Latina/o Communities and Language Struggles

3 Credits

Explores the history of Latina/o communities and their language "choices," negotiations, and struggles in the United States, starting with the Spanish conquest of North America through the 21st century. We examine the lasting impact of the War of 1848 by which the U.S. colonized the southwest and consider how the Spanish-American War of 1898 imposed U.S. rule in the Hispanophone Caribbean. In this context of struggle, we examine how language repression and expression gave voice to the Latinx civil rights movements in the 1960s and 1970s as well as current immigration and education movements. Texts include Spanish cronicas, U.S. political treaties, the Hispanic press, manifestos, novels, poetry, spoken word, film, music, among others. Course format consists of lectures, discussions, group work, short essays, presentations, and examinations. Students should expect to participate in a community engagement project. Taught in Spanish and discussions in Spanglish.