SPAN 300 8 - The Construction of Latin American Identities: From the Center to the Margins

Ever since the Latin American Wars of Independence in the early 19th century, much of Latin America’s literary production has been characterized by the ongoing search for a sense of national identity. This course will examine works by both canonical and non-canonical authors in order to study the quest for identity from the perspective of the center (represented by the government or the ruling class) as well as various points of view of those who exist at the margins of the nation(s), thus opening a discussion of national identity that takes into account questions of race and gender, ethnic and linguistic variations, as well as the experience of exile and cultural imperialism. The course will focus on various regions in Latin America (the Southern Cone, the Andean Highlands, and the Caribbean) and include excerpts from essays, short stories, poetry, novels and films. Prerequisite: SPAN 350 or permission of instructor.