SPAN470B

Indigeneidad: La identidad indígena en la literatura y la cultura latinoamericanas (siglos XVI-XXI)

Source: Flickr - Gary Stevens

¿Cómo se han representado y autorrepresentado los pueblos indígenas a través de la historia cultural de América Latina?

¿Qué estereotipos siguen vigentes y de dónde vienen?

Los pueblos indígenas ocupan sin duda un lugar primordial, aunque no siempre reconocido, en lo que hoy se considera como América Latina. El propósito de este curso consiste precisamente en explorar cómo los pueblos indígenas han sido representados y autorrepresentados en la cultura latinoamericana, desde la época precolombina hasta nuestros días. Por lo tanto, con un enfoque particular en el periodo colonial, examinaremos una gran variedad de obras escritas y audiovisuales (canciones, crónicas, películas, poemas, testimonios, etc.) creadas por o sobre los autóctonos antes, durante y después de la colonización española. En este proceso reflexionaremos sobre conceptos relevantes, como la identidad, la raza/etnicidad, el esencialismo, los derechos humanos, la resistencia y la decolonialidad, entre otros. Además, para analizar el material seleccionado, recurriremos a textos crítico-teóricos pertinentes. Dentro de este contexto, estableceremos conexiones con otros grupos étnicos de América Latina (los mestizos, afrodescendientes, criollos, etc.) y la situación global actual.

Todos los textos serán en español (si este no es el idioma original de la obra, se proveerá una traducción) y estarán disponibles en Canvas.

Lecturas obligatorias:

• Angueira, Myriam. Newen
• Bastidas, Micaela. Selección de cartas
• Bolívar, Simón. Discurso de Angostura y Carta de Jamaica
• Burgos-Debray, Elizabeth (y Rigoberta Menchú). Me llamo Rigoberta Menchú y así me nació la conciencia
• Calfuqueo, Sebastián. Mapu Kufüll / Mariscos terrestres
• Castillo, Bernal Díaz del. Historia verdadera de la conquista de la Nueva España
• Condorcanqui Noguer, José Gabriel. Relación histórica
• Guerra, Ciro. El abrazo de la serpiente
• Jerez, Francisco de. Verdadera historia de la conquista del Perú
• Palafox Herranz, Teófila et al., La vida de una familia ikoots
• Rivera Cusicanqui, Silvia. Ch’ixinakax utxiwa: una reflexión sobre prácticas y discursos descolonizadores
• Sahagún, Bernardino de. Códice Florentino
• Selección de música contemporánea producida por indígenas (Uchpa, Nación Rap, etc.)
• Selección de poesía contemporánea producida por indígenas (Briceida Cuevas Cob, Leonel Lienlaf, etc.)
• Yupanqui, Titu Cusi. Instrucción al Licenciado Lope García de Castro

Prerequisites: SPAN 221; and SPAN 301 or equivalent expertise in written and spoken Spanish.

Language of instruction: Spanish

Cultures of the Francophone World

FREN 442 introduces students to Francophone communities that are often less visible or have been traditionally marginalized in the academic curriculum. Geographically this may include communities from Africa, the Americas, East Asia, Europe, the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, and the Pacific. We will analyze a variety of materials (fictional and non-fictional texts, art, comics, music, documentaries) to get insights into the historical, linguistic, and social specificities of these regions.

This course will also explore the inherent ambivalence of La Francophonie – a political institution that connotes not only diversity but also colonial history – in order to encourage critical reflection on the role of French and France in a global context. Moreover, students will study some of the main key concepts related to French imperialism; analyze colonial and postcolonial discourses and have the occasion to exchange with visiting speakers from Francophone regions. The course also includes out-of-class activities. Class will be conducted in French.

Prerequisites: One of FREN 321, FREN 328, FREN 329 and one of FREN 402, FREN 225.

Language of instruction: French

French Literature since the Revolution

Verdun by Félix Vallotton (1917).

France endured profound crises during the twentieth century, with the two World Wars scarring its society to its core. From the cultural ebullience of 1913 to the selective amnesia that followed the German occupation, the country would be transformed beyond recognition by its victories and defeats, its resistance and compromises. We will explore not only how literature would reflect these transformations but how it impacted the French worldview at every turn.

Some important topics we will cover include: the growing roles of speed and technology in war and art; testimonies from the common soldiers on the frontlines; intellectual resistance to and collaboration with fascist ideology; the veil of silence that would cover the Holocaust after 1945; and the perception of the World Wars in the French colonial empire. We will gain this general overview by reading fiction, poetry, pamphlets, and journals by authors including Marcel Proust, Guillaume Apollinaire, Blaise Cendrars, Louis-Ferdinand Céline, Irène Némirovsky, Marguerite Duras, Jorge Semprún, and Georges Perec. We will also explore the period through chosen musical pieces, paintings, and short movies.

This class aims to equip you with foundational knowledge regarding the history of the World Wars in France, as well as a solid understanding of their influence on French literature, culture, and society throughout the twentieth century. You will be guided in developing your critical reading and writing abilities. You will also have opportunities to understand literary innovations through creative assignments. All class materials, discussions, and assignments will be in English.

Language of instruction: English

Art, culture et société du Moyen Âge à la Révolution Française

Meunier, Antoine. La Comédie française. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Gallica. Source: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b10303194d

Ce cours explore la culture et la littérature françaises du Moyen Âge jusqu’à la Révolution française. Il a pour objectif de familiariser les étudiants avec les différents aspects de la vie littéraire (courants esthétiques, formes et genres, acteurs et institutions de la vie littéraire) et d’offrir les outils nécessaires à l’analyse d’œuvres représentatives de cette période. Le cours abordera des thèmes variés tels que la satire sociale, la condition humaine, la quête de connaissance, les relations de pouvoir et la critique des institutions. Le cours mettra en lumière les interactions dynamiques entre les créateurs et leur contexte social et politique. Il permettra aux étudiants de développer leurs compétences en analyse textuelle ainsi que leur compréhension de l’histoire culturelle de la France.

Language of instruction: French

Instructor: Dr. Joël Castonguay-Bélanger

Recommended prerequisite: This course is recommended for students who have completed one of FREN_V 224 or FREN_V 401.

The French Novel: 19th Century to Today

The Parisian Novels (The Yellow Books) by Vincent Van Gogh

The novel does not exist—or more specifically, there is no universal, applicable model. This is a bastardized literary genre that has survived many cultural, historical and political upheavals. From the French 19th century to today, the novel’s reincarnations are plentiful as they challenge aesthetic and ideological expectations. Topics covered in our advanced literature course include: engagement, narratology (realism, Nouveau Roman, autofiction, etc.), cultural critique, the collective imaginary, the seepage between life and arts, third-wave feminism, and so forth.

Required readings:

1. Hugo. Le dernier jour d’un condamné (1829)
2. Zola. Thérèse Raquin (1873)
3. M Proust. Du côté de chez Swann – Combray (1913)
4. Robbe-Grillet. La Jalousie (1957)
5. Laurens. Celle que vous croyez (2016)

Prerequisites: One of FREN 321, FREN 328, FREN 329 and one of FREN 402, FREN 225.

Language of instruction: French