Course description
Courses in Spanish focus on critical thinking and language skills. Areas covered are Peninsular literature, Latin American literature, film and theater, and U.S. Latino and Latina literature and culture.
Placement in language courses: Students with previous foreign language experience should consult the statement on placement in language courses in the Foreign Languages and Literatures section of this catalog.
The Spanish major: A total of 34 credits to include:
Twelve credits taken at Whitman in the following required courses: four credits from Spanish 490; and eight credits from any two (2) of these three courses: Spanish 341, Spanish 342, Spanish 343;
At least 22 additional credits to fulfill the following five areas:
1. At least one course in Peninsular literature taught in Spanish at the 400 level.
2. At least one course in Latin American literature taught in Spanish at the 400 level.
3. At least one course in Peninsular, Latin American, or U.S. Latino and Latina film and/or theater taught in Spanish at the 400 level.
4. At least one course in U.S. Latino and Latina literature and culture taught in Spanish at the 400 level. This requirement may be filled by a 300- or 400-level seminar taught in English if the course is taken at Whitman and taught by a member of the Spanish faculty. Note: A course that combines two or more of the four areas listed above can fulfill only one of the areas.
5. At least one upper-level language skills course from this list: Spanish 306, 320, 321, 325, or 326, or the equivalent in transfer or study abroad credit.
6. Remaining credits may be earned through the completion of additional courses at the 300- or 400-level taught in Spanish; one 300- or 400-level seminar taught in English at Whitman by a member of the Spanish faculty (the course may be listed through world literature, rhetoric and film studies, or through another humanities department); or the equivalent in transfer or study abroad credit.
Note: At least 23 of the 34 credits required for the major in Spanish literatures and cultures must be completed on-campus at Whitman and none may be taken for P-D-F or as independent study. Courses taught in English at other institutions (including study abroad) cannot count toward the major. All courses taught in English used to fulfill the major must be taken at Whitman, be seminars taught at the 300- or 400-level, and be taught by members of the Spanish faculty; no more than eight credits toward the major can be from such courses taught in English. Students interested in applying transfer or study abroad credit toward the major must consult members of the Spanish faculty for approval. AP credits do not count toward the fulfillment of the major or minor requirements in Spanish literatures and cultures.
In the fall semester of the senior year students majoring in Spanish must pass a senior assessment consisting of:
1. The successful completion of Spanish 490 Senior Seminar;
2. The completion of an original research project discussing an aspect of Spanish, Latin American, and/or U.S. Latino and Latina literature, film, or theater. This project will be written in Spanish, use primary and secondary sources, be approximately 20 pages in length (minus footnotes and bibliography), and be approved and guided by the Spanish senior seminar adviser and;
3. An hour-long oral exam in Spanish, where the student will defend the research project, answer questions about the project in context of the field of Spanish, Latin American, and/or U.S. Latino and Latina literature, film, or theater, and answer general questions about the student’s Spanish major program of study.
The Spanish minor: A total of 18 credits to include:
1. Eight credits from any two (2) of these three courses: Spanish 341, Spanish 342, Spanish 343; these must be taken at Whitman;
2. A 400-level Peninsular, Latin American, and/or U.S. Latino literature, film, or theater seminar taught in Spanish at Whitman, on study abroad, or the equivalent;
3. A maximum of eight hours of advanced language skills credit can be counted for the minor (the advanced language skills courses offered at Whitman are Spanish 305, 306, 320, 321, 325, or 326; or the equivalent in transfer credit);
4. Additional credits to fulfill the minor may be earned from any other course in Spanish numbered above 326 or equivalent.
Note: At least 12 of the 18 credits for the minor in Spanish literatures and cultures must be completed on-campus at Whitman and none of these credits may be taken P-D-F or as independent study. Courses taught in English (even if offered through the Spanish department and/or taught by Spanish faculty) cannot be applied toward the minor. Students interested in applying transfer or study abroad credit toward the minor must consult members of the Spanish faculty for approval. AP credits do not count toward the fulfillment of the major or minor requirements in Spanish literatures and cultures.
The Latin American Studies minor for Spanish majors: Twenty credits as follows:
* Three Latin American history courses.
* Eight credits from among the following supporting courses: Anthropology 250, 259, History 283, 287, 381, 382, 383, 384, 387, 389, 495, Spanish 431, 432, 433, 434, plus 440-449, 467, 468, and World Literature 381-390/Rhetoric and Film Studies 368, when the topic is Spanish American cinema or literature (not to be duplicated in major requirement credit), and other courses by consent of the adviser(s) in Latin American studies.
A minimum of eight credits in Latin American history for this minor must be completed at Whitman, and none of these credits may be taken P-D-F or as independent study.
Note: Courses taken P-D-F prior to the declaration of a language major or minor will satisfy course and credit requirements for the major or minor. Courses taken P-D-F may not be used to satisfy course and credit requirements for the major or minor after the major or minor has been declared. Courses numbered 206 and below (or equivalent) will not count toward the major grade-point average in Spanish.
