Suffolk University - Latin American and Caribbean Studies

Major/Minor Requirements

Major in Latin American and Caribbean Studies

The major in Latin American and Carribean Studies requires 10 courses (40 credits) of interdisciplinary work built around five core courses (20 credits) and five related courses (20 credits).

Required Core Component (5 courses, 20 credits)

GVT-281 Intro to Comparative Politics

Prerequisites:

GVT 110 and GVT 120 or consent of instructor.

Credits:

4.00

Description:

This course examines various methods of comparing political systems. Institutions such as executive departments, legislatures, court systems and local governmental systems are examined comparatively. It includes analysis of the impact of different economic systems on political/governmental institutions, and on economic circumstances that impact government. It also looks at political socialization both in terms of process and comparative content. An effort is made to include countries from all regions of the world. Normally offered every year.

Type:

Social Science,BSJ SOCIAL SCIENCE
HST-276 History of Modern Latin America

Credits:

4.00

Description:

The development of Latin American states: society, economy and culture, from colonial origins to the present. Cultural Diversity B

Term:

Occasional

Type:

Cultural Diversity Opt B,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
SOC-227 Race in American Society

Credits:

4.00

Description:

Despite the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States, race remains one of the most divisive forces in U.S. society. While many of us struggle against racism, racial classification continues to affect where we live, where we work, and how we see ourselves. Racial classification affects our access to health care and our encounters with police officers. Distorted images of racial groups fill television and movie screens. Appeals to racism and fear of foreigners are dominant themes in elections to state and national offices. This course examines the formation and re-formation of racial classifications: how particular groups become racially identified, how these classifications change over time, and how conflicts over race have shaped American society. The meanings of race, as seen from a variety of perspectives, will be a consistent theme throughout the course.

Term:

Occasional

Type:

Cultural Diversity Opt A
SOC-228 Culture Diversity & Human Need

Credits:

4.00

Description:

Enables students to examine, as well as develop an awareness and appreciation of, diversity within todays society. Providing an overview of the major racial, ethnic, and cultural groups in the U.S., the focus is on the ways in which cultural awareness enhances professional helping relationships and improves the operation of human services systems.

Term:

Occasional

Type:

Cultural Diversity Opt A

and

EC-141 Development Economics

Credits:

4.00

Description:

Why do so many countries remain so poor? Why have some (e.g. the Asian tigers) grown so rapidly? Why have most of the countries of Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union been slow to ignite economic growth? These questions are addressed by looking at domestic factors (government policies, resource endowments) as well as the international environment (mobile investors, international financial institutions). Asks what economic choices these countries face now. Normally offered yearly. Cultural Diversity B

Type:

Cultural Diversity Opt B,Social Science,Asian Studies,BSJ SOCIAL SCIENCE

or

EC-151 Economic & Human Geography

Credits:

4.00

Description:

The study of how economic and human activity is distributed across space, the reasons for these spatial distributions, and the processes that change the spatial organization of economic activity over time. Topics include: maps, map projections, and geographic information systems; population geography; the organization and location of cities, towns and villages; transportation and communication policy; industrial location; the geography of world trade; and geographic features of economic development. The course takes a global perspective, and draws on cases and examples from all over the world. Cultural Diversity B

Type:

Cultural Diversity Opt B,Social Science,BSJ SOCIAL SCIENCE

Elective Courses (5 courses, 20 credits)

At least two of the five related courses must constitute a concentration in a single discipline or an interdisciplinary field. Course selections will be made in consultation with the Latin American and Carribean Studies advisor.

Communication and Journalism

CJN-255 Introduction to Media

Credits:

4.00

Description:

An introduction to the role of media in contemporary society, focusing on medias influence on cultural, political, and ideological processes. An examination of the historical contexts within which newspapers, radio, television and new media technologies developed and how audiences interact with and influence the use of media.

