Cities." After stumbling upon the suspended multiple beginnings of "If On a Winter’s Night a Traveler," we will probe the possibilities of literature with the essays collected in "Una pietra sopra." Finally, we will encounter "Mr Palomar," who will provide us with a set of instructions on how to neutralize the self and "learn how to be dead.” The approach will be both philosophical and historical, focusing on Calvino’s ambiguous fascination with science, his critique of the aporias of reason and the “dementia” of the intellectual, and his engagement with the nuclear threat of total annihilation. Taught in Italian.

2023-2024 Winter

ITAL 21900/ITAL 31900 Dante's Divine Comedy I: Inferno

Crosslistings
FNDL 27200, MDVL 21900

This is the first part of a sequence focusing on Dante’s masterpiece. We examine Dante’s Inferno in its cultural (i.e., historical, artistic, philosophical, sociopolitical) context. In particular, we study Dante’s poem alongside other crucial Latin and vernacular texts of his age. They include selections from the Bible, Virgil’s Aeneid, Augustine’s Confessions, Ovid’s Metamorphoses, and the stilnovist and Siculo-Tuscan poets. Political turmoil, economic transformation, changing philosophical and theological paradigms, and social and religious conflict all converge in the making of the Inferno. Taught in English. Extra session for students seeking Italian credit.

2023-2024 Autumn

ITAL 22000/ITAL 32000 Dante's Divine Comedy II: Purgatorio

Crosslistings
FNDL 27202, MDVL 22003

This course is an intense study of the middle cantica of the "Divine Comedy" and its relationship with Dante’s early masterpiece, the "Vita Nuova." The very middleness of the Purgatorio provides Dante the opportunity to explore a variety of problems dealing with our life here, now, on earth: contemporary politics, the relationship between body and soul, poetry and the literary canon, art and imagination, the nature of dreams, and, of course, love and desire. The Purgatorio is also Dante’s most original contribution to the imagination of the underworld, equally influenced by new conceptualizations of “merchant time” and by contemporary travel writing and fantastic voyages. Course conducted in English. Those seeking Italian credit will do all work in Italian.

2023-2024 Winter

ITAL 22101/ITAL 32101 Dante's Divine Comedy III: Paradiso

Crosslistings
FNDL 21804, MDVL 22101

An in-depth study of the third cantica of Dante's masterpiece, considered the most difficult but in many ways also the most innovative. Read alongside his scientific treatise the "Convivio" and his political manifesto the "Monarchia." Course conducted in English. Those seeking Italian credit will do all work in Italian.

Prerequisites

Completion of the previous courses in the sequence not required, but students should familiarize themselves with the "Inferno" and the "Purgatorio" before the first day of class.

2023-2024 Spring

ITAL 28424/ITAL 38424 Displacing Caravaggio: Art, Media, and Contemporary Visual Culture

Crosslistings
ARTH 28424, ARTH 38424

Caravaggio is a central figure in the history of Italian art and in the global image of Italy. Caravaggio is also and above all a master of Baroque painting with whom we feel a particular closeness in the name of the themes and modes of his painting. We feel him as our “contemporary” or, maybe, thanks to his works, we are the ones who move another time and another space. This course examines the peculiar relevance of Caravaggio in contemporary visual culture. On one side, we explores the ways in which Caravaggio's techniques, themes, and iconography have been appropriated and reinterpreted in modern and contemporary art and media. On the other hand, Caravaggio's painting is observed through an “anachronistic” perspective, bringing forth valuable insights for critically reflecting on contemporary media practice and visual culture. Taught in English.

Prerequisites

Undergraduates must be in their third or fourth year.

Francesco Zucconi
2023-2024 Spring

ITAL 28500/ITAL 38500 Petrarch and the Birth of Western Modernity

Crosslistings
FNDL 28500

This course offers a close reading of the theoretical works of Petrarch (known as the “father of humanism” or “first modern man”) with the aim of pinpointing the literary and rhetorical skills, as well as the self-conscious agenda, that went into the proclamation of a new era in Western history: the “Renaissance.” How do we at once pay homage to and overcome a time-honored past without severing our ties to history altogether? Is Petrarch’s model still viable today in efforts to forge a new beginning? We will pay special attention to Petrarch’s fraught relationship with religious and secular models such as Saint Augustine and Cicero, to Petrarch’s legacy in notable Renaissance humanists (Pico, Poliziano, Erasmus, Montaigne, etc.), and to the correlation of Petrarchan inquiry with modern concerns and methodologies in textual and social analysis, including German hermeneutics (Gadamer) and critical theory (Gramsci). Taught in English.

