Courses

Spring 2008 - Spanish Course Descriptions

Spanish 001 - Elementary Spanish I

A - Block D - Penelope Boyatt
B - Block C - John Julian
C - Block A - Pam Haltom
D - Block KLr - Rafael Dávila-Franco

This course uses the communicative approach to teach listening comprehension, speaking, reading, writing and culture. In particular, it promotes the development of oral/aural skills and the practical use of language in a variety of social situations. Lab manual work is required. Conducted in Spanish. No prerequisites.

Spanish 002 - Elementary Spanish II

A continuation of Spanish 001. The course advances and completes the study of basic grammar and vocabulary. It provides the linguistic skills and cultural information needed in a broad range of situations met when studying, working or traveling in a Spanish-speaking country. Lab work is required. Students must also register for a recitation section that consists of a weekly 40-minute conversation group. Conducted in Spanish. Prerequisite: Spanish 001 or equivalent.

Spanish 003 - Intermediate Spanish I

A review of Spanish grammar with stress on the four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Using the communicative approach, the course emphasizes the development of fluency and the functional use of language. Discussion will be based on literary texts as well as newspaper and magazine articles on contemporary issues in Spanish-speaking societies. Several compositions, debates and weekly lab work are required. Conducted in Spanish. Prerequisite: Spanish 002 or equivalent.

Spanish 004 - Intermediate Spanish II

This course continues the review of fundamentals of grammar begun in Spanish 003 and encourages the development of a large active vocabulary and a greater awareness of Spanish-speaking cultures. It aims at developing a level of language proficiency sufficient for survival in unusual or complicated situations (i.e., coping with an unforeseen event); and at participating in conversations about practical topics and current events. There will be regular lab assignments, compositions, class discussions, debates and oral presentations. Students are required to register for a recitation section that consists of a weekly 40-minute conversation group. Conducted in Spanish. Prerequisite: Spanish 003 or equivalent.

Spanish 004-WW - Intermediate Spanish II Writing Workshop OptionBlock 

Jr - Thursday 3:00 – 3:50p.m. - Patricia Smith

Students will use writing as a means to become more deeply engaged in the readings and films, develop critical thinking, and improve their writing and discussion skills in Spanish. No extra graded work will be assigned. The workshop will provide the opportunity to map ideas for compositions, engage in peer discussion of drafts, and have individual conferences with the instructor. The writing workshop requires an extra 50 minutes of class time each week, and in recognition of the extra time commitment, a record of participation will appear on the student's transcript. Participants must register for both SPN 004 and SPN 004WW.

Spanish 021 - Composition and Conversation I

The course combines written and oral/aural practice of Spanish through oral reports, compositions, class discussions and debates on assigned topics, articles, short literary works and films. It offers a review of more advanced grammatical structures with the aim of achieving greater accuracy. Students are required to register for a recitation section that consists of a weekly 40-minute conversation group. Conducted in Spanish. Prerequisite: Spanish 004 or equivalent.

Spanish 022 - Composition and Conversation II

This course continues the grammar review begun in Spanish 021 with emphasis on written and oral expression of Spanish through compositions, oral reports and class discussions. Material for discussions includes literary texts as well as topics of general interest. Conducted in Spanish. Prerequisite: Spanish 021 or equivalent.

Spanish 022-WW - Composition and Conversation II

Block Dm - Anne Cantú

Spanish 22-XA - Cine de Latinoamérica y España

Block D+ - Conchita Davis

The aim of this course is to expand the students' oral and written skills through the study of Latin American and Spanish films. We will focus on movies from some of the most acclaimed directors of the Spanish speaking world such as Amenábar, Buñuel, Almodóvar, Bemberg, and González-Iñárritu. We will discuss topics such as euthanasia, alienation, identity, tolerance and globalization, among others. The class includes a review of Spanish syntax, 3 exams, 4 compositions, an oral presentation, and a journal. Prerequisite: Spanish 21 or equivalent.

