The Making of Modern Latin America: History Through Literature and Culture
| Module title | The Making of Modern Latin America: History Through Literature and Culture |
|---|---|
| Module code | MLS1066 |
| Academic year | 2020/1 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Katie Brown (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 120 |
|---|
Module description
Latin America, with its Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries, is a continent characterised by long-standing historical and cultural continuities, and rich diversity. This module explores these complex dynamics and tensions by studying key aspects of Latin American history, literature and culture from the nineteenth century to contemporary times. Through the prism of texts from different media, including literature, poetry, music and film, the module examines topics relating to continental and country-specific historical and cultural experiences, such as military dictatorship, popular revolution/resistance, immigration/exile and national/ personal identity, memory, the struggle for democracy and the search for new modes of artistic expression.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to:
- Introduce you to Latin American history, literature and culture by exploring seminal historical and cultural episodes and experiences, from the nineteenth century to the present day, through a close reading of texts spanning a range of written, oral and visual media and genres
- Develop historical and cultural understanding of a possibly unfamiliar continent with deep-rooted connections with Spain and Portugal, the former colonial powers
- Encourage independent and collaborative specialised study of selected topics and texts, developing valuable transferable skills in historical/cultural contextualisation, textual analysis, critical thinking, oral discussion and team work
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate an understanding of key aspects of historical, literary and cultural developments in nineteenth-century to present-day Latin America
- 2. Read and analyse passages from selected Latin American texts, relating them to specified aspects of their historical and cultural contexts
- 3. View and analyse visual culture (e.g. films/paintings) from Latin America, relating them to specified aspects of their historical and cultural contexts
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. Describe and evaluate, under guidance from the module tutor, key critical responses to topics/texts and apply standard critical approaches to the historical and cultural material covered
- 5. Mount an argument in sound written English using basic textual or other evidence
- 6. Use a reading list and other sources to identify critically material relevant to a given aspect of the subjects covered, and report critical findings orally or in writing where appropriate
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. Present a simple but cogent argument orally or in writing where appropriate, in English, on a specified topic and following guidelines provided
Syllabus plan
Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:
• A historical overview of Latin America from the nineteenth century to contemporary times
• Uncover aspects of key historical episodes and cultural experiences through the study of selected texts. These texts and topics will be examined in further detail in seminars
• Revolution, Resistance and Short Fiction in Mexico: El llano en llamas, by Juan Rulfo
• National/Personal Pictorial Narratives of Post-Revolutionary Mexico: Diego Rivera’s Public Murals OR Intimate Identities/‘Story Portraits’ by Frida Kahlo
• Marginality and Mexican Identity: Los olvidados, film by Luis Buñuel
• Exile/Homeland from/in Spain or Latin America: Aquí descansa Nevares y otras narraciones mexicanas, by Pere Calders OR Doce cuentos peregrinos, by Gabriel García Márquez OR Selected Poems by Pablo Neruda
• Authority and Rebellion in Peru: Los jefes/Los cachorros, by Mario Vargas Llosa OR Agua y otros cuentos, by José María Arguedas
• Violence, Memory and Magical Realism in Colombia: Crónica de una muerte anunciada, by Gabriel García Márquez
• Memory and the Struggle for Democracy in Post-Dictatorship Argentina: La historia oficial, film by Luis Puenzo
• Cuban Socialist and Sexual/Textual Politics: Fresa y chocolate, film by Tomás Gutiérrez Alea & Juan Carlos Tabío
• Finding a Female Voice in Chile: Cuentos de Eva Luna, by Isabel Allende OR Selected Poems by Gabriela Mistral
• Challenges in contemporary Brazil: Cidade de Deus, film by Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 130 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 6 | 6 x 1 hour lecture |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 10 | 5 x 2 hour seminars |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 4 | Film Screenings |
| Guided Independent Study | 130 | Independent study time |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay plan | 500 words | 1-7 | Written feedback on formative assessment |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 100 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written examination | 100 | Take home exam | 1-7 | Written feedback and report on summative assessment |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written examination | Written examination | 1-7 | Referral/Deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Basic background reading:
- Will Fowler, Latin America Since 1780 (Routledge)
- Jean Franco, An Introduction to Spanish-American Literature (Cambridge University Press)
- Duncan Green, with Sue Branford, Faces of Latin America (Latin America Bureau)
- Stephen Hart and Richard Young, Contemporary Latin American Cultural Studies (Arnold)
- John King, Magical Reels. A History of Cinema in Latin America (Verso)
- Deborah Shaw, Contemporary Cinema of Latin America. 10 Key Films (Continuum)
- Peter Standish, A Companion to Mexican Studies (Tamesis)
- Philip Swanson, ed., The Companion to Latin American Studies (Arnold)
- Edwin Williamson, The Penguin History of Latin America (Penguin Books)
A full bibliography of recommended reading will be provided at the start of the module
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | A-Level Spanish or equivalent (i.e. no Beginners of Spanish) |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 4 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 12/02/2018 |
| Last revision date | 30/01/2019 |