Term:

Offered Both Fall and Spring

Type:

Social Science
CJN-385 Globalization of Media and Telecommunications

Credits:

4.00

Description:

Explores the development of global media and telecommunication corporations and technologies and the influence these transnational organizations and technologies bear on regional and nation-state communication policy, global and local culture, and the world economy. Cultural Diversity B ECR

Term:

Offered Spring Term

Type:

Cultural Diversity Opt B,Expanded Classroom Requirement
CJN-491 Special Topics in Communications

Credits:

4.00

Description:

Current issues in the field of communication. Normally offered every semester.

Term:

Offered Both Fall and Spring

Economics

EC-430 Intl Trade Theory & Policy

Prerequisites:

EC 101 and EC 102

Credits:

4.00

Description:

This course examines theories of international trade. The policy implications of each theory are explored and the effect of trade on the welfare of the nation is examined. Also the development of trade blocs and the the political economy of trade are studied. Normally offered every year.

Type:

Social Science,Asian Studies,BSJ SOCIAL SCIENCE
EC-442 International Monetary Economics

Prerequisites:

EC 101 and EC 102

Credits:

4.00

Description:

The balance of payments and foreign exchange markets and instruments, and the determination of exchange rates. Balance-of-payments adjustments under alternative exchange-rate systems, international liquidity, international economics policy and open economy macroeconomics.

Type:

Social Science,BSJ SOCIAL SCIENCE

Government

GVT-313 The Atlantic Triangle: European Union, United States and Latin America

Credits:

4.00

Description:

This course examines the main political, economic and social trends in the European Union, Latin America and the United States as well as the multiples interactions among them since the end of the Cold War. The readings are structured in two main sections. After briefly reviewing the historical development of these three partners on both sides of the Atlantic in the past five decades, the first section identifies the key processes that are defining the main characteristics of Europe (deepening vs. widening), United States (isolationism vs. internationalism) and Latin America (democracy vs. social equality). The second part of the course explains the tendencies and contradictions in the construction of the external relations of the European Union towards the United States and Latin America, from the cooperation and competition in development of a safe and free Europe in the 1990s to the acrimonious debate about the 2003 Iraq invasion and the prospects of the 2006 EU-Latin America Vienna Summit, among other important events.

Type:

Social Science,BSJ SOCIAL SCIENCE
GVT-387 Reconciliation and Conflict in Central America

Prerequisites:

GVT 281 or instructors consent. Junior status or above

Credits:

4.00

Description:

current political trends in the Caribbean and in selected Central American nations. Emphasis will be placed on comparative analysis of public policies in the region, as well as on external factors which impact on politics in the Caribbean and Central America. Students will use academic sources in their analysis, as well as novels and other literary sources for the background of their analysis. Not open to freshmen. Normally offered every third year. Cultural Diversity B

Type:

Cultural Diversity Opt B,Social Science
GVT-393 Politics of Mexico and South America

Prerequisites:

GVT 281 or instructor consent

Credits:

4.00

Description:

This course examines the evolution of Latin America in the context of globalization. The first part analyzes the main political and economic trends of Latin America as a region, while the second presents the main challenges Mexico is facing today in the area of security. The third part moves forward into the detailed explanation of the transformations of the largest South American countries such as Colombia, Argentina, Chile and Venezuela, among others. The final section looks at the relationship between Latin America and the United States.

Type:

Cultural Diversity Opt B,Social Science
GVT-466 Globalization, Regionalization and Sovereignty

Prerequisites:

GVT 261

Credits:

4.00

Description:

This course examines the intertwined nature of the globalization and regionalization processes from the perspective of global political economy. The first part of the course provides the basic elements and indicators to understand the main challenges the international economy is facing such as crisis, protectionism, and underdevelopment, inter alia. The second part presents the evolution of globalization and regionalism in the past decades. The third and final section compares how the distinct regions in the world are dealing with local and global problems; particularly attention is paid to the European Union, NAFTA, Mercosur and APEC.

Type:

Social Science
GVT-469 Human Rights

Prerequisites:

GVT 261 Junior status or above

Credits:

4.00

Description:

An examination of human rights at the end of the 20th century. Attention will be given to the origin and expansion of the concept of human rights in different political systems, the links between culture and human rights and the means and mechanisms for safeguarding human rights with particular reference to the United Nations system.