Spanish 022-XB  -  El espíritu de Puerto Rico:  Un seminario

Block L+ - Nancy Levy-Konesky

This class takes an interdisciplinary approach to the study of Puerto Rico. While students continue to review grammar and to practice oral and aural skills, they will study the history, literature, politics, music, cuisine, art and religions of Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans on the island as well as on the mainland.  They debate the possible political destinies of Puerto Rico: Statehood, Independence or a continuance of the present status of ELA (Free Associated State, or Commonwealth).  Students view two-three films during the semester, sample and learn to prepare Puerto Rican cuisine, and if possible, visit one of the major Puerto Rican neighborhoods of Boston: Villa Victoria and Plaza Betances.  There is an optional opportunity for interested students to work on a volunteer basis with various Hispanic organizations in the Cambridge and Boston areas.

Spanish 022-XC - Visiones de España

Block F+(tr) - Teresa Marcelin

This course is designed to upgrade the spoken and written language skills of students as well as an introduction to the Spanish peninsular culture and its contribution to world civilization. Geography, history, literature, and the social and artistic evolution of Spain are presented through a variety of readings including literary selections. Course work combines written and oral practice of Spanish through compositions, oral presentations, class discussion as well as an advanced grammar review and vocabulary building. Conducted in Spanish. Prerequisite: Spanish 21 or equivalent.

Spanish 022-XD - Short Theatrical Works of the 20th Century

Block H+ - Pam Haltom

The goal of this course is to increase the student’s aural/oral fluency and reading/writing competency through the use of theater exercises and short theatrical works while enriching his/her knowledge and appreciation of Hispanic theater and related arts. Various representative Latin American twentieth century one-acts will be studied as well as one peninsular work, Federico García Lorca’s one-act farce Amor de Don Perlimplín con Belisa en su jardín. Coursework will include writing for theater and performance, examinations, advanced vocabulary study and grammar review, and composition. Conducted in Spanish. Prerequisite: Spanish 021 or equivalent.

Spanish 022-XE - Composition and Conversation II*

Block I+ - Rafael Dávila-Franco

*In the Spring Term 2008, Spanish 22XE will be taught as a regular section of Spanish 22.

This course continues the grammar review begun in Spanish 021 with emphasis on written and oral expression of Spanish through compositions, oral reports and class discussions. Material for discussions includes literary texts as well as topics of general interest. Conducted in Spanish. Prerequisite: Spanish 021 or equivalent.

Spanish 32-A -  Main Currents of Spanish Literature II

Block H+ - Tamara Márquez-Raffetto

Significant currents of Spanish peninsular literature from the 18th through the 20th centuries. Selected works of representative authors read and discussed. Authors studied include Cadalso, Larra, Galdós, Unamuno, Lorca and other representative poets. Midterm, final exam and two papers (5 pages each). Conducted in Spanish. Not for seniors or for students returning from programs abroad. Prerequisite: Spanish 21 or equivalent.

Spanish 32-B - Main Currents Spanish Literature II

Block G+ - Kathleen Pollakowski

Readings in Spanish peninsular literature from the 18th century to the present. Authors include Cadalso, Larra, Bécquer, Zorrilla, Unamuno, Valle-Inclán, Jiménez, García Lorca and Martín Gaite. Class discussions and writing assignments. Short writing assignments, mid-term and final exam. Conducted in Spanish. Prerequisite: Spanish 21-22 or equivalent.

Spanish 32-C - Main Currents of Spanish Literature II

Block D - Teresa Howe

Readings in Spanish peninsular literature from the 18th century to the present. Authors include Cadalso, Larra, Bécquer, Zorrilla, Unamuno, Valle-Inclán, Jiménez and García Lorca. Class discussions and writing assignments. Short writing assignments, mid-term and final exam. Conducted in Spanish. Prerequisite: Spanish 21-22 or equivalent.

Spanish 35-A - Survey of Latin American Literature II

Block D+(tr) - Amy Millay

Both sections of this course trace Latin American literature from modernist prose and poetry of the late 19th-century through post-boom literature of the last three decades of the 20th-century. We will examine major authors and literary movements of modern Spanish America in historical and cultural contexts. Authors include José Martí, Rubén Darío, Gabriel García Márquez and Elena Poniatowska. Varied writing assignments, oral presentations, exams. Conducted in Spanish. Not for seniors or for students returning from programs abroad. Prerequisite: Spanish 21

Spanish 35-B - Survey of Latin American Literature II

Block H+ - Amy Millay

This course traces Latin American literature from modernist prose and poetry of the late 19th century through post-boom literature of the last three decades of the 20th century. We will examine major authors and literary movements of modern Spanish America in historical and cultural contexts. Authors include José Martí, Rubén Darío, Gabriel García Márquez and Elena Poniatowska. Varied writing assignments, oral presentations, exams. Conducted in Spanish. Not for seniors or for students returning from programs abroad. Prerequisite: Spanish 21.