2023-2024 Autumn

PORT 26304/PORT 36304 Literature and Society in Brazil

Crosslistings
HIST 26304/36304 (parent), LACS 26304/36304

This course surveys the relations between literature and society in Brazil, with an emphasis on the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The nineteenth-century Brazilian novel, like the Russian novel, was an arena in which intellectuals debated, publicized and perhaps even discovered social questions. We will examine ways in which fiction has been used and misused as a historical document of slavery and the rise of capitalism, of race relations, of patronage and autonomy, and of marriage, sex and love. We will read works in translation by Manuel Antonio de Almeida, José de Alencar, Machado de Assis, Aluísio de Azevedo and others.

2023-2024 Autumn

RLLT 24550/RLLT 34550 Digital Texts I: Corpus Building and Corpus Statistics

Crosslistings
DIGS 20031/30031 (parent)

The purpose of this course is to introduce students in the humanities to digital methodologies for the study of text. Students will not only learn how to construct a digital text collection, but also how to process text as data. Among the various digital approaches which will be introduced in class are concordances (retrieving occurrences of words), semantic similarity detection (finding similar passages across texts), sentiment analysis, or stylometry (analysis of literary style). The course will highlight how these approaches to text can provide new avenues of research, such as tracing intellectual influence over the longue durée, or uncovering the distinguishing stylistic features of an author, work, or literary movement. Students need no prior knowledge of such methods, and the course will aim at providing both the basics of computer programming in Python and to give students the necessary tooling to conduct a digital humanities project. The source material for the course will be drawn from literary sources, and students will be free (and encouraged) to use texts which are relevant to their own research interests. Students will need to bring a laptop to class.

2023-2024 Winter

RLLT 47000 Professional Academic Writing

This course is open to all RLL students and will be run as a workshop. The primary goal is to work on the Qualifying Paper with the objective of producing a piece of work that might, with subsequent revision, be submitted to an academic journal for publication. This course is also appropriate for anyone who wants to work on a dissertation proposal or chapter. We will cover all aspects of professional writing, from abstracts and grant proposals to revising manuscripts after readers' reports.

Prerequisites

Open only to RLL students.

2023-2024 Winter

RLLT 48000 Job Market Preparation

Advanced RLL graduate students will prepare and polish materials needed for applying to jobs: cover letter, CV, dissertation abstract, research statement, teaching statement, and diversity statement. In addition we will discuss best practices for first-round interviews and campus visits. The course is strongly recommended for students in their fifth and sixth years but open to other students.

2023-2024 Spring

RLLT 48800 Foreign Language Acquisition, Research and Teaching

This course provides students with a foundation in foreign language acquisition and sociolinguistic research pertinent to foreign language teaching, introduces current teaching methodologies and technologies, and discusses their usefulness in the classroom.

Prerequisites

Designed primarily with RLL students in mind but open to others.

2023-2024 Autumn

SPAN 31800 Culturas populares en el mundo iberico (siglos XVI-XVII)

The popular classes of early modern Europe engaged in a rich array of cultural practices, including the production and consumption of a wide variety of literary materials. In the Iberian peninsula, moreover, some of the central cultural phenomena of the period are difficult to understand without taking into account the specifically popular social distribution of their uses and appropriations. In this seminar we will explore, for instance, popular readings of the Amadís, carnivalesque discourses and practices, the complexity and multiplicity of the romancero, the development of popular print and pliegos de cordel, the theater of playwrights such as Gil Vicente, Lope de Rueda, Lope de Vega, and Cervantes, or the autobiographies of the Catalan tanner Miquel Parets and the Valencian typographer Juan Martín Cordero. In order to seriously engage in a theoretical discussion about the complex notion of popular culture, we will also read classic essays by Bakhtin, Burke, Ginzburg, De Certeau, Chartier, Gramsci, Frow, Fiske, Caro Baroja, Redondo, and Maravall.

