Department of Spanish and Portuguese

University of Texas at Austin

SPN 379C (45785): Capstone Seminar in Literatures and Cultures
Fall 2019 topic: Colonial Crisis and Cultural Resilience in Puerto Rico

TTH 11:00-12:30 MEZ 1.202 Prof. César A. Salgado

Unique Number 44545 Office Hours TTh 2-3:30 BEN 3.140

Description: The capstone course is a senior seminar that brings together central issues,
concepts, and themes that define Iberian or Latin American literatures and cultures, while
focusing on a specific case-study or case-studies that allow for the necessary depth and rigor
to produce a research paper on a particular topic of interest. The prerequisites for this course
are SPN 327, 328C, and twelve hours of upper-division coursework in Spanish.

Case Study for Fall 2019: Colonial Crisis and Cultural Resilience in Puerto Rico
On July 24, 2019, minutes before Constitution Day, the pro-statehood governor of the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rosselló, was forced to resign after two weeks of
massive popular manifestations, both in the island and across the diaspora. More than a
million Puerto Ricans of conflicting political persuasions and from all social sectors
protested. They filled the narrow streets of Old San Juan leading to the Governor’s Mansion,
marched in front of the White House and the Washington Monument, and took over
Columbus Circle and Grand Central in New York City as well as provincial plazas and vast
expressways across the island.

A leaked private chat of Rosselló’s inner circle ignited the uproar. It brought to light the
white hetero-male culture of prejudice, entitlement and profiteering ensnarling the island’s
resources and political process. Multitudes drew from a rich tradition of street music, verbal
wit, and embodied performance to express their indignation and denounce a long series of
grievances beyond the chat. People protested scandals involving top cabinet officials
scheming to privatize public services for personal profit, the government’s incompetent
management of relief efforts after Hurricane Maria, and the draconian austerity measures
imposed by an anti-democratic, federally appointed fiscal board to pay off a multibillion-
dollar public debt that most deem as unpayable and corrupt.

Pundits have interpreted this unprecedented rise to arms as a radical awakening. It’s been
seen as a collective acknowledgement of the falseness of full citizenship rights and U.S.-
protected prodigality under the Commonwealth formula and of the unsustainability of Puerto
Rico’s territorial status in an unforgiving, staunchly neoliberal world order.

This course is mean to inform and guide advanced Dept of Spanish majors on how to conduct
transformative research about Puerto Rico’s complex trajectory as a territory and as a people,
as a colony and as a nationality, as a homeland and as a diaspora. It will center on how Puerto
Ricans as perennial subalterns have coped with recurring forms of colonial crisis,
exploitation, and dispossession throughout their history--from slave state despotism to
regime-led depopulation and repopulation and, after the Spain-to-US imperial transfer, to
predatory extractionism of natural resource, indentured labor and “expendable life.” We will
study how, throughout this trajectory, marginal sectors— peasants, small creole landowners,
women, afro-descendants, laborers and LGTB activists—have developed structures of
resistance and strategies of survival based on cultural, artistic and musical initiatives and
traditions.

For this purpose, the course will be divided in two sections. The first half will be an
overview of Puerto Rican historical process from the late eighteenth century to the
present through the reading and discussion of key archival novels, poetry, performances,
and films. The second will consist of a review and engagement with online initiatives and
sites for memory conservation and cultural custody. In this second half of the course,
students will choose to survey the online bibliographical and audiovisual resources of a series
of institutes, NGOs, and data bases organized to document, analyze and discuss issues about
sovereignty, social justice, and resistance in Puerto Rico in the contexts of three converging
crises: the debt crisis, the post-Maria crisis, and the governance crisis under Ricardo
Rosselló. Among these sites will be the Puerto Rican Syllabus, U Notre Dame’s Listening to
Maria project, Centro of Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College, the Puerto Rican Studies
Association, Centro de Periodismo Investigativo and Centro para una Nueve Economía,
among others.

Global Cultures Flag: This course carries the Global Cultures Flag. Global Cultures courses
are designed to increase your familiarity with cultural groups outside the United States. You
should therefore expect a substantial portion of your grade to come from assignments
covering the practices, beliefs, and histories of at least one non-U.S. cultural group, past or
present.

Independent Inquiry Flag: This course carries the Independent Inquiry Flag. Independent
Inquiry courses are designed to engage you in the process of inquiry over the course of a
semester, providing you with the opportunity for independent investigation of a question,
problem, or project related to your major. You should therefore expect a substantial portion
of your grade to come from the independent investigation and presentation of your own work.

Writing Flag: This course carries the Writing Flag. Writing Flag courses are designed to
give students experience with writing in an academic discipline. In this class, you can expect
to write regularly during the semester, complete substantial writing projects, and receive
feedback from your instructor to help you improve your writing. You will also have the
opportunity to revise one or more assignments, and you may be asked to read and discuss
your peers’ work. You should therefore expect a substantial portion of your grade to come
from your written work.