Spanish 35-C - Survey of Latin American Literature II

Block E+mw - Mark Hernández

This course traces the development of Latin American literature from the late 19th century (modernismo) through post-boom literature to the present. We will examine major authors and literary movements in poetry, prose, and essays. Special emphasis placed on historical context and literary analysis. Readings by José Martí, César Vallejo, Julio Cortázar, Clarice Lispector, and Alejandra Pizarnik, among others. Conducted in Spanish. Not for seniors or for students returning from programs abroad. Prerequisites: Spanish 21 or equivalent.

Spanish 35-D - Survey of Latin American Literature II

Block - Q+ - Dean Simpson

This course traces Latin American literature from modernist prose and poetry of the late 19th century through post-boom literature 
of the last three decades of the 20th-century. We will examine major authors and literary movements of modern Spanish America in historical and cultural contexts. Authors include José Martí, Rubén Darío, Gabriel García Márquez and Elena Poniatowska. Varied writing assignments, oral presentations, exams. Conducted in Spanish. Not for seniors or for students returning from programs abroad. Prerequisite: Spanish 21.

Spanish 50  -  Latin American Culture and Civilization  (*in English)

Block N+ - José Antonio Mazzotti

This course will examine the main determinants shaping Latin American civilization and culture at the start of the new millennium. Particular emphasis will be placed on issues of ethnicity and hegemony as definers not only of all major historical and cultural processes of the Latin American past, but also of the main challenges of its present and future. Reading materials will cover both canonical works as well as cultural production generated from the margins. This course counts towards the culture option, International Relations major, Latin American Studies major and minor, Africa and the New World minor, and the World Civilization requirement.

Spanish 91 - Ladino Language and Culture
(Cross-listed with German, Russian, Asian / JS 91-L1)

Block J+(tr) - Gloria Ascher

Introduction to the language known as Ladino and the culture of the Sephardic Jews who have spoken it for over 500 years. When they were expelled from Spain in 1492, Jews took this language with them, and it has been enriched through contact with languages encountered in their various lands of resettlement. Emphasis on the living language: understanding, speaking, and writing (including creatively). Texts will include proverbs, stories, and songs from the folk tradition as well as contemporary poems and songs, and basic language materials: grammar text and verb tables. Supplementary videos and recordings. Some background in Spanish (or Ladino!) is helpful, but not essential. Counts as foreign language, humanities distribution, Judaic Studies primary course, Spanish related field, Judaic or Hispanic culture option of the foreign language requirement.

Spanish 92-A - Gendered Lives: The Cultural Politics of Gender and Sexuality in Latin America. (*in English)

Block 8 - María Elena García

This seminar explores the ways in which the cultural construction of gender and sexuality structure the lives of Latin American men and women. In Latin America, ideas about what it means to be a man and a woman have powerful consequences. These ideas are challenged, turned upside down, negotiated, and accepted in a variety of ways that make up the cultural politics of gender in the Americas. While this course focuses on Latin America, it also examines the lives of women and men who migrate and live in complex hybrid territories like the borderlands between Mexico and the U.S. Some of the themes students will interrogate in this seminar are the intersections of gender, race, and class; power and sexuality; war and gender; and the gendered dimensions of community life and migration. A few of the specific case studies include the deployment of motherhood as a political tool of resistance in Argentina, the politics of masculinity in Mexico City, the history of the gay movement in Brazil, violence against women in Guatemala and Ciudad Juárez, and indigenous women's struggles in the Andes.  This course is open to all interested students.

Spanish 122 - Advanced Composition and Conversation II

Block L+(tr) - Dana Simpson

This course aims to improve the student’s written and oral expression through the study and creation of a specific genre - theater. Although other genres will also be explored, this is an opportunity to use drama as a tool for learning. As inhibition is the enemy of language acquisition, we will use class time to read, appreciate and create skits to help “extrovert” the learning experience. The focus of the course will be four-fold: the discussion and critique of daily reading assignments; creative and analytical work; the study of key grammar points; and the study of colloquial expressions in Spanish. Four papers (the length will vary on assignment and creation), skits and presentations, and a final. Conducted in Spanish. Not for native speakers. Prerequisite: Spanish 121 or equivalent.

