Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian Studies
Director of Graduate Studies: Larry Norman
We offer a strong, comprehensive curriculum that embraces the multiple disciplinary traditions and theoretical diversity of our fields. Our graduate program also highlights the linguistic and cultural diversity of Iberian, Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx communities, offering a rich selection of languages relevant to HLBS such as Basque, Catalan, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Our Faculty
We cover all periods of Iberian and Latin American cultural histories and offer a rich variety of approaches to the study of literature, theater and performance, the visual arts, and intellectual production. While specializing in a wide variety periods and critical approaches, we are particularly strong in a number of areas and interdisciplinary fields of study:
- Early modern Spain and colonial Latin America (Noel Blanco Mourelle, Larissa Brewer-García, Miguel Martínez, Victoria Saramago)
- Modern and contemporary Latin America and Iberia (Sergio Delgado Moya, Agnes Lugo-Ortiz, Danielle Roper, Mario Santana, Victoria Saramago)
- Mexico and the Caribbean (Sergio Delgado Moya, Agnes Lugo-Ortiz, Danielle Roper, Victoria Saramago)
- Nationalism and culture (Agnes Lugo-Ortiz, Miguel Martínez, Mario Santana)
- Visual studies, film, and the performative arts (Sergio Delgado Moya, Agnes Lugo-Ortiz, Danielle Roper, Mario Santana)
- Material approaches and sociology of literature (Noel Blanco Mourelle, Miguel Martínez, Mario Santana, Victoria Saramago)
- Race Studies (Larissa Brewer-García, Sergio Delgado Moya, Agnes Lugo-Ortiz, Danielle Roper)
- Slavery Studies (Larissa Brewer-García, Agnes Lugo-Ortiz)
- Gender and sexuality (Noel Blanco Mourelle, Larissa Brewer-García, Agnes Lugo-Ortiz, Danielle Roper)
- Intellectual and cultural history (Noel Blanco Mourelle, Agnes Lugo-Ortiz, Miguel Martínez)
- Medieval Iberia (Noel Blanco Mourelle)
- Environmental Humanities and Energy Humanities (Victoria Saramago)
- Popular Culture (Sergio Delgado Moya, Miguel Martínez, Danielle Roper)
- Southern Cone (Sergio Delgado Moya, Carlos Halaburda)
- Latinx Studies (Sergio Delgado Moya, Agnes Lugo-Ortiz)
Interdisciplinary Engagement
- The University of Chicago’s campus-wide, interdisciplinary Advanced Studies Workshops are a hallmark of graduate study at this University.
- Students are expected and encouraged to expand their research and course work into other literatures, departments, and disciplines, and they often take courses in Cinema and Media Studies; Art History; Comparative Literature; History; Philosophy; Social Thought; Theater and Performance Studies; and Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity
- Students are also welcome to explore joint degrees and doctoral certificates such as the ones offered by Gender and Sexuality Studies; Latin American Studies; Theater and Performance Studies; Environment, Geography and Urbanization; and Race, Politics and Culture. In defining their own path of study while acquiring a rigorous grounding in their chosen fields, students develop the skills and versatility necessary to adapt and succeed in an evolving profession.
International Exchange
- Regular visiting professors from universities and research centers in Spain, Portugal, and Latin America thanks to international agreements with the Tinker Foundation, the Institut Ramon Llull through the Joan Coromines Chair, and the Etxepare Euskal Institutua through the Koldo Mitxelena Chair. Past visitors came from the Colegio de México, Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, Universidade de Lisboa and University of the Basque Country.
- The Program in Catalan Studies (Lectureship and Visiting Professorship) was established in 2005 thanks to an agreement with the Institut Ramon Llull. In 2005-2006 the department started offering courses in Catalan language and hosted the first Visiting Professor in Catalan Studies (the Joan Coromines Chair). A list of visitors can be found here.
- With the support of Etxepare Basque Institute, since 2011 the Koldo Mitxelena Chair of Basque Studies has been hosting visiting professors in various Humanities disciplines. The department also offers instruction in Basque language and culture.
- Students may also benefit from the university’s study abroad programs in Oaxaca and Barcelona, in which they may serve in Graduate Assistant positions.
Teaching
Students will be exposed to a variety of teaching methodologies through coursework, mentoring and workshops, and will gain teaching experience by serving in different roles in our undergraduate program.
The Library holds a vast collection of Iberian and Latin American printed materials, maps, manuscripts, rare books, journal holdings, databases and microfilm sets, and provides extensive support for developing personal research skills.
One of the nation’s preeminent independent research collections and organizes an array of research seminars and colloquia engaging graduate students.