Latin American Studies Major@Tufts

New Major in Latin American Studies (11 courses + a 5-semester language prerequisite)

The new major in Latin American Studies offers students the opportunity to combine the approaches of several academic disciplines in a focused study of the region. In recent decades, Latin America has become a field of rapid development in the arts, humanities and social sciences. The major's interdisciplinary approach integrates historical, social, political, economic and cultural perspectives at both national and regional levels. The program of study culminates in an original interdisciplinary project on a Latin American subject.

Requirements for the Latin American Studies major are 11 courses as follows:.

1. SPN 50/LAS 50 Latin American Civilization
2. HIST 75 Americas
3. One of the following courses in Political Science:

PS 21 Introduction to Comparative Politics, PS 127 Latin American Politics, PS 133 The Political Economy of Latin America, PS 134 Seminar: Democratization in Latin America, PS170: Seminar: International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, PS 177: America and Democracy Abroad since 1898
4. One of the following courses in Anthropology:

ANTH 115 Native Peoples of South America, ANTH 128 Mesoamerican ArcheologyANTH 132 Myth, Ritual, and Symbol, ANTH 162 Anthropological Approaches to Art and Aesthetics, ANTH 184 Festivals and Politics in Latin America
5. One of the following courses in Art History and/or Culture

FAH 7 Introduction to Latin American Art, FAH 81/181 Twentieth-Century Mexican Art, FAH 83/183 Gender in Latin American Art, FAH 84/184 Latin American Cinema, FAH 280 Seminar in Latin American Art, FAHS 0101-01 A View to the Ancient Middle and South America, FAHS 0035-01 A Critical Perspective of the Americas, FAHS 0133-01 Maya Art and Architecture from Kings and the Courtly Elite to Modern Day Survivors; FAHS-100 A: Art of Ancient Mexico, FAHS 0131-01 The Art of Building Empire: An Examination of Hegemonic Strategies, FAHS 0001-02 Space, Place, and Ritual: Theories and Approaches in Understanding Architecture in Ancient America, FAHS 0142-01 Imagining and Possessing America: The Complexities of Colonial Views, FAHS 0170-01 Biting the Hand that Feeds?: A Reassessment of Collecting, Exhibiting, and Marketing Art and Culture, FAHS 0036-01 Modernism and the Americas: A History of Modern Architecture 1900-2000, FAHS 0037-01 Mexico City: From Floating Gardens to Elevated Highways, FAHS 0038-01 Icons of Latin America; FR 46 Masterpieces of Caribbean Literature (in English); MUS 23 Spain, Portugal, and Latin America; SPN 91/SPN92 Latin American Topics (in English)

6. One of the following courses in Literature and/or Culture (all of these courses have an advanced language prerequisite):

SPN 34 Survey of Latin American Literature from Pre-conquest through Independence, SPN 35 Survey of Latin American Literature from Modernism to the Present, SPN 101 Latin American Theatre, SPN 102 Latin American Short Story, SPN 103 Contemporary Latin American Novel, SPN 104 Poetry in Spanish America, SPN 105 The Dictator in the Latin American Novel, SPN 106 Literature and Revolution: Mexico and Cuba, SPN 107 Testimonial Literature of Latin America, SPN 108 Latin American Women Writers, SPN 150: Latin American Civilization, SPN 156 Afro-Latin American Literature, SPN 191/SPN192 Special Topics: Latin American literature or civilization

7. One of the following courses in History:

HIST 77 Colonial Latin America, HIST 78 Modern Latin America, HIST 160 Revolution in Latin America: Mexico and Cuba, HIST 161 Revolution and Counterrevolution in Central and South America, HIST 186 Research Seminar in Latin American History

8. One elective (from the list above or a course with a Latino Studies content)

9. One elective (from the list above)

10. One field-related course from a different Department (as long as it includes a comparison to Latin America) or the first semester of a Senior Honors Thesis.

11. One Senior Seminar or a one-semester Research Project (in consultation with the Major advisor) or the second semester of a Senior Thesis (see requirement 10)

Important note: at least one of the requirements should be focused on pre-20th century Latin America and at least one of the requirements should be focused on indigenous cultures/societies.

Rationale:
The proposed major in Latin American Studies expands the current LAS minor (the six courses used for the minor may be applied to the major).

Students may use up to five courses to overlap in double major of LAS and SPN (or other major). The faculty of the Latino minor and the Latin American Studies Program interact without reference to strict geographic borders. The LAS faculty include [from Romance Languages] Professor Jose Antonio Mazzotti, Latin American Literature and Culture; Associate Professor Nina Gerassi-Navarro, Latin American Literature and Culture; Associate Professor Claudia Kaiser-Lenoir, Latin American Literature and Culture; Assistant Professor Mark Hernandez, Mexican and Border Region Literature and Culture; [from History] Professor Peter Winn, Latin American History; [from Political Science] Associate Professor Consuelo Cruz, Latin American Politics; [from Anthropology] Professor David Guss, Latin American Anthropology; Associate Professor Deborah Pacini Hernandez, Latin American/Latino Sociocultural Anthropology; Lecturer Eulogio Guzman, Latin American Art; [from Art & Art History] Assistant Professor Adriana Zavala, Latin American Art, History, Lauren Sullivan Lecturer, Mesoamerican Archeolog, Asst. Professor Ryan Centener, Sociology.