Hispanic Studies (HISP)

This course is an introductory approach to the Spanish-Speaking World and its diverse cultures united by one common language, Spanish, and a cultural value system stemming from its core linguistic foundation. We will examine what unite the Spanish-Speaking World to then explore the regional differences and idiosyncrasies that make them unique, including the Spanish-speaking cultures present in the United States and in Spain (Europe). From popular culture (film, music, gastronomy) to more academic and formal cultural artifacts (short literary stories and the audiovisual arts), students will enter a journey of discovery to better grasp the cultural background of the Spanish-Speaking population, one and diverse.

Curriculum: GE,HU,OC

This course is an overview of the cultural roots of Spanish socialization around the table and food. Structured as a “figurative” regional road trip around Spain, the course explores Spain’s culinary culture, history and geography by learning about Spain’s diverse climate, food production, geographic and regional economics, and cultural identity to better understand the factors that condition the idiosyncratic and beneficial nature of the Mediterranean diet. Students will also explore the diverse influences impacting traditional Spanish cuisine which have contributed to its innovation, experimentation and expansion worldwide. Coursework includes weekly presentations, quizzes, midterm and final projects.

Curriculum: GE,HU,OC

This course introduces students to some of the most influential works of Spanish literature and culture from the 16th century to the present. Spanning major artistic and intellectual movements – including the Renaissance, Baroque, Enlightenment, Romanticism, Modernism, and Contemporary period – students will engage with key figures such as Cervantes, Goya, Lorca, Picasso, Almodóvar, among others. Through the study of fiction, visual art, and film, students will analyze cultural production within its historical and social contexts. Particular attention will be given to themes such as power, nationalism, class, race, gender and sexuality, The course also introduces students to critical theories and methodological approaches in the study of literature and culture, equipping them to interpret and appreciate works across national, linguistic, and cultural borders.

Africa begins in the Pyrenees." "Spain is Different." "America is in Spain." Ranging from derogatory stereotypes to snappy slogans, characterizations of Spain have varied over the centuries but remain consistent in their expression of Spain as a land caught somewhere between the Eastern and Western worlds and the Northern and Southern Atlantic, a cultural crossroads where Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas meet. This course will examine the long history of inter-cultural contact in the literature and culture of what we know as Spain today. The course will also examine networks of migration, economics, and power associated with Spain's history as a global empire, the Spanish Civil War, and the present-day immigration boom from Africa and South America as depicted in Spanish works of literature, visual art, and film. May only receive credit for one of the following courses: HISP 253, HISP 254, SPAN 353, SPAN 354.

Curriculum: AE,HU,OC

Africa begins in the Pyrenees." "Spain is Different." "America is in Spain." Ranging from derogatory stereotypes to snappy slogans, characterizations of Spain have varied over the centuries but remain consistent in their expression of Spain as a land caught somewhere between the Eastern and Western worlds and the Northern and Southern Atlantic, a cultural crossroads where Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas meet. This course will examine the long history of inter-cultural contact in the literature and culture of what we know as Spain today. The course will also examine networks of migration, economics, and power associated with Spain's history as a global empire, the Spanish Civil War, and the present-day immigration boom from Africa and South America as depicted in Spanish works of literature, visual art, and film. May only receive credit for one of the following courses: HISP 253, HISP 254, SPAN 353, SPAN 354.

Curriculum: AE,HU,OC,EL

Borderlands in the Hispanic World explores the concept of borderlands as dynamic cultural, political, and historical spaces. Drawing from Cultural Studies and Border Studies, this intermediate-level course introduces students to key theoretical frameworks that challenge traditional notions of borders as fixed lines. Through five thematic modules, students will examine how borderlands function as zones of contact, conflict, and creativity across the Hispanic world—from medieval Iberia and colonial Latin America to contemporary transnational regions such as the U.S.-Mexico border, the triple frontier in South America, and the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla in North Africa. Each module integrates critical texts, short stories, poetry, film, music, performance, and children’s literature to analyze how borders shape identities, migration, and social justice. Students will engage with diverse voices and artistic expressions that reflect the lived experiences of border communities. By the end of the course, students will be able to critically interpret borderlands as complex spaces of negotiation and transformation within Hispanic cultural production.

Curriculum: GE,HU,WA

Did you know that there are more Spanish speakers in the United States than in Colombia, Spain, and Argentina? Have you noticed the increasing presence of Hispanic politicians, influencers, and artists in mainstream media and commercial markets in North America? This course, given in English, examines how Hispanic populations are contributing to a changing demographic and cultural landscape that is reshaping the political, economic, linguistic, and social panorama of the United States. Throughout the semester, students will be exposed to the fundamental ideologies that promote these changes, including inclusive language, the impact of immigration, heritage identities, bilingual education, and movements such as LatinX. Additionally, through class discussions, readings, articles, and oral presentations, students will gain a better understanding of the diversity and influence of Hispanic populations in US. To that end, students will learn about the demand for cultural and linguistic equity in the North American job market. Finally, students will be able to identify the need for, and presence of, Hispanic populations in fields such as healthcare, education, hospitality, business, and public safety, among others.

Curriculum: CL,HU,DI

A study of the conflictive process of modernization in Spain that concentrates on the clash between the progressive efforts to modernize and the traditionalist efforts to maintain Spain's unique social and cultural identity. This study abroad course in Spain includes visits to historical and cultural sites. Offered alternate years.

Curriculum: EL,GE,HU,OC

This seminar provides intensive study of a literary, cultural, social, political, or linguistic movement, period, phenomenon, or current event, culminating in a major research paper or project. Throughout the capstone seminar, students will learn to situate their work within important frameworks, propose and identify research questions, organize research material, and critically discuss their own, as well as their classmates’ scholarship. Students will complete an original, coherent, accurate, well-documented, and persuasive project that applies the knowledge and skills related to the Hispanic Studies Program. Furthermore, students will integrate, extend, evaluate, and apply knowledge and skills from the Hispanic Studies major program.

Curriculum: CS