105, 106 Elementary Spanish
Basic Spanish grammar, with emphasis on its use through oral practice in class. Reading and writing introduced with more emphasis placed on them in the second semester of the course. The use of English in class is at a minimum. Four periods per week plus required laboratory work. Students who have previous work in Spanish are required to take a departmental placement examination for entrance.
205, 206 Intermediate Spanish
A comprehensive, progressive Spanish grammar review. Daily in-class conversation and daily written homework. Equal emphasis on proficiency in the four language skills: speaking, listening comprehension, writing, and reading. The language of the students and the instructor is Spanish. Prerequisite: Spanish 106. Students who have not taken Spanish at Whitman previously are required to take a departmental placement examination for entrance.
305, 306 Advanced Spanish: Topics in Contemporary Hispanic Culture
Use of various text and media sources (literature, film, music, popular culture, etc.) to access contemporary topics in Hispanic culture for advanced conversation, academic writing, and grammar practice. Students will be required to do research projects using primary and secondary sources in Spanish, write short compositions, participate in all daily in-class discussions, complete advanced grammar exercises, and collaborate in at least one group creative project. Class participation, including attendance, is part of the grade for the course. Prerequisite: all students are required to take a departmental placement examination for entrance.
320 Reel Dialogues: Language, Conversation, and Introduction to Film Analysis
Spanish language cinema provides a stimulating medium for exploring issues of concern in Spain, Latin America and the United States including poverty, discrimination, urban violence, gender and sexuality. This course aims to improve proficiency in speaking and listening at the advanced-intermediate level as well as promote critical thinking through written responses to filmic texts. Course taught in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor. This course is open only to first and second year students; other students by permission of instructor.
321 El/la Problema: Advanced Grammar
The course is an intensive study of advanced Spanish grammar through literary and filmic texts. The course will focus on morphology (individual words and structures) and syntax (the order of the words). Topics may include: gender, subject-verb agreement, clauses, verb tenses, and vocabulary. Stress will be given to learning grammar and effective uses of language through class discussion and grammatical drills. Course taught in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor. This course is open only to first and second year students; other students by permission of instructor.
325 Translation: Healthcare and Language
This course is designed for students with an interest in Spanish-English translation in medicine, including nursing, medical science, human rights advocacy, and scientific research. Spanish-language literary texts and films will be used to explore the following topics: the uses of languages in patient/doctor relationships, healthcare access, patients’ rights, equality, development, and human rights. Stress will be given to class discussion. The course also requires student participation in a collective translation project focused on public health issues. Course taught in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor. This course is open only to first- and second-year students; other students by permission of instructor.
326 Translation: Public Affairs, the Law and Language
This course is designed for students with an interest in Spanish-English translation in fields such as law, immigration, human rights, and development. Spanish-language literary texts and films will be used to explore the following topics: the uses of languages in the local and federal government, legal aid access, equality, and voters’ rights. Special attention will be devoted to the Federal Court Interpreter Certification Examination. Stress will be given to class discussion. The course also requires student participation in a collective translation project focused on public affairs. Course taught in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor. This course is open only to first and second year students; other students by permission of instructor.
341 Critical Thinking and Academic Writing: Media/Theater/Performance
Reading, analysis, and discussion of representative works from Spain, Latin America, and U.S. Latina/Latino communities. This course focuses on critical thinking and academic writing in Spanish through research papers, oral presentations, and class discussions. Texts studied may include television, film, radio, print and digital media, drama, and performance art. Course taught in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor. Students who have previous work in Spanish are required to take a departmental placement examination for entrance. Note: Spanish 341, 342 and 343 can be taken in any order.
342 Critical Thinking and Academic Writing: Art/Lyric/Verse
Reading, analysis, and discussion of representative works from Spain, Latin America, and U.S. Latina/Latino communities. This course focuses on critical thinking and academic writing in Spanish through research papers, oral presentations, and class discussions. Texts studied may include art, poetry, and music. Course taught in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor. Students who have previous work in Spanish are required to take a departmental placement examination for entrance. Note: Spanish 341, 342 and 343 can be taken in any order.
343 Critical Thinking and Academic Writing: Fiction/Essay/Literary Criticism
Reading, analysis, and discussion of representative works from Spain, Latin America, and U.S. Latina/Latino communities. This course focuses on critical thinking and academic writing in Spanish through research papers, oral presentations, and class discussions. Texts studied may include short stories, essays, novels, and literary criticism. Course taught in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor. Students who have previous work in Spanish are required to take a departmental placement examination for entrance. Note: Spanish 341, 342 and 343 can be taken in any order.
411 Desperate Housewives: Feminism and Fiction in Latin America
This course analyzes diverse constructions of the feminine subject in the narratives of Latin American women writers from across the continent (Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Argentina, and Central America). While exploring numerous themes, styles, and literary techniques of the Latin American women’s short story, we will discover several recurring themes including: silence, desire and female body, literary representations of asphyxiating societal roles for women, and the creation of feminine/feminist literