Latin American Literature

3 units

This course will explore the process through which different Latin American countries have come about. We will concentrate on a selection of literary texts that somehow represent the quest for a national voice in each case. The "labyrinth" of Latin American self-exploration strategies implies a diversity of artistic paths. Thus, we will include other cultural forms involved in the on-going and current self-constructing protrayal of Latin America--films, theater, current events, art exhibits, music, and tango/milongas, among others. We will pay especial attention to those films that have a literary inspiration or are the adaptation of a literary piece in order to study the connection between literary and visual discourses in particular. Through this analysis, we aim to enhance the experience and understanding of Latin America as a vibrant cultural system. The seminar attempts to shed light on the different nation-building processes and on their permanent search of identity. The main goal is to open a critical and engaging dialogue through which students will be able to learn about Latin America's past and present, as well as to integrate their own first-hand impressions from the unique immersion opportunity they will have while being in Buenos Aires.