Latin American Studies Concentration

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Latin American Studies

Chair(s):

Valéire Benoist (Spanish)

In this concentration, students examine Latin American cultures and societies, with work in at least two disciplines: humanities and social sciences. Participation in a study program in Latin America is encouraged (see Off-Campus Study ). A student choosing the senior research project will be expected to integrate the various components of his or her program in the analysis of a topic of special interest.

Concentration requirements: 24 credits as follows:

1. Gateway course: 4 credits

LAS 111 - Introduction to Latin American Studies 4 credits

2. Latin American core courses - 8 credits chosen from:

ANT 257 - Latin American Cultures 4 credits
ANT 267 - Aztecs, Incas, and Mayas 4 credits
HIS 201 - Colonial Latin America 4 credits
HIS 202 - Modern Latin America 4 credits
HIS 204 - Radical Movements in 20th-Century Latin America 4 credits
HIS 32x - Advanced Studies in Latin America and the United States 4 credits (only on a Latin American topic)
LAS 221 - Introduction to U.S. Latin@ Studies 4 credits
POL 261 - State and Society in Latin America 4 credits
SPN 311 - Constructing Identities in Independent Latin America 4 credits
SPN 315 - Creativity and Dissidence in Modern Latin America 4 credits
SPN 317 - Readings in U.S. Latin@ Literature and Culture 4 credits
SPN 320 - Cultures of the Spanish-Speaking World 4 credits (only on a Latin American topic)
SPN 377 - Modernization and Innovation in Contemporary Latin America 4 credits
SPN 379 - U.S. Latin@ Identities and Sexualities 4 credits
SPN 383 - The Latin American Colonial World 4 credits
SPN 384 - Spanish Dialectology 4 credits (only on a Latin American topic)

3. Elective courses - 8 credits chosen from:

a. Courses listed under number 2 above

b. Courses with Latin American content:

ANT 238 - Cultural and Political Ecology 4 credits
ECN 230 - Economic Development 4 credits
ECN 233 - International Economics 4 credits
ECN 372 - Seminar in Economic Development 4 credits
ECN 374 - Seminar in International Trade 4 credits
ECN 375 - Seminar in International Finance 4 credits
ENV 495 - Senior Seminar 4 credits (only on a Latin American topic)
GDS 346 - Sustainable Development in the Modern World System 4 credits (only on a Latin American topic)
POL 354 - Political Economy of Developing Countries 4 credits
SOC 220 - Sociology of Global Development 4 credits
SOC 280 - Bound By Borders: A Sociology of Law and Migration 4 credits
SOC 370 - Members Only: A Political Sociology of Citizenship 4 credits
SPN 320 - Cultures of the Spanish-Speaking World 4 credits (only on a Latin American topic)

c. Off-campus study

Up to 8 approved credits taken in LAS-designated off-campus programs: Argentina (FLACSO-Buenos Aires), Chile (CIEE Santiago de Chile and Valparaiso; IES Santiago de Chile), Costa Rica (ACM-Studies in LA Culture and Society, and ACM Tropical Field Research; Duke University-Organization for Tropical Studies; ICADS), Ecuador (IES-Quito Minnesota Studies in International Development), or Mexico (Rutgers U-Mérida); and

d. With the approval of the concentration, courses not included above that deal significantly with Latin America.

4. Research project - 4 credits

Students may choose one of the following two options for the fulfillment of this requirement:

a. Senior Research

Declaration of the intention to complete a senior research project will occur no later than the second semester of the junior year. The project should integrate previous coursework in the concentration and should rely significantly on sources in Spanish if the topic pertains to a Spanish-speaking country. A proposal stating the research questions and describing a methodology must be submitted to and approved by the concentration in the fall semester of the senior year. Fall semester enrollment is allowed if the proposal is approved in the second semester of the third year.

b. Senior Paper

Students may choose to complete a research paper while enrolled as a senior in an approved 300- or 400-level course from the following:

ECN 372 - Seminar in Economic Development 4 credits
ECN 374 - Seminar in International Trade 4 credits
ECN 375 - Seminar in International Finance 4 credits
ENV 495 - Senior Seminar 4 credits (only on a Latin American topic)
GDS 346 - Sustainable Development in the Modern World System 4 credits (only on a Latin American topic)
HIS 32x - Advanced Studies in Latin America and the United States 4 credits (only on a Latin American topic)
POL 354 - Political Economy of Developing Countries 4 credits
SOC 370 - Members Only: A Political Sociology of Citizenship 4 credits
SPN 377 - Modernization and Innovation in Contemporary Latin America 4 credits
SPN 379 - U.S. Latin@ Identities and Sexualities 4 credits
SPN 383 - The Latin American Colonial World 4 credits
SPN 384 - Spanish Dialectology 4 credits

Additional Information

With the approval of the concentration and the course instructor, any other 300- or 400-level courses not included above that deal significantly with Latin America.

Declaration of the intention to choose this option should occur no later than the second semester of the junior year.

5. Other requirements:

Language requirement: demonstrated proficiency in Spanish through the completion of at least one course at the 200 level or above OR the equivalent.
No more than 12 credits in the same department may count toward the concentration.
A course cannot fulfill more than one requirement within the concentration.

Latin American Studies Course Descriptions

Click here to list Latin American Studies course descriptions.