LACLS/ AMS/ LNG 215 - Introduction to Latinx Studies Through the Humanities

College of Staten Island • CUNY

Minor in Latin American, Caribbean, and Latina/o Studies

Semester: Spring 2022

Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:20 – 2:15 pm (Blackboard Collaborate)

Instructor: Ricardo Coloma

Email: rmartincoloma@gradcenter.cuny.edu

Office Hrs: Fridays 10:00-11:00 (Due to the Covid-19 context, meetings will be held on Blackboard)

Blackboard link for office hours:

https://us.bbcollab.com/guest/e2337f3721c3455c9272f9c05e15df7b

An interdisciplinary introduction to Latinx studies through the humanities. Students will get an overview
of Latinx demographics, identity, history and politics by reading primary and secondary literary texts,
screening films, exploring works of art, and working with digital media. These works critically grapple
with issues of race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, linguistic formation, colonialism and immigration
as they relate to the Latinx community. This course will be taught in English.

Course Outcomes/Objectives:

 Students will be able to discern concepts like, mobility, transnationalism, and migration
alongside cultural differences and similarities of Latinx communities within the US.
 Students will be able to analyze notable primary, secondary literary texts, cinema, and theatre
Latinx works from a cultural studies approach within a historical context following criteria like
race, class, and national belonging.
  Students will be able to develop a critical thinking approach to the political role of language and
culture within the multiple Latinx identity formations.
 Students will be able to pose critical approaches to the examination of current issues through
literature and visual arts that surround the various sub-groups that make up the Latin@ population
in the US.

Statement on Academic Integrity:

The faculty and administration of College of Staten Island support an environment free from cheating and
plagiarism. Each student is responsible for being aware of what constitutes cheating and plagiarism and
for avoiding both. The complete text of the CUNY Academic Integrity Policy and the College of Staten
Island procedure for implementing that policy can be found at this site:
https://csicuny.smartcatalogiq.com/en/current/Undergraduate-Catalog/Academic-Policies-and-
Procedures/Academic-Integrity-Plagiarism-and-Cheating.

If a faculty member suspects a violation of academic integrity and, upon investigation, confirms that
violation, or if the student admits the violation, the faculty member MUST report the violation.

Students enrolled in this class are hereby placed on notice that the professor reserves the right to use
turnitin.com to help identify plagiarism.

Statement from the Center for Student Accessibility Services:

In order to receive disability-related academic accommodations students must first be registered with the
Center for Student Accessibility. Students who have a documented disability or suspect they may have a
disability are invited to set up an appointment with the Director of the Center for Student Accessibility, at
718.982.2510. If you have already registered with the Center for Student Accessibility, please provide
your professor with the course accommodation form and discuss your specific accommodation with
him/her.

Non-attendance Due to Religious Beliefs:

The New York State Education Law provides that no student shall be expelled or refused admission to an
institution of higher education because he or she is unable to attend classes or participate in examinations
or study or work requirements on any particular day or days because of religious beliefs. Students who
are unable to attend classes on a particular day or days because of religious beliefs will be excused from
any examination or study or work requirements. Faculty must make good-faith efforts to provide students
absent from class because of religious beliefs equivalent opportunities to make up for the work missed; no
additional fees may be charged for this consideration.
*Schedule is subject to revision by instructor.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

 Reading quizzes on the weekly readings/visuals to be submitted on Blackboard every Monday

and Wednesday before 11:59pm (30%)
 Class participation and attendance (15%)
 A Review of a visit to Museo del Barrio (10%)
 A Review of a Nuyorican Poets Café Poetry Slam or a Latinx Art Exhibition (10%)
 A Review of a Latinx Theatre Performance (see the options here) (10%)
 A Reflection on a New York Times article about a topic discussed in class (10%)
 Final in-class presentation about one of your Reviews/Comments (15%)

A A- B+ B B- C+ C D F

92-100 90-91 87-89 83-86 80-82 77-79 70-76 65-69 Below 65

Required materials:

 Internet connection and computer required. A connected working webcam and a connected
working microphone are required to take this class. Only under extraordinary circumstances, with
prior consultation of your instructor, may an exception be made for specific class sessions. Your
instructor will meet with you virtually in "real-time" during the meeting pattern listed here.
Students will be expected to actively participate in additional asynchronous coursework. You are
expected to be available for all live meetings with your webcam always on.
 Texts available on Blackboard. All materials will be provided free of cost for students by the
instructor.

Attendance & Participation:

 More than three absences will result in a 10-point deduction from your final grade.
 Six absences will result in the automatic failure of the course.
 More than 15 minutes late or turning your camera-off during a class will be marked as absent.
 If you know you will not be present, contact me beforehand and turn in your work early. If you
are unexpectedly absent, you must contact the professor by email. You should also contact a
fellow student before the next class to get notes and assignments. There is no acceptable reason
for not coming to class prepared.
Writing Assignments:

 Review or reflection: 850 words

 Assignments should follow MLA citation norms; Times New Roman and 12 Font Size + double
space

Final Presentation:

 By April 1st you must submit a proposal via e-mail consisting of your chosen theme and pre-
project ideas in order to receive my advice and approval.
 The project must reflect on one of your submitted reviews/reflections and a theme related to the
concepts and texts discussed in class. The situation of the Latinx in the US; Academic criticism of
a theoretical, literary or audiovisual piece contained in the program (or of your choosing, as long
as it’s related to our area of study); Critical reflection on a case study (social movements,
testimonies of Latinx), etc.
 To be presented in class the date assigned (to be discussed).

