SPAN 1103

FWS: Nature in Latin America

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2016-2017.

Is race socially constructed or a biological fact? Where is "nature" and what is our relationship with it? In this course, we analyze the interplay of race, nature, and geography in Latin America from the first encounters between Amerindians and Europeans to environmental and social justice movements of the 21st century. Primary texts (letters, short stories, poetry, movies, maps, music art) and topics include: Columbus's descriptions of the "New world," colonialism, mestizaje, and nationalism (Marti), the cosmic race, South American landscapes, environmental, Americanisms (Neruda), Macondo and Magical Realism (Garcia Marquez), ecofeminism (Ferré), queer ecology, eco-socialsim and "Mother Earth," and eco-racial imperialism (Avatar). Students are encouraged to develop their own interests and interpretations through short writing assignments aimed at sharpening critical thinking.

When Offered Fall.

Satisfies Requirement First-Year Writing Seminar.

View Enrollment Information