2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 33900 El teatro en la corte de Felipe IV

Spectacle plays flourished in the Spanish Golden Age after Philip IV ascended to the throne in 1621. Many of these plays rework mythological materials and make use of mechanical devices and designs prepared by Italian engineers and artists. Not only did these works appeal to the eyes, thus undermining the preeminent role of the poet. They were ostensibly written in praise of the king and of his courtiers, who were seen as classical deities walking on earth. Philip's minister, the Count-Duke of Olivares, promoted these works and a vision of Philip as a solar king around whom revolved artists and poets, enjoying his vivifying rays and glorifying his reign. Astrology thus plays an important part in the imagery of these works. This course will investigate the oppositions between the verbal and the visual, the laudatory and the critical, the Christian and the pagan in a number of plays written during Philip’s reign, culminating with works by “a true master of the polyphony of the theatrical idiom,” Calderón de la Barca. The course will also include a chivalric spectacle play by of one the few women playwrights of the period, Ana Caro.

2023-2024 Winter

SPAN 35500 New Directions in Afro-Latin Performance

Crosslistings
LACS 35501, RDIN 35500, TAPS 34880

This class engages contemporary conversations in the study of Afro-Latin performance and explores the work of emerging black performance artists across the hemisphere. Tracing performances of blackness from the Southern cone to the Caribbean, we will examine the ways blackness is wielded by the State and by black communities themselves in performance and visual art across the region. We ask: what is the relationship between race and theatricality? What work is blackness made to do in states organized around discourses of racial democracy and mestizaje? How are notions of diaspora constructed through performances of blackness? We take up these questions in our study of reggaetón, hip hop, samba, el baile de los negritos and examine the works of noted and upcoming black artists such as Victoria and Nicomedes Santa-Cruz, Carlos Martiel, Las Nietas de Nonó, and others. While the course will be taught in English, many of the performances and at least four of the readings will be in Spanish.

Prerequisites

Knowledge of Spanish is recommended.

2023-2024 Winter

SPAN 26624/SPAN 36624 Repression, Resilience, and Gender Politics in Basque Cultural Memory

Crosslistings
BASQ 26624/36624 (parent)

This course aims to explore the resilient character of contemporary Basque artistic and cultural production, with a particular focus on the increasing presence of strong female voices. One of the goals will be to explore forms of Basque cultural resistance that question the silencing and homogenizing tendencies of political institutions and their cultural hegemony, thus shedding light on both the dialectic between culture and counterculture and the mechanisms and agents of artistic censorship that come into play. Significant attention will also be given to the narrative poetics of the post-ETA period, during which works by female authors have played a leading role in examining the gender policies that have governed the so-called Basque conflict. The link established between the female figure and the transmission of a "dangerous" memory must be interpreted in the light of the current historical moment characterized by the struggle for the telling of the past and the interrogation of gender. Thus, with a focus on memory and gender, and drawing upon a diverse range of materials —including literary texts, sculptural works, music, and films— the course will provide students with a broad overview of contemporary culture in the Basque Country. Classes will be conducted in Spanish, and prior knowledge of the Basque language or culture is not necessary.

2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 28024/SPAN 38024 Ficción del siglo XX, tradición y canon: la narrativa en catalán

Crosslistings
CATA 28024/38024 (parent)