PART 1: THE CREATION OF LATINOS IN THE UNITED STATES, DEFINITIONS, AND ORIGINS

WEEK 1 - 02/01

 Introductions and class organization

WEEK 1 - 02/03

 Deborah R. Vargas, Lawrence La Fountain-Stokes and Nancy Raquel Mirabal. Keywords for
Latina/o Studies. “Introduction”, “Latinidad/es”.
 Juana Marı́a Rodrı́guez, Keywords for American Cultural Studies. “Latino, Latina, Latina”.
 Ramón A. Gutiérrez. “Reactive Ethnic Formations and Panethnic Identities: The Creation of
Latinos in the United States”.

WEEK 2 - 02/08

 No Class Scheduled.

WEEK 2 - 02/10

 Juan González. Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America. “Introduction”

 Juan González. Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America. “3. Banana Republics and
Bonds: Taming the Empire’s Backyard (1898–1950)”.
 PART 2: CHICANX CULTURES

WEEK 3 - 02/15

 Juan González. Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America. “5. Mexicans: Pioneers of a
Different Type”

WEEK 3 - 02/17

 Deborah R. Vargas, Lawrence La Fountain-Stokes and Nancy Raquel Mirabal. Keywords for
Latina/o Studies. Sheila Contreras, “Chicana, Chicano, Chican@, Chicanx”
 Luis Valdez y el Teatro Campesino, 1972. (Selected Videos) “Los Vendidos”, “La Virgen del
Tepeyac”, “Entrevista a Luis Valdez”, “This is Us”, “Yo soy teatro”

WEEK 4 - 02/22

 Tomás Rivera.... And The Earth Did Not Devour Him. 1971. (Selected readings)

WEEK 4 - 02/24

 Gloria Anzaldúa. Borderlands/ La Frontera. 1987. “Chapter 1: The Homeland, Aztlán / El Otro
México”

WEEK 5 - 03/01

 Gloria Anzaldúa. Borderlands/ La Frontera. 1987. “Chapter 7: La Conciencia de la Mestiza /

Towards a New Consciousness”.

WEEK 5 - 03/03

 Sandra Cisneros. The House on Mango Street. 1983. (Selected readings)

WEEK 6 - 03/08

 Ana Castillo. So Far from God. 1993. (Selected readings)

WEEK 6 - 03/10

 Helena Viramontes. Their Dogs Came with Them. 2007. (Selected readings)

PART 3: THE YOUNG LORDS AND THE NUYORICAN MOVEMENT

WEEK 7 - 03/15 (A REVIEW ON A LATINX THEATRE PERFORMANCE DUE)

 Juan González. Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America. “4. Puerto Ricans: Citizens
Yet Foreigners”
WEEK 7 - 03/17

 Julia de Burgos. The Norton Anthology of Latino Literature. (Selected readings)

WEEK 8 - 03/22

 Johanna Fernández. The Young Lords: A Radical History. 2020. “Introduction”, “Chapter 1”.

WEEK 8 - 03/24

 Piri Thomas. Down These Mean Streets. 1967. (Selected readings)

WEEK 9 - 03/29

 Ernesto Quiñonez. Bodega Dreams. 2000. (Selected readings)

WEEK 9 - 03/31

 Pedro Pietri. Selected Poetry. (Selected readings)

 Tato Laviera. (Selected readings)

WEEK 10 - 04/05

 Miguel Algarín. (Selected readings)

 Miguel Piñero. Outlaw. (Selected readings)
 Leon Ichaso. Piñero. 2001.

PART 4: CUBAN AMERICAN IDENTITY FORMATION

WEEK 10 - 04/07

 Juan González. Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America. “6. Cubans: Special
Refugees”
 José Martí. “Coney Island”, “Nuestra América”

WEEK 11 - 04/12 (A REVIEW ON A VISIT TO MUSEO DEL BARRIO DUE)

 José Martí. “Our America”. 1891.

 Oscar Hijuelos. The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love. 1989.
 Reinaldo Arenas. Before Night Falls. 1996. (Selected readings)
 Julian Schnabel. Before Night Falls. 2000.
 PART 5: DOMINICANYORK CULTURES

WEEK 11 - 04/14

 Juan González. Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America. “7. Dominicans: From the
Duarte to the George Washington Bridge”

(SPRING BREAK - 04/19-21)

WEEK 12 - 04/26

 Josefina Báez. Levente no. Yolayorkdominicanyork. 2008. (Selected Readings)

WEEK 12 - 04/28

 Junot Díaz. Drown. 1996. (Selected readings)

WEEK 13 - 05/03

 Elizabeth Acevedo. The Poet X. 2018. (Selected readings)

 The Infiltrators (2019), Cristina Ibarra & Alex Rivera

PART 6: NEW DIRECTIONS IN LATINX CULTURES

WEEK 13 - 05/05 (A REVIEW ON A VISIT TO NUYORICAN POETS CAFÉ SLAM)

 Ed Morales. Latinx. 2017. “Dismantling the Master’s House: The Latinx imaginary and
Neoliberal multiculturalism”.
 Alan Pelaez Lopez “The X in Latinx is a wound, not a trend”. 2015.
https://www.colorbloq.org/article/the-x-in-latinx-is-a-wound-not-a-trend

WEEK 14 & 15 – 05/10-05/12-05/17

 FINAL PRESENTATIONS

(A REFLECTION ON A NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE ABOUT A TOPIC DISCUSSED IN CLASS

DUE)

Recommended Readings

Ed Morales, Latinx

Juan González, Harvest of Empire

Johanna Fernández, The Young Lords

Cristina Mora, The Making of Hispanics,

Arlene Dávila, Latinos Inc.