Espaol 348 Civilizaciones y culturas latinoamericanas Otoo del 2012 Dra.

Linda Zee White Hall 226 223-2461 lzee@utica.edu Horas de consulta: lun, mier. vier. 9:30-10:00; 11:30-12:00; lunes 4:30-5:20, juev. 1:00-2:00 y previa cita

Description: This course is designed as an introduction to the cultures, civilizations and history of Spanishspeaking countries. While the emphasis will be on Latin America, Spain will be included as a point of reference and comparison. Text: Latinoamrica: Presente y pasado. Arturo A. Fox. Selected hand-outs, web-based materials, films http://spanish348.blogspot.com Grading: 1. Country reports 15%. Students will be assigned or will select one Latin American country on which they will report 3 times during the second part of the semester. The first report will discuss the countrys capital, population, chief imports and exports, major bodies of water, the basic state of the economy, the currency [and the use or importance of the US dollar] the role of tourism to the economy and the main tourist attractions. The second report will discuss politicswhos in charge, recent elections, past government types, political parties, major conflicts. You will also discuss minority groups, both political and ethnic, and the role of the indigenous populations. The third report, the longest of the 3, will discuss culture and sports. You can prepare an audiovisual presentation of music, art, dance, famous people from the arts, sports teams, and anything else that has caught your interest about the country. This should not be a country of family origin nor one in which you have spent time. 2. Film reports 10% You will be responsible for viewing 2 different films on your own during the course of the semester. Some of these are available in the Media Center, some are from my private collection, others are available commercially or through Netflix. Plan ahead! You may not be the only person trying to watch the film at the last minute! These films have been selected for their relevance to the material read/discussed in class. On the days that the film reports are due, you will hand in a brief [1.5-2 pp.] report IN SPANISH that will include the following information: How the film relates or pertains to the classroom material How the film has reinforced or contradicted material discussed in class How would someone who hasnt taken this class relate to or enjoy the film Your opinion of the film The day that you hand in each report you will briefly summarize your opinions to the class. (There are 3 film reports assigned but you only have to do 2; #3 is extra credit) 3. Interview: mid-semester project 20% DUE 22 Oct. You will conduct a thorough interview in Spanish with a person from a Spanish-speaking country in Latin America that you have never visited [and that is not a country of your familys origin]. You may interview a fellow student, someone from your community or job, etc. The interview MUST be conducted in Spanishit will be painfully obvious if you do it in English and attempt to translate!] It is suggested that you tape the interview if at all possible, rather than try to write down all the information. The interview project should be condensed, written in NARRATIVE FORM [and NOT in question and answer form] and should include the following aspects as a MINIMUM: a. The name and origin of the person interviewed b. Unique geographic features of the country c. Climate d. Daily customs and routines [meals, working hours, etc.] e. Typical foods [include a thorough description of one typical or special dish] f. Holidaysreligious and non-religiousand the description of how at least one of them is celebrated g. Customs that distinguish this country from other Spanish-speaking countries h. How the Spanish there differs from that spoken in other regions. Provide examples if possible. i. Music