Type:

Social Science,BSJ SOCIAL SCIENCE
GVT-507 Gvt Study Trip: Civil Rights Tour

Prerequisites:

INSTRUCTORS PERMISSION This course fulfills the Expanded Classroom Requirement

Credits:

4.00

Description:

APPROVAL OF DEPT. CHAIRPERSON. Specially arranged study trip to a foreign country for the purpose of obtaining knowledge through direct experience and observation. Includes prearranged site visits, meetings, required reading and written assignments. ECR

Type:

Social Science,Expanded Classroom Requirement
GVT-524 Washington Internship

Prerequisites:

This course fulfills the Expanded Classroom Requirement

Credits:

8.00

Description:

A full-time summer internship in Washington D.C. Consult the Department for more details. ECR

Type:

Social Science,Expanded Classroom Requirement
GVT-525 Washington Internship Seminar

Prerequisites:

Concurrent enrollment in GVT 523 or GVT 524

Credits:

4.00

Description:

ECR

Type:

Social Science,Expanded Classroom Requirement
GVT-526 International Internship-London

Prerequisites:

Juniors standing; GVT 528 & GVT 529 Concurrent

Credits:

8.00

Description:

A full-time, one-semester International Internship in London.

Type:

Social Science,Expanded Classroom Requirement
GVT-528 International Seminar I

Prerequisites:

Concurrently with GVT 526 or GVT 530 and GVT 529

Credits:

4.00

Description:

One of two required seminars to be taken by International interns and service learning participation. ECR

Type:

Social Science,Expanded Classroom Requirement
GVT-529 International Seminar II

Prerequisites:

Concurrently with GVT 526 or GVT 530 and GVT 528

Credits:

4.00

Description:

One of two required seminars to be taken by International interns and service learning participation ECR

Type:

Social Science,Expanded Classroom Requirement

History

HST-276 History of Modern Latin America

Credits:

4.00

Description:

The development of Latin American states: society, economy and culture, from colonial origins to the present. Cultural Diversity B

Term:

Occasional

Type:

Cultural Diversity Opt B,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
HST-285 Colonial History of Latin America

Credits:

4.00

Description:

An introduction to Latin Americas colonial history through the Revolutionary Wars for Independence. The course examines topics that are relevant to issues and challenges facing Latin American and Caribbean peoples today, including poverty, corruption, human rights, the power of religion, race and identity, the environment, international trade, political representation, foreign intervention, cultural survival, and the exploitation of land, labor and resources.

Term:

Occasional

Type:

Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
HST-325 Exploration, Colonization, and Imperialism

Credits:

4.00

Description:

Begins with an overview of the Old Worlds (Africa, America, Asia and Europe) before the rise of the European hegemony. Next we will look at the growth of Europes nation-states and their movement into the control of world trade. Then we will cover the period from the fifteenth to the nineteenth centuries - the transition from exploration to colonization to imperialism. The final segment of the class will pick up with the colonial/imperial system and its impacts on the modern world. Cultural Diversity B

Term:

Occasional

Type:

Cultural Diversity Opt B,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
HST-361 Native America 1832 to Present

Credits:

4.00

Description:

Topics will include the Plains Indian Wars; ethnological aspects of Indian tribes; the pitfalls of Indian reform movements; Indian resistance to U.S. assimilation and reservation policies; the Indian New Deal; activism and the American Indian Movement; Indians future prospects. Cultural Diversity A

Term:

Occasional

Type:

Cultural Diversity Opt A,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
HST-377 Caribbean and Latin American Diaspora

Credits:

4.00

Description:

A look at the migration of people, along with their culture, to and from the Caribbean and Latin America. The first half of the course looks at how European, Asian and African diasporas settled in the region, assimilated and contributed to the ethnic and cultural base of Caribbean and Latin America countries in the colonial period. The second half offers insight into how and why people from the Caribbean and Latin America would later form diasporas of their own in countries like the United States in the twentieth century. Students taking this course will get a sense of the struggles, accomplishments and culture of Caribbean and Latin American peoples in the United States. Formerly HST 286.