Novels to purchase at the COOP or online:

Edgardo Rodríguez Juliá, La renuncia del héroe Baltasar
José Luis González, La llegada
Magali García Ramis, Felices días, tío Sergio
Luis Rafael Sánchez, La guaracha del Macho Camacho
Other readings will be available online or on Canvas
Couse requirements:
Weekly homework: 15% Attendance & Participation: 10%
One interview with an on-campus or off-campus specialist on Puerto Rico: 10%
Class presentation on one online resource on Puerto Rican Studies: 10%
Midterm paper: 15%
Three-page preliminary research prospectus and 5-page expanded prospectus: 10%
Twelve-page final research paper: 30%

Class Itinerary

Part I: Historical and Cultural Overview of Puerto Rico 1791-2019

Week I: Introduction: Sub-Citizenship and Non-Sovereignty

Aug 29
Selection of short essays by Eduardo Lalo: “Puerto Rico como condición,” “Los
impuertorriqueños,” “Palabras en Austin,” “¿Quién fue Ricky Rosselló?” (CANVAS)
Short documentary: “El sonido de la resistencia” (YouTube)

Week II: Power, renunciation, and colonial resentment after the Altantic revolutions
Sept. 3
Francisco Scarano, Puerto Rico: Cinco siglos de historia, chapter 14 (CANVAS)
Edgardo Rodríguez Julia, La renuncia del héroe Baltasar, pgs. 7-45, 60-80 (CANVAS)
Sept. 5
Francisco Scarano, Puerto Rico: Cinco siglos de historia, chapter 15 (CANVAS, skim)
Edgardo Rodríguez Julia, La renuncia del héroe Baltasar, pgs. 81-101 (CANVAS o COOP)
Selections of chat pages hosted by ex-governor Rosselló (CANVAS)
Ana Teresa Toro Ortiz, “Gobiernan un país que no conocen” (online)
http://periodismoinvestigativo.com/2019/07/gobiernan-un-pais-que-no-conocen/

Week III: Struggles for Greater Sovereignty and Emancipation in the XIX Century
Sept. 10
Francisco Scarano, Puerto Rico: Cinco siglos de historia, chapter 16 (CANVAS)
Watch online: Tito Román, El Antillano: Documental sobre Ramón Emeterio Betances
Selection of writings by Ramón Emeterio Betances
Sept. 12
Francisco Scarano, Puerto Rico: Cinco siglos de historia, chapter 18 (CANVAS)
Watch online: Autografo TV Documental sobre Lola Rodríguez de Tió
Selection of poems by Lola Rodríguez de Tió (CANVAS)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRi38EGY3JI
https://www.univision.com/noticias/la-bandera-negra-de-puerto-rico-el-simbolo-de-la-
protesta-boricua-video

Week IV: Switching Empires: Politics and Affects of Territorial Transfer in 1898
Sept. 17
Francisco Scarano, Puerto Rico: Cinco siglos de historia, chapter 19 (CANVAS)
José Luis González, La llegada (CO-OP); El país de cuatro pisos (CANVAS)
Sept. 19
José Luis González, La llegada (CO-OP, finish); Luis López Nieves, Seva (CANVAS)
Watch online: Francisco Serrano, Seva Vive (documental)
Webpage: Puerto Rican Syllabus: 1898 and the Incorporation of Puerto Rico
https://puertoricosyllabus.com/historical-context-for-the-debt-crisis-2/1898-and-the-un-
incorporation-of-puerto-rico/

Week V: Feminist Intersectionality vs. Hispanic Patriarchy Under American Sugar

Hegemony and Jones Act Citizenship
Sept. 24
Francisco Scarano, Puerto Rico: Cinco siglos de historia, chapters 20 & 21 (CANVAS)
Rosario Ferré, Maldito Amor (CANVAS)
Sept. 26
Francisco Scarano, Puerto Rico: Cinco siglos de historia, chapter 22 (CANVAS)
Rosario Ferré, Maldito Amor (CANVAS, finish)
Antonio S. Pedreira, selecciones de Insularismo (CANVAS)
Beatriz Llenín Figueroa, “Las cimarronas no mueren, nosotras no morimos” (online)
https://ahoralaturba.net/2019/07/27/las-cimarronas-no-mueren-nosotras-no-morimos/