Spanish 124 - Spanish Translation Workshop

Block - H+ - Andy Klatt

The theory and practice of translation as applied to the contrasting communicative strategies of Spanish and English, emphasizing lexical, grammatical, and stylistic differences, the treatment of culturally-specific references, and translation as an act of reconfiguration/recreation. Methodical use of mono- and bilingual reference materials, including web-based resources, to explore lexical use and the background knowledge necessary to a closer understanding of the source text, the first step in translation. Weekly translation assignments in Spanish-language literature, humanistic social sciences, and creative non-fiction exemplified by the journalism of Gabriel García Márquez. Active class participation. Weekly translation assignments and readings on translation, two exams, an in-class presentation, and a final translation project. Conducted in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 22, 23, or 24 or consent of instructor.

Spanish 142  - Don Quijote

Block H+ - Teresa Howe

A close reading of both parts of the Quijote (1605 and 1615) with special attention paid to the themes of identity, appearance vs. reality, and the nature of fiction’s relationship to history. Oral discussion, writing of critical papers (5-7 pages), mid-term and final exams. Prerequisites: Spanish 31 or 34; 32 or 35; or consent.

Spanish 164  - Modern Spanish Poetry

Block J+ - Juan Alonso

Spanish poetry of the 19th and 20th centuries considered in the context of changing modern European sensibilities as well as political, philosophical and artistic currents including surrealism and existentialism. The poets include Espronceda, Bécquer, Antonio Machado and Lorca. Prerequisites : Spanish 31 or 34, 32 or 35, or consent.

Spanish 192-A - Chicano Literature & Culture: Communities and Identities

Block G+ - Mark Hernández

With the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, Mexico ceded to the United States the territories of its northern frontier, which included the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. This territory became a borderlands that has been forged as a result of its diversity, comprised of Native Americans, Spanish conquistadors, and later, Mexican immigrants. Collectively, these groups have endured a history of cultural, political and economic domination at the hands of Anglo immigrants to the region. In this seminar we will investigate the history of the uncomfortable and, at times, violent co-existence of its constituent groups and analyze the cultural expressions by Mexican Americans/Chicanos. We will study the ways in which ordinary people from the Mexican American/Chicano communities-students, community activists, families, literary writers, filmmakers, and visual artists-challenged the status quo to shape their own lives and futures. We will examine how such Mexican American/Chicanos have represented themselves and their communities and how their writings and art intervene to achieve social and political change. Essays, oral presentations and exams; class participation is essential. Conducted in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 31 or 34, and 32 or 35, or consent.

Spanish 192-B - Spanish 192B Novel of Post-Franco Spain

Block J+ - Kathleen Pollakowski

The death of General Francisco Franco in 1975 marked the beginning of a new era in Spain. For writers, no longer restricted by Franco’s regime of institutionalized censorship, the change brought artistic freedom. What has emerged in the Spanish novel since then? This course will attempt to answer the question by examining representative works that represent the diversity of contemporary Spanish fiction. Authors to be studied are Carmen Martín Gaite, Eduardo Mendoza, Manuel Vázquez-Montalbán, Dulce Chacón, and Carme Riera. Class discussion, oral presentations, two papers, final exam, all in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 31 or 34, and 32 or 35, or consent.

Spanish 192-C - Puerto Rican Literature and Culture: The Floating Nation and the Flying Bus

Block F+tr - Amy Millay

This course explores Puerto Rico, an island that has produced a diverse national literature despite its prolonged status as a Spanish colony, and its current political association with the United States. We will examine classic interpretations of Puerto Rican identity, described by Antonio Pedreira (1934), and José Luis González (1980), looking at how these paradigms unfold in literary texts of their respective periods; and how metaphors of national identity evolved over the course of the past century. We will extend the concept of Puerto Rican culture beyond the island when we study the narrative of immigration and the emergence of Nuyorican writers. Writers include Luis Palés Matos, René Marqués, Magali García Ramis, Ana Lydia Vega, Rosario Ferré, Luis Rafael Sánchez, Mayra Santos-Febres, Tato Laviera, Pedro Pietri, and Pedro Juan Soto. Texts include novels, plays, short stories, essays, poetry, and film.