El curso ofrece una introducción al concepto de ‘tradición’ y a sus mecanismos de funcionamiento, y analiza su relación con la creación literaria contemporánea a partir del estudio de tres obras fundamentales de la narrativa catalana del siglo XX: "El quadern gris" de Pla, "Mirall trencat" de Mercè Rodoreda y "Estremida memòria" de Jesús Moncada. Estas obras de géneros distintos —diario y relato— serán puestas en relación con la ficción contemporánea universal: leeremos los textos de Pla a la luz de la tradición diarista contemporánea, de Woolf o Nin a Walser, Pavese, Gombrowicz, Torga, Ribeyro o Piglia; la novela de Rodoreda, desde el conocimiento de las técnicas experimentales del modernism; y la de Moncada, a través de los universos ficcionales de Faulkner, Bassani, Carpentier, o García Márquez, y de la novela clásica de aventuras de Dumas y Verne. El propósito es contribuir no sólo a clarificar un concepto esencial en las humanidades, como es el de ‘tradición’, sino a situar en el contexto literario de la ficción internacional tres autores de lengua catalana que han devenido clásicos por su éxito comercial y académico, por el elevado número de traducciones que han merecido, y por su ascendiente en autores posteriores. Estudiaremos el proceso creativo de la ficción contemporánea y sus lazos con la tradición a través de un enfoque comparatista que tiene en cuenta cuestiones como la tensión entre literaturas de lenguas minoritarias y literaturas dominantes. Taught in Spanish.

2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 38800 Problemas críticos y teóricos en el estudio de las culturas ibéricas y latinoamericanas

Crosslistings
LACS 38802

En este seminario abordaremos algunas de las problemáticas clave que han estructurado el campo de los estudios literarios hispánicos/ibéricos y latinoamericanos en las pasadas décadas.Taught in Spanish.

2023-2024 Spring

SPAN 29117/SPAN 39117 Theater and Performance in Latin America

Crosslistings
LACS 29117/39117, TAPS 28479/38479, GNSE 29117/39117, RDIN 29117/39117

What is performance? How has it been used in Latin America and the Caribbean? This course is an introduction to theatre and performance in Latin America and the Caribbean that will examine the intersection of performance and social life. While we will place particular emphasis on performance art, we will examine some theatrical works. We ask: How have embodied practice, theatre, and visual art been used to negotiate ideologies of race, gender, and sexuality? What is the role of performance in relation to systems of power? How has it negotiated dictatorship, military rule, and social memory? Ultimately, the aim of this course is to give students an overview of Latin American performance, including blackface performance, indigenous performance, as well as performance and activism. Taught in English.

Prerequisites

Undergraduates must be in their third or fourth year.

2023-2024 Autumn

SPAN 41500 Fundamentos de análisis literario

Crosslistings
BASQ 41500, CATA 41500

What does it mean to read and interpret a text? The critical engagement with literary objects is a craft that requires paying careful and methodical attention not only to the conditions of creation, production, and circulation of works, but also to their various material components and levels of signification. Through the close study of a selection of works of contemporary Iberian literatures, in this seminar we will explore a number of tools for the critical analysis of literature. Special attention will be given to strategies that can be helpful in the process of identifying questions, formulating research problems, and assessing evidence to support your interpretation. Taught in Spanish.

2023-2024 Winter

SPAN 43000 Imperialismo, Nación y Cultura en el Caribe Hispánico (el siglo XX)

Crosslistings
LACS 43000

En este seminario examinaremos las relaciones entre política y cultura en el Caribe hispánico durante el periodo que se extiende de la invasión norteamericana a la región, con la Guerra del 1898, hasta los inicios de la Revolución Cubana de 1959. El triunfo de los Estados Unidos en la guerra finisecular marcó el fin del dominio imperial de España en la zona, iniciándose así toda una nueva era de profundas contiendas geopolíticas y reconfiguraciones culturales. Entre esta se vieron el surgimiento de nuevos tipos de relaciones coloniales y neocoloniales con la emergente metrópoli norteamericana y el reposicionamiento de los discursos sobre raza en los debates sobre la identidad nacional, en sus genealogías y posibles virtualidades—todo ello estructurado por economías y lenguajes fuertes de género (gender). En este sentido, la esfera cultural devino simultáneamente escenario y protagonista de esas pugnas. Mediante una selección de materiales ensayísticos, narrativos y poéticos clave, el curso se concentrará particularmente en los modos en que la literatura intervino en esos conflictos, siendo a la vez constituida por ellos. Entre les autores a estudiar se encuentran José Martí, Antonio Pedreira. Fernando Ortiz, Lydia Cabrera, Julia de Burgos, Nicolás Guillén, Luis Palés Matos, Manuel del Cabral, Juan Bosch y Fidel Castro, entre otres. Taught in Spanish.

2023-2024 Autumn