Week VI: The Contradictions of the Pax Muñocista: Commonweatlh Status, the Rise
of the Populares and the Repression of Nationalism
Oct 1
Francisco Scarano, Puerto Rico: Cinco siglos de historia, chapter 23 (CANVAS)
Magali García Ramis, Felices días, tío Sergio (COOP)
Oct. 3
Francisco Scarano, Puerto Rico: Cinco siglos de historia, chapter 24 (CANVAS)
Magali García Ramis, Felices días, tío Sergio (finish, COOP)
René Marqués, selections from El puertorriqueño dócil (CANVAS)
https://news.columbia.edu/news/archive-documenting-puerto-ricos-past-sheds-light-its-
present
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/27/nyregion/photos-puerto-rico-jack-delano.html

Week VII: Oligarchical Partisanship before and after 1968: The Rise of the Statehood
Movement
Oct. 8
Francisco Scarano, Puerto Rico: Cinco siglos de historia, chapter 25 (CANVAS)
Luis Rafael Sánchez, La guaracha del Macho Camacho (COOP, selections)
Oct. 10
Francisco Scarano, Puerto Rico: Cinco siglos de historia, chapters 26 (CANVAS)
Luis Rafael Sánchez, La guaracha del Macho Camacho (COOP, finish)
José Luis González, “Plebeyismo y arte en el Puerto Rico de hoy” (CANVAS)
DJ Sessions: The Music That Help Out Puerto Rico’s Governor
https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2019/08/07/dj-sessions-puerto-rico-protests
https://www.nytimes.com/es/2019/07/19/artistas-puerto-rico-protestas/
Part II: Exploring Research Resources to Study the Puerto Rican Crisis

Data Bases/Research Initiatives to Study the Debt Crisis

Week VIII:
Oct. 15
Centro: Center of Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College, City University of New York
https://centropr.hunter.cuny.edu
Midterm Paper Due
Oct. 17
Puerto Rico Citizenship Archives Project
https://scholarscollaborative.org/PuertoRico/

Week IX:
Oct. 22
Centro Para Una Nueva Economía/Center for a New Economy
https://grupocne.org
Oct. 24
The Puerto Rican Syllabus
https://puertoricosyllabus.com

Oct. 26 SPECIAL EVENT Puerto Rican Studies Association Symposium at UT Austin

Data Bases/Research Initiatives to Study the Maria Crisis

Week X:
Oct. 29
CUAHSI Hurricane Archive Project: Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=972615792d0144f4aa8e735319
0ba940
Oct. 31
Listening to Puerto Rico Project at U Michigan and U Notre Dame
http://listeningtopuertorico.org

Week XI:
Nov 5
Archivo Virtual: Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña
https://www.archivoicp.com/divedco
Nov. 7
Biblioteca Virtual de Puerto Rico: Proyecto de Javier Almeyda Loucil
https://bibliotecavirtualpr.wordpress.com/author/jalmeyda23/
Preliminary 3-page Prospectus Due

Date Bases/Research Initiatives to Study the Governance Crisis

Week XII:
Nov. 12
Colectiva Feminista en Construcción: Todas PR
https://www.todaspr.com/tag/colectiva-feminista-en-construccion/
Nov. 14
Centro de Periodismo Investigativo
http://periodismoinvestigativo.com

Week XIII:
Nov. 19
80grados: Prensa sin Prisa
https://www.80grados.net
Nov. 20
Kilómetro Cero
https://www.kilometro0.org
Preliminary 3-page Prospectus Due

Week XIV:
Nov. 25
Sandra Rodríguez Cotto: En Blanco y Negro
http://enblancoynegromedia.blogspot.com
Jaime Torres Torres: Prensa Sin Censura
https://radiosincensurapr.com/author/jaimetorrestorres/

Week XV
Prospectus and interview oral reports: Dec. 3 and 5

Final Papers Due Dec 11 at 5PM

Make-up Policy. If you fail to turn in homework and essays on the dates due, you lose the
full points, regardless of reason or cause. Only serious illness or accident or a fully
documented family emergency will count as a valid excuse.
Students with Disabilities. The instructor will make himself available to discuss
appropriate academic accommodations for students with a disability. These students may be
required to provide documentation from the Office of the Dean of Students-Services for
Students with Disabilities.
Religious Holidays. By UT Austin policy, you must notify me of your pending absence at
least fourteen days prior to the date of observance of a religious holiday. If you must miss a
class, an examination, a work assignment, or a project in order to observe a religious
holiday, you will be given an opportunity to complete the missed work within a reasonable
time after the absence. Emergency Situations: Familiarize yourself when you can with the
following recommendations regarding emergency evacuations from the Office of Campus
Safety and Security, 512-471-5767, http://www.utexas.edu/safety/
Academic Honesty: UT expects its students to abide to an Honors Code that forbids any
mode of plagiarism in written assignments submitted as original work. You can familiarize
yourself with these expectations by consulting this link:
http://catalog.utexas.edu/archive/2012- 13/general-information/student- services/discipline