j. Current political situation [type of government, name of leader] and basic attitudes toward the United States 4. Exams, presentations and/or quizzes 25% You will have a map test and several essay/short answer exams. Quizzes will be brief comprehension questions on the readings if I feel that youre not keeping up with the assignments. I will on occasion assign a topic for a student to present (briefly2-5 minutes) to the rest of the class. These will be on a volunteer basis, or I will volunteer you if needs be. 5. Final oral report 15% You will select a theme from below [or other, prior my approval] to present to the class in lieu of a final exam. This will be held on the day of the scheduled final exam. The presentation should last about 15 mins. [maximum 20]. The idea is to demonstrate to the class something about Hispanic popular culture in a way that is both interesting and entertaining. You may include an activity, a video or anything else that will differentiate this from a simple report. Be creative! Suggested themes [no repeated themes so if something interests you, claim it now!]: a. Food and drink: comparison and analysis of the cuisines of different countries: tape a cooking segment from Univisin; bring in recipes, menus, talk about the connection between cooking and national products, indigenous vs. European influences; bring in something to eat that is authentic. b. Song and dance: salsa, tango, merengue, tapato, etc. etc. etc. Teach the class to dance. Bring in songs from latinos in the US or well-known [or not] Latin American artists and teach us the lyrics. Analyze lyrics of songs. Show a clip from a video featuring one of the aforementioned dances and explain. Give a demonstration of different dance styles and explain the source. c. Telenovelas: A popular expression and study of social dynamics. Follow a soap opera for as long as you can. Bring segments to show to the class. Discuss the language used, the clothes, the setting, the relationship between or among classes, generations, sexes. What values implicitly and explicitly revealed. If you have only a portion of the soap, act out the conclusion that you judge most likely. d. Folklore: artwork, artisans, markets. Demonstrate the way regatear works. Collect items that people have brought back from different countries or concentrate on one area if you have enough info. Bring in the items and set up a kind of market or explain how the items are made, their significance, etc. Discuss the crafts as art. Discuss the way markets function or the history behind certain markets. For example: Vasco de Quiroga organized the indigenous towns in colonial Michoacan, Mexico, around different craftslacquer work, leather goods, wood, copper, pottery, textilesin order to lessen competition among the different indigenous groups. e. Muralism: especially in US Chicano communities and post-Revolutionary Mexico. Bring in images/powerpoint. Explain the artistic and political aspects. Compare and contrast specific artists like Rivera and Orozco. f. Noticiero/newscast. Taking current events from throughout the Hispanic world, put on a skit with reporters, interviews and commentaries. Must be sincere and accurate, not made-up news. Bring in a clip from a real newscast on Univisin and discuss. Analyze newspapers from the Web. How is news reported elsewhere? g. Fiestas and celebraciones: Day of the Dead. Posadas. La Pascua Florida. Etc. Make a piata. Reenact the story of Juan Diego and the Virgen de Guadalupe. Decorate the room for a special event with authentic decorations like the cut tissue paper seen in Mexico on an alter for the Day of the Dead. Bring in a rosca for el da de los Reyes Magos. Explain other customs for other important events that differ from ours: La Diablada in Bolivia; el da del santo; el grito de Dolores in Mexico, la quinceaera. 6. Homework 15% You will be assigned certain questions that follow each chapter in the text. It is essential that you complete these questions in order to better test your understanding and to improve your vocabulary. THE PAGE NUMBERS OR CHAPTER NUMBER INDICATE WHAT YOU SHOULD READ BEFORE CLASS. THE HOMEWORK IS WHAT YOU SHOULD HAND IN BEFORE CLASS STARTS. PLEASE SUMMARIZE YOUR ANSWERS, AS OPPOSED TO COPYING DIRECTLY FROM THE READINGS. *CHECK THE CLASS POSTINGS FOR THE MOST CURRENT ASSIGNMENTS **I have usually taught this as a 75 min. class so some of the pages and topics may be changed as the semester progresses. 8/29 8/31 Introduccin breve Introduccin a Amrica Latina; esteriotipos, una prueba de mapas

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Mxico precolombino (Cap. 1; HW Preguntas A 1-12) Mxico y otras civilizaciones precolombinas (Ejercicio Dcomposicin) Otras civilizaciones precolombinas (Cap. 2; Ejercicio A 1-14) terminar con la poca precol.; write in class (Opiniones 3 4) No hay clase Europa (Cap. 3; Preguntas A, 1-15) Las conquistas (Cap. 4; Preguntas A 1-15) Las conquistas (Opiniones B 1 2) first film report (Captain from Castile; Aguirre, Wrath of God; others?); write in class Colonialismo (Cap. 5; A 1-13) Colonialismo (Opiniones B 1) Colonialismo (Cap. 6; Preguntas A 1-13) Independencias (Cap. 7; Preguntas A 1-18) Independencias (B opiniones 2 4) No hay clase Las mujeres Map test Second film report (The Mission; Camila; Yo, la peor de todas (unless youre in 311; others) Overview (Cap. 8; Preguntas A 1-14)

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Overview (C Temas 1) Religiones; influencias africanas (Cap. 9; Preguntas A 1-16) Interview due; DVD Omnibus First Country report; write in class Pre WWII (Cap. 10; Preguntas A 1-16) No hay clase Post WWII (Cap. 11, Preguntas A 1-16) Mexico and Central America (Cap. 12; preguntas A 1-21) Mexico and Central America (Ejercicios Ebusca algo reciente y relevante para presentar @3 minutos)

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Msica (puedes traer algo a clase) Second Country report; El Caribe (cap. 13; Preguntas A 1-21) El Caribe (Opiniones, 4 y 5) Los Andes (Cap. 14; preguntas A 1-28 pares o impares) Los Andes, El Cono Sur (opioniones B 1 y 2) EL Cono Sur (Cap. 15; Preguntas A 1-22; pares o impares) No hay clase No hay clase Colombia y Venezuela (Preguntas A Sobre 1 de los 2 pases) US (Cap. 17; Pregunas A 1-20)

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Tiempo adicional para lo de arriba; Brasil Brasil 3 country report 3 country report film report (Frida, El Norte, Missing, Mi vida loca, Evitahay muchas posibilidades)
rd rd

12/12

9:00 am proyecto final