Latin American and Latino Studies
Director: Matthew Johnston
Administrative Coordinator: Blair Orfall
The minor in Latin American and Latino studies enables students to combine study of a major field in the arts, humanities, sciences, or social sciences with a focused study of Latin American and Hispanic/Latina/o history, culture, and contemporary affairs. The program includes a major component of overseas study integrated with courses from various disciplines on campus. Overseas study programs offered in Latin America allow students to spend up to a year studying in curricular areas not covered on the Lewis & Clark campus.
The interdisciplinary minor is supervised by a group of faculty from several departments. This group coordinates the curriculum, advises students, supervises major research projects, and plans special events.
Students may apply for admission to the minor only after being accepted for an appropriate overseas study program.
Minor Requirements
A minimum of 24 semester credits, distributed as follows:
- 4 semester credits chosen from the following:
Colonial Latin American History Modern Latin American History Latin American and Latinx Cultural Studies Social Change in Latin America
- Participation in any Lewis & Clark overseas program in Latin America, from which a minimum of 3 semester credits must be applied to the minor. A maximum of 12 semester credits may be applied to the minor from the overseas program. Language courses do not apply.
- Up to 17 semester credits chosen from the list of elective courses below (for a total of 24 credits).
Elective Courses
Art
ART 207 | Pre-Columbian Art |
Hispanic Studies
SPAN 230 | Hispanic Literature in Translation | |
SPAN 260 | Cultural Production of the Spanish-Speaking World | |
SPAN 301 | Introduction to Literary Studies I | |
SPAN 301H | Introduction to Literary Studies I for Heritage Speakers | |
SPAN 321 | Introduction to Literary Studies II | |
SPAN 360 | Latin America and Spain: Pre-Columbian to Baroque | |
SPAN 370 | Latin America and Spain: Enlightenment to the Present | |
SPAN 440 | Topics in Hispanic Literatures (when focus is on Latin America) | |
SPAN 444 | Spanish Practicum (when focus is on Latin America) | |
SPAN 446 | Special Topics in Hispanic Literatures and Cultures (when focus is on Latin America) | |
SPAN 450 | Special Topics in Spanish (when focus is on Latin America) |
History
HIST 141 | Colonial Latin American History | |
HIST 142 | Modern Latin American History | |
HIST 242 | Borderlands: U.S.-Mexico Border, 16th Century to Present | |
HIST 345 | Race and Nation in Latin America | |
HIST 347 | Modern Mexico: Culture, Politics, and Economic Crisis | |
HIST 348 | Modern Cuba | |
HIST 390 | Immigration and Asylum Law | |
HIST 400 | Reading Colloquium (when focus is on Latin America) | |
HIST 450 | History Seminar (when focus is on Latin America) |
International Affairs
IA 231 | Latin American Politics | |
IA 430 | International Affairs Seminar (when focus is on Latin America) |
Music
MUP 130 | Latin American Music Ensemble | |
MUS 106 | Workshops in World Music | |
MUS 237 | Music of Latin America |
Sociology/Anthropology
SOAN 261 | Gender and Sexuality in Latin America | |
SOAN 266 | Social Change in Latin America | |
SOAN 349 | Indigenous Peoples: Identities and Politics | |
SOAN 400 | Senior Seminar and Thesis (when focus is on Latin America) |
At least two of the courses used for the minor must be taken on campus at Lewis & Clark.
A minimum of 12 semester credits must be exclusive to the minor (may not be used in any other major or minor requirements).
Overseas Study Programs
Language-intensive offerings:
Santiago or Valparaiso, Chile: every fall, every spring (with option of full year)
Merida, Mexico: every fall, every spring (with option of full year)
For details, see World Languages and Literatures and Overseas and Off-Campus Programs.
Faculty
Vanesa Arozamena Rodriguez. Assistant professor with term of Spanish. Spanish language and literature. PhD 2010, MA 2005 University of Minnesota. BA 2001 Universidad de Deusto.
Kim Cameron-Dominguez. Assistant professor of anthropology. Race/ethnicity, gender, affect theory, work and mobilities, urban/place-centered ethnography, discourse theory, U.S. and Latin America, Black diasporic populations. PhD 2018, MA 2006 University of California at Santa Cruz. BA 2004 Mount Holyoke College.
Matthew N. Johnston. Associate professor of art history, director of the Latin American and Latino Studies Program. Modern art history. PhD 2004, MA 1994 University of Chicago. BA 1992 Yale University.
Kaley Mason. Associate professor of music. Music of South Asia, Francophone popular music, creative economies, social movements. PhD 2006 University of Alberta. BMus 1999 Queen's University at Kingston.
S. Hugo Moreno. Assistant professor with term of Spanish. Spanish language and literature. PhD 2001, MA 1997, Cornell University. MS 1993, University of Wisconsin at Madison. MA 1992 University of Texas at El Paso. BS 1985 Texas A&M University.
Bruce M. Podobnik. Associate professor of sociology. Environmental sociology, social theory, mixed methods, the sociocultural dimensions of activism, the social roots of happiness. PhD 2000, MA 1994 Johns Hopkins University. BA 1991 University of California at Santa Cruz.
Magalí Rabasa. Associate professor of Hispanic studies. Latin American literature and culture, social movements and resistance. PhD 2014 University of California at Davis. BA 2004 University of Oregon.
Matthieu P. Raillard. Associate professor of Hispanic studies. Hispanic studies, 18th- and 19th-century Peninsular Spanish literature. PhD 2004, MA 2000 University of Virginia. BA 1998 Colgate University.
Juan Carlos Toledano Redondo. Professor of Hispanic studies. Hispanic studies, 19th- and 20th-century Spanish American literature, Hispanic-Caribbean literature. PhD 2002 University of Miami. BA 1996 Universidad de Granada.
Freddy O. Vilches. Associate professor of Hispanic studies. Hispanic studies, contemporary Spanish American literature, poetry and song, Latin American cultural studies. Charango, Venezuelan cuatro. PhD 2006, MA 1993, BA 1991 University of Oregon.
Sarah D. Warren. Associate professor of sociology, chair of the Department of Sociology/Anthropology. Race and ethnicity, social movements, nations and nationalism, gender, Latin America. PhD 2010 University of Wisconsin at Madison. MA 2004 University of Texas at Austin. BA 2001 University of Arizona.
Elliott Young. Professor of history, director of the Latin American and Latino Studies program (spring). Latin American and U.S.-Mexico Borderlands history. PhD 1997, MA 1993 University of Texas at Austin. BA 1989 Princeton University.
Courses
LALS 200 Latin American and Latinx Cultural Studies
Content: Theoretical approaches to the study of Latin American culture. Focused study of particular writers, artists, and musicians. Topics include indigenismo, nationalism, postcolonialism, the African diaspora, borderlands, and hybridity. Interdisciplinary approach integrates literary, historical, and anthropological modes of inquiry in this team-taught, bilingual class.
Prerequisites: None.
Restrictions: Sophomore standing required.
Usually offered: Alternate Years, spring semester.
Semester credits: 4.