Critical Race & Ethnic Studies: US Latino Writers (A)

About CRES 2827 A

Study of texts written by Latinos since the 1960s. Topics: construction of ethnic identities, representation of race/gender relations; writers and their communities. Prerequisite: Three hours in English numbered 1010 to 1990; minimum Sophomore standing. Cross-listed with: ENGL 2216.

Notes

PACE students with permission and override Minimum sophomore standing Prerequisite: Three hours in English numbered 1010 to 1990; Crosslisted with ENGL 2216 A Total combined enrollment = 25

Section Description

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course will examine the historical and artistic formation of a specific U.S. Latino cultural production and discuss its place in the American canon and its relationship with other American ethnic cultural manifestations. This examination is grounded in an understanding of culture as fluid and dynamic, not static or unchangeable, and shaped by its practitioners’ historical experience, rather than existing above and beyond the people. We will examine the ways U.S. Latino artists construct their identities as U.S. Latinos by establishing alliances along racial, ethnic, gender, and sexual lines. The politics of language, the challenge to traditional representations of American history and culture, and the construction of alternative spaces as forms of cultural and political resistance are among the aspects this course will explore. We will closely examine the intersection of “race,” gender, class, language, and sexuality, among others, in the cultural production of U. S. Latino artists.

Section Expectation

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
CLASS PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE:
Class attendance is required. As a rule, if you are absent more than two times during the semester, your final grade will be lowered: the more absences, the lower the grade. Personal illness, emergencies, and travel count toward the two unexcused absences. Each LATE arrival will count as 1/2 absence. All reading and writing assignments are REQUIRED and are due on the date indicated on the syllabus. Class participation is essential to a successful learning experience; hence, it is required of you as part of this learning community. To earn the maximum points in this category, you need to demonstrate through your ACTIVE participation in class discussions that you have read and thought about the readings before coming to class. Per university policy, faculty members are required to ask a minimum of two hours of outside work per course unit. Since this is a three-unit course, you are expected to spend a minimum of six hours outside of the classroom preparing for this class. The twelve points for this category are divided as follows:
6 pts attendance (no more than two absences during the semester)
6 pts for class participation in discussions; students must volunteer to participate, not just in group work. If you never or rarely volunteer to participate in class discussions, the highest grade you can earn in this category is 3 points.
Note: One lecture is required on February 18th at 4 PM; more details will follow.

POP QUIZZES:
There will be eleven pop quizzes during the semester. The pop quizzes will be based on the day's reading and often focus on a close reading of a passage and its connections to race, racism, and other themes of the course. The lowest pop quiz grade will be dropped. Pop quizzes are not made up unless they are for out-of-town varsity games, religious holidays, or reasons documented in a letter sent to me by your college.

EXAMS
There will be two exams during the semester. Each exam will be divided into three sections: 1) Historical identifications based on the documentaries, lectures, and class discussions; 2) Identifications and close readings of passages from the works we have read; 3) a more extended analytical essay based on the readings. The analytical essay asks students to interpret course readings in relation to race and racism in the United States, drawing on historical contexts and concepts discussed in class and supporting their interpretation with textual or cultural evidence. The first exam covers the first part of the semester; the second exam covers the remaining part. Further detailed instructions will be given to you one week before the scheduled exam date.

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS:
You will be asked to write seven written assignments during the semester primarily based on films and documentaries. Each assignment is worth four points. Your paper should be a minimum of 2 full pages, double-spaced, in a 12-point font. Assignments must be computer-printed and submitted at the beginning of each class on the due date.
Depending on the assignment and the material being examined, you may be asked to:
1) Reflect on a film or documentary and connect your response to the course’s historical, cultural, and theoretical themes.
2) Relate specific scenes, themes, or arguments to topics discussed in class.
3) Analyze how a film, documentary, or literary work represents race, racism, or racialization of U.S. Latinos.
4) Examine how race intersects with gender, class, sexuality, language, and other dimensions of identity.
5) Develop a critical interpretation supported by examples from the assigned material.
Specific instructions for each assignment will be provided for each assignment. Written assignments must demonstrate engagement with the material and, where appropriate, move beyond a summary or personal reaction to analyze its relationship to the course’ central themes critically. Material from the written assignments and documentaries will also be included in the exams.

Evaluation

GRADING
Active Class Participation 12 pts
Pop Quizzes 10 pts
Exams (2) 50 pts, 25 pts each
Written Assignments (7) 28 pts, 4 pts each
TOTAL POINTS 100 pts.

GRADING SCALE:

Important Dates

Note: These dates may change before registration begins.

Courses may be cancelled due to low enrollment. Show your interest by enrolling.

Resources

• Parking
• PACE Course Pricing
• Textbooks