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 207Pre-Columbian Art
Hispanic Studies
SPAN 230Hispanic Literature in Translation
SPAN 260Cultural Production of the Spanish-Speaking World
SPAN 301Introduction to Literary Studies I
SPAN 301HIntroduction to Literary Studies I for Heritage Speakers
SPAN 321Introduction to Literary Studies II
SPAN 360Latin America and Spain: Pre-Columbian to Baroque
SPAN 370Latin America and Spain: Enlightenment to the Present
SPAN 440Topics in Hispanic Literatures (when focus is on Latin America)
SPAN 444Spanish Practicum (when focus is on Latin America)
SPAN 446Special Topics in Hispanic Literatures and Cultures (when focus is on Latin America)
SPAN 450Special Topics in Spanish (when focus is on Latin America)
History
HIST 141Colonial Latin American History
HIST 142Modern Latin American History
HIST 242Borderlands: U.S.-Mexico Border, 16th Century to Present
HIST 345Race and Nation in Latin America
HIST 347Modern Mexico: Culture, Politics, and Economic Crisis
HIST 348Modern Cuba
HIST 390Immigration and Asylum Law
HIST 400Reading Colloquium (when focus is on Latin America)
HIST 450History Seminar (when focus is on Latin America)
International Affairs
IA 231Latin American Politics
IA 430International Affairs Seminar (when focus is on Latin America)
Music
MUP 130Latin American Music Ensemble
MUS 106Workshops in World Music
MUS 237Music of Latin America
Sociology/Anthropology
SOAN 261Gender and Sexuality in Latin America
SOAN 266Social Change in Latin America
SOAN 349Indigenous Peoples: Identities and Politics
SOAN 400Senior 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

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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.