Department of English

This course is an introduction to U.S. Latina/o Literature, meaning literature by people of Latin American descent living and writing in the United States.  As we move through our survey of the literature, we will attend to the distinct historical and cultural conditions in which the texts have been produced.  Some of the historical narratives that will inform our discussions include U.S. economic and political interest in the Caribbean after 1898; the Mexican Revolution; anti-colonial sentiments in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic; the prominence of social protest literature that emerged alongside the civil rights and anti-war movements of the 1960s and 70s; and the role of articulations of gender, class and sexual identities throughout these literatures.  We will also interrogate the possibilities, limitations, and the viability of studying these diverse literatures under the rubric of "latinidad."  Possible readings include work by Sandra Cisneros, Julia Alvarez, Junot Diaz, Cristina Garcia, Piri Thomas, and Francisco Goldman.  Possible films include Zoot Suit, Salt of the Earth, Come and Take it Day, El Norte, Lone Star, and Senorita Extraviada.

Course fulfills the Cultural Diversity in US for Class 2012 and after in the College.