Spanish 192-D - Enchantment and the Fantastic in 19th-Century Spanish Literature

Block J+(tr) - Tamara Marquez-Raffetto

This course will examine the treatment of the themes of Fantasy and Enchantment as they emerged in 19th century Spain, a period shaped by civil war and defined by the opposing ideals of Romanticism and Realism. During the span of these contrary literary and historical movements, thematic notions of fantasy and enchantment endured and evolved from explorations of myth and folklore into highly imaginative tales of marvel and other-worldly occurrences. The element of the Fantastic held a particular allure for many of Spain’s most prominent 19th century authors, including Bécquer, Clarín, Valera, Pardo Bazán and Galdós. Their diverse treatment of magical and supernatural elements in their short fiction will be considered within the social, historical and literary background of Spain’s tumultuous 19th century.

Spanish 192-E  -  From Floating Gardens to Elevated Highways: Mexico City, the Roaring Megalopolis

Block 10 (M, 6:30-9:00 pm) - Eulogio Guzmán

This class explores the evolving socio-political history of Mexico City, the oldest city in the Americas from a multidisciplinary perspective that includes the fields of history, art history, literature, anthropology, film, and urban studies. Through the examination of texts and images (fixed and moving) students will study the city’s makeover from an indigenous settlement, once surrounded by floating gardens that later became entombed within a newly established Spanish “City of Palaces,” to one of the cultural capitals of Spanish America that has never lost its indigenous heritage. The class will examine how despite being ravaged by Colonialism, Independence, American and French invasions, and a Civil War the city has maintained its grandeur over the years making it today one of the biggest most important cities of Latin America. This investigation of Mexico City’s urban environment will show how its bustling streets provide an urban environment where ambulant sellers, street performers, poets, artists and its other citizens mingle in daily exchanges that rival a circus environment and how its indigenous roots, colonial heritage, modern sleek architecture and contemporary elevated highways have at times turned this city of palaces into an urban maze.

Spanish 194 - Independent Study (*in Spanish)

ARR - Members of the Department

Guided individual study of an approved topic in Spanish peninsular or Latin American literature or civilization. Variable credit. No more than one credit in Independent Study may be counted toward the major. Prerequisites: one 100-level literature course and consent. To register, see the Department Administrator.

Spanish 199-BT - Honors Thesis (Spring Semester)

ARR - Members of the Department

Open to qualified students. Variable credit. Prerequisites: Spanish 31 or 34, and 32 or 35, and consent. To register for an Honors Thesis, see the Department Administrator. Once the topic has been approved by the Chair, the thesis must be registered in the Office of the Dean of the Colleges.

Modern Languages 92 - Romance Linguistics: An introduction to the history and development of French, Italian and Spanish. (*in English)

Block G+ - John Julian

Romance languages are spoken by nearly 700 million people worldwide, and so they constitute (after Mandarin Chinese) the most successful and widespread family of languages on earth. Because of their derivation from Latin, they share many similar features, particularly in regards to grammar and vocabulary, while their major difference is principally expressed in their distinct pronunciations. It is precisely these common grammatical and lexical similarities, and these phonological differences that will be the main focus of this course. Our linguistic investigation will enable interested language students not only to deepen their knowledge of their chosen Romance language but will also help them to develop the linguistic tools needed to more easily acquire a second or even third language in the Romance family. Special emphasis will be given to the verb structures, inherited with little change from Latin, of French, Italian, and Spanish. In addition, we will consider the place of Romance languages in the Indo-European family, as well as the social, geographical, political, and cultural factors which hastened the fragmentation of Vulgar Latin and the development of its modern descendants. Strong emphasis will be placed on the ways in which Romance languages become part of a speaker’s cultural identity and on the many advantages and disadvantages that this mosaic of languages poses for the newly enlarged European Union. Prerequisite: Knowledge of at least one Romance language (2 semesters) or Latin or consent.

World Literature 150 -- Literature of Chaos

Block H+ - Juan Alonso

The voyage through the spiritual and political chaos of the 19th and 20th centuries has produced a literature which speaks of an irrational man in an irrational world. The course will examine the theme of chaos as it is expressed in Lewis Carroll's, "Alice in Wonderland," and in works by Dostoyevsky, Thomas Mann, Camus, Nathaniel West, Unamuno and Borges. No prerequisites. 

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