Term:

Occasional

Type:

Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
HST-396 The African Diaspora

Credits:

4.00

Description:

An examination of the dispersion of Africans to the Americas during the era of the slave trade and the establishment of New World communities of Africans and people of mixed descent. Topics include: the Slave Trade, comparative Slave Systems, Religion, Resistance and Revolutionary Movements, Return and Redemption Movements, Pan Africanism, Race and Class. Cultural Diversity A Cultural Diversity B

Term:

Occasional

Type:

Cultural Diversity Opt B,Humanities & History,Cultural Diversity Opt A
HST-441 Social Movements in the Caribbean

Credits:

4.00

Description:

A case-study approach to studying the various means by which people in the Caribbean sought to overcome the legacies of colonial exploitation of their land, labor and resources. The course also offers lessons from the case-studies for approaching/achieving positive social change. Students will learn about the peoples struggles to improve their social lives, reduce poverty, access land, expand human rights, reduce illiteracy, and gain accountability from their governments through violent and non-violent means.

Term:

Occasional

Type:

Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement

Humanities/Hispanic Studies/Carribean Studies

FR-205 The Francophone World

Prerequisites:

FR 202 or Instructors consent

Credits:

4.00

Description:

This course explores the francophone world through the media of literature and film. Selected works of francophone literature will be linked to writing exercises and conversation activities.

Term:

Alternates Fall & Spring

Type:

Cultural Diversity Opt B,BA FOREIGN
SPAN-390 Introduction to Latin American and Caribbean Literature

Prerequisites:

SPAN 300; SPAN 302 is strongly recommended

Credits:

4.00

Description:

Authors from Latin America and the Caribbean will be examined in their historical and cultural contexts. Readings and class discussions will consider the relationship between the writer and society by covering such topics as colonialism, the oral tradition, modernism and the emergence of new narratives in the twentieth century. The Inca Garcilaso, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, Jose Marti, Jorge Luis Borges, and Giaconda Belli will be among some of the writers studied.

Term:

Occasional

Type:

Cultural Diversity Opt B,Humanities Literature Requirement,BA FOREIGN
SPAN-402 Social Literature of Latin America

Prerequisites:

SPAN 300 or Instructors consent. SPAN 302 is strongly recommended.

Credits:

4.00

Description:

The relationship between social history, cultural identity and artistic expression will be explored through a diversity of texts from Central and South America, Mexico and the Caribbean. Social justice, truth, mass culture and gender will be among the issues addressed. Readings will include novel, short story, poetry and drama. Films and documentaries will also be considered to further illustrate the connections between society and text.

Term:

Occasional

Type:

Cultural Diversity Opt B,Humanities Literature Requirement,BA FOREIGN
SPAN-405 Womens Voices in Latin America

Prerequisites:

SPAN-300; Spanish 302 or its equivalent is strongly recommended

Credits:

4.00

Description:

Through fiction, non-fiction, drama, poetry and film, this course will explore the changing roles of women in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America. Special focus will be placed on the impact that changes in social ideology and culture have had on their identity and writings. Texts available in English.

Term:

Occasional

Type:

Cultural Diversity Opt B,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement,BA FOREIGN
SPAN-407 Latin American Short Narrative

Prerequisites:

Spanish 300; or Instructors consent; Spanish 302 is strongly recommended

Credits:

4.00

Description:

An exploration of some of the major trends in twentieth century Latin American story telling. Readings reflect the vast array of voices and styles, beginning with the fantastic literature of the 1930s, the birth of magical realism and the more contemporary socio-political narratives. Authors will include Maria Luisa Bombal, Julio Cortazar, Rosario Castellanos, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Juan Rulfo, Luisa Valenzuela, among others.

Term:

Occasional

Type:

Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement,BA FOREIGN
SPAN-408 Latin American Cinema

Prerequisites:

Take ENG-102 or ENG-103 or Instructors consent. Span 302 is strongly recommended for Spanish and Latin American & Caribbean Studies majors and minors.

Credits:

4.00

Description:

A survey of films from Argentina, Mexico, Cuba, and other Latin American countries. Taking the Cuban Revolution as our point of departure we shall explore the relationship between film and society and think about how our own understanding of a culture and its history is often shaped by the images that we receive on the screen. All films shown in Spanish with English subtitles. Discussions in English.

Term:

Occasional

Type:

Cultural Diversity Opt B,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
SPAN-416 Border Crossings the Latino Experience in the USA

Prerequisites:

ENG-102 or ENG-103 or Instructors consent. Span 302 is strongly recommended for Spanish and Latin American & Caribbean Studies majors and minors.

Credits:

4.00

Description:

The myth of a singular Latino experience in the United States will be examined through a variety of genres and authors. Issues of heritage, identity and the joys, struggles and challenges of growing up Latino/a also will be addressed. Among the writers read will be Sandra Cisneros, House on Mango Street, Junot Diaz, Drown, Esmeralda Santiago, When I Was Puerto Rican, Tato Laviera, AmeRican.

Term:

Occasional

Type:

Cultural Diversity Opt A,Humanities Literature Requirement
SPAN-418 Through the Eyes of the Storyteller / Latin American Fiction and Film

Prerequisites:

ENG 102 or ENG 103 or Instructors consent. SPAN 300 and SPAN 302 are strongly recommended for Spanish and Latin American and Caribbean Studies majors and minors.

Credits:

4.00

Description:

This course examines the intersection between literature and film and the relationships between the written word and the cinematic image. The writers and cinematographers we will study represent mainstream as well as marginal voices which address issues of race, gender, sexual orientation and socio-economic class in South America, the Caribbean and Mexico. All texts available in both Spanish and English translation.

Term:

Occasional

Type:

Humanities Literature Requirement,Cultural Diversity Opt B,BA FOREIGN
SPAN-425 Literature and Art in Latin America

Prerequisites:

Span 290 or Span 300; Instructors consent; Spanish 302 is strongly recommended

Credits:

4.00

Description:

This course will focus on the dynamic relationships that exist between art (both visual and lyrical) and the written word. By reading twentieth century authors from Latin America and the Caribbean and juxtaposing their work with that of other artists who explore similar themes, students will examine the multiple ways in which art and literature contribute to our understanding of life in Latin America and the Caribbean. Music, paintings, photography, poetry, and prose will be among some of the genres studied.

Term:

Occasional

Type:

BA FOREIGN
SPAN-428 From Script to Performance: Contemporary Latin American Theatre

Prerequisites:

Span 290 or 300; Span 302 is strongly recommended

Credits:

4.00

Description:

Students will closely examine the contemporary world of Latin American Theatre. A study of basic theatre concepts and methodology will prepare students to perform in Noche de teatro latinoamericano, a public performance of three one-act plays from contemporary Latin American playwrights. Publicity and set design will also be part of the course framework.

Term:

Occasional

Type:

BA FOREIGN

Sociology

SOC-227 Race in American Society

Credits:

4.00

Description:

Despite the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States, race remains one of the most divisive forces in U.S. society. While many of us struggle against racism, racial classification continues to affect where we live, where we work, and how we see ourselves. Racial classification affects our access to health care and our encounters with police officers. Distorted images of racial groups fill television and movie screens. Appeals to racism and fear of foreigners are dominant themes in elections to state and national offices. This course examines the formation and re-formation of racial classifications: how particular groups become racially identified, how these classifications change over time, and how conflicts over race have shaped American society. The meanings of race, as seen from a variety of perspectives, will be a consistent theme throughout the course.

Term:

Occasional

Type:

Cultural Diversity Opt A
SOC-347 Immigration Law and Policy

Prerequisites:

Prerequisite: SOC 113 or SOC 116 OR Instructors consent

Credits:

4.00

Description:

This course examines U.S. Immigration legislation and policies, focusing on how and why various immigration laws and policies have been established and implemented throughout history. We will address the intersection between immigration policy and race, ethnicity, nationality and socioeconomic status, as well as explore the effects that immigration laws have had on various immigrant groups and society in general.

