Women's Culture in 19th Century Latin America

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This advanced Spanish course explores the cultural and intellectual contributions of women in 19th- and early 20th-century Latin America, examining how gender ideas shaped ideas of citizenship, sexuality, and education in post-independence societies. Through literary texts written by women, alongside essays, fiction, and other cultural narratives that portray women’s roles in nation-building, we will critically analyze the category of woman and question traditional binaries of womanhood. Course materials include novels, essays, films, visual culture, albums, cookbooks, correspondence, diaries, and periodicals. Students will engage in archival research at the Hesburgh Library Special Collections and participate in a series of curated events in collaboration with the library. The final project will involve original research, encouraging students to connect historical women’s culture with contemporary gender debates.