Afro-Latinidad
Cross-listed with LAST425
What does it mean to be Black in Latin America? Who gets counted, who gets erased — and why? These questions are at the heart of this interdisciplinary course, which traces the African diaspora to the Americas across history, literature, politics, and cultural expressions.
From the brutal architecture of slavery to the Haitian Revolution’s geopolitical shockwaves, from the racial ideologies of Brazil and the Dominican Republic to the vibrant Afro-Latinx communities in the Global North, students will encounter a region defined by colonial legacies and extraordinary acts of resistance. Readings span novelists, historians, poets, and scholars, including Junot Díaz, Edwidge Danticat, and Lorgia García Peña, alongside a visit to UBC’s Museum of Anthropology.
Central to the course is the concept of Black ways of knowing: epistemologies that challenge the colonial assumptions embedded in Western academic life. Students will not study Afro-Latin Americans from the outside; they will read, think, and argue alongside them.
Language of instruction: English
Instructor: Dr. Ramón (Arturo) Antonio Victoriano-Martinez
Prerequisites: Recommended for students in 3rd year or above. Restricted to students with 2nd year standing or above.