Term:

Occasional

Type:

Cultural Diversity Opt A
SOC-327 Special Topics: General Sociology

Credits:

4.00

Description:

A course with special interest topics in sociology which changes depending on the professor.

Term:

Occasional
SOC-330 Race and Human Rights

Prerequisites:

Prerequisite: SOC 113 or SOC 116

Credits:

4.00

Description:

What are the roles of race and ethnicity from a global perspective? A global racial hierarchy determines who experiences privilege or oppression. Students will examine how the meanings of race and ethnicity can vary by location and how they matter globally.

Term:

Occasional

Type:

Cultural Diversity Opt B

Minor in Latin American and Caribbean Studies

Prerequisite: Demonstrated proficiency of Spanish, Portuguese, or French beyond the intermediate level. Normally this can be fulfilled by successful completion of one 300 level course.

The minor in Latin American and Caribbean Studies requires 24 credits or 6 courses of combined interdisciplinary study. Students must take at least one course from the following disciplines: government, Hispanic and Caribbean studies, and history, and three additional courses which may include but not be restricted to related interdisciplinary fields: communication and journalism, economics, and sociology.

Honors

Candidates must register for a special research project (LACS 500) in the fall semester of the senior year and complete a senior thesis under the supervision of a faculty member participating in the Latin American and Caribbean Studies program.

Study Abroad

Students who concentrate in Latin American and Caribbean Studies are strongly encouraged to participate in a study abroad program. This may be done at affiliated institutions such as the Tecnológico de Monterrey or the Universidad Iberoamerica in Mexico, The International Center for Development Studies in Costa Rica, or through the International Internship Program (GVT 526/528/529) with a placement in Latin America or the Caribbean. Students may also design an independent research project through Interfuture that will partially fulfill the degree requirements for the major. In addition, students also have the option of participating in a domestic internship (GVT 507/524/525) related to Latin America or the Caribbean (a maximum of 9 credit hours).

Contact Us

Program Director

Celeste Kostopulos Cooperman, PhD
Phone: 617.573.8674
Fax: 617.367.5965
Email: ckostopulos@suffolk.edu
Office: Fenton Building, Rm. 553

World Languages and Cultural Studies Office

Madelyn Soto
Office Coordinator
Phone: 617.573.8285
Email: msoto@suffolk.edu
Mailing Address:
41 Temple Street
Boston, MA 02114-4280

Latin American and Caribbean Studies

Course descriptions may be updated periodically to reflect changes since the last published catalog.

Major/Minor Requirements

Major in Latin American and Caribbean Studies

Required Core Component (5 courses, 20 credits)

GVT-281 Intro to Comparative Politics

Prerequisites:

Credits:

Description:

Type:

HST-276 History of Modern Latin America

Credits:

Description:

Term:

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SOC-227 Race in American Society

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Description:

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SOC-228 Culture Diversity & Human Need

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Description:

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Type:

and

EC-141 Development Economics

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Description:

Type:

or

EC-151 Economic & Human Geography

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Description:

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Elective Courses (5 courses, 20 credits)

Communication and Journalism

CJN-255 Introduction to Media

Credits:

Description:

Term:

Type:

CJN-385 Globalization of Media and Telecommunications

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Description:

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Type:

CJN-491 Special Topics in Communications

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Description:

Term:

Economics

EC-430 Intl Trade Theory & Policy

Prerequisites:

Credits:

Description:

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EC-442 International Monetary Economics

Prerequisites:

Credits:

Description:

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Government

GVT-313 The Atlantic Triangle: European Union, United States and Latin America

Credits:

Description:

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GVT-387 Reconciliation and Conflict in Central America

Prerequisites:

Credits:

Description:

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GVT-393 Politics of Mexico and South America

Prerequisites:

Credits:

Description:

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GVT-466 Globalization, Regionalization and Sovereignty

Prerequisites:

Credits: