2008-2009 Catalog - Virginia Wesleyan College

102 FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES318 Civilization of Spanish Peoples II:Latin America (3)Provides the opportunity to learn about the LatinAmerican countries, their people and their civilizationsthrough the study of major works of literature, art andmusic. Ideas presented in class are reinforced through films,slide presentations and guest speakers. Prerequisite: SPAN306 or consent. Offered alternate years.321 Political Writings of Latin America (3)Readings of the political writings of selected LatinAmerican thinkers. Relationship of political writings tocontemporary culture, society and government of LatinAmerica. Readings in Spanish language. Also cross-listed asPOLS 321 in which case readings and writing are done inEnglish. Offered each fall.329 Latin America through the Cinema (3)Analyzes a selection of Latin American feature films anddocumentaries in order to understand the political, social,and economic conditions that characterize this region.Students also explore the constitution of national identities,questions of ideology, class, race, ethnicity and gender. Inaddition, we address the conditions of film production inlight of globalization and Hollywood’s competition and useof film as a tool for social change. Films will be screenedoutside of class. Prerequisite: SPAN 306 or consent.Offered intermittently.333 Commercial Spanish (3)Designed for students and professionals who wish tolearn Spanish for use in a practical business context.Prerequisite: SPAN 212 or equivalent or consent.344/444 Don Quixote (3)An intensive study of what is generally considered thefirst and greatest of western novels. Attention is given to thelife of Cervantes, the society and the culture of the times inwhich this work was written and its impact on the literarytradition of the Hispanic world. Prerequisite: SPAN 306.Offered on demand.350 Hispanic American Women Writers (3)An overview of the history of Hispanic Americanwomen writers from the Colonial period to the present. Itincludes an analysis of key economic, social, and politicalconditions in the development of their writing. Poetry,short story and the novel will be included. Prerequisite:SPAN 306 or consent. Offered fall of odd-numbered years.360 The Latin American Short Story (3)The Latin American short story is one of the richestmanifestations of contemporary Latin American narrative.Students study its evolution from the origins to the presenttime paying close attention to the principal literary, socialand political movements that produced those stories:Romanticism, Realism, Naturalism, Regionalism,Existentialism, the Boom, the post-Boom and Feminism,among others. Prerequisite: SPAN 306 or consent.365 U.S. Latino Culture (3) (S)Studies the Latino phenomenon in the U.S. as peculiarto a diaspora strongly united by language and adherence toa common cultural legacy. We examine the circumstancescausing the migration of specific groups entering the U.S.Emphasis is given to social issues such as labor, health, andeducation, as well as to the understanding of diversitywithin the Latino community, the acculturation process,and the overall impact of the Latino minority in U.S.society today. Prerequisite: fluency in Spanish at the 300level or consent. Offered fall of even-numbered years.380 Analysis of the Spanish Language (3)Provides students with the opportunity to improve theirlinguistic abilities in Spanish, develop a greater awareness ofthe process of learning another language, and also expandtheir knowledge of the many facets of the Spanish language.A background is provided of issues and concepts of secondlanguage acquisition, particularly those of the Englishspeakinglearners of Spanish. Prerequisite: SPAN 306 orconsent.420 The Latin American Novel (3)A study of the development of the Latin American novelbeginning with the 19th century to the present. Theme,form, style, and technique along with the historical andsocial context are studied. Latin American women asauthors and as characters are an important aspect of thiscourse. Prerequisite: SPAN 306 or consent. Offered springof even-numbered years.422 Modern Spanish-American Fiction (3)Analytical reading of selected works by such authors asBorges, Cortázar, Garcia, Märquez, Allende, and Rulfo.Such aspects as theme, form, style, and technique of thenovel and story are studied. Prerequisite: SPAN 306 orconsent. Offered on demand.443 Senior Seminar (3) (I) WIntensive study of selected topics in Spanish andSpanish-American literature. Intended to integrate theknowledge of history, philosophy and political science withthe analysis of literary works. Prerequisite: Two semesters ofthe following: SPAN 311, 312, 317 and 318. Offeredalternate years or on demand.471 Practicum in the Teaching of Spanish (3)A workshop setting in the teaching of grammar, writing,and speaking Spanish. The student will also be an assistantand tutor in SPAN 111, 112, and 211. Prerequisites: SPAN306 or must be capable of using the Spanish languageeffectively and consent. Recommended for students in theeducation track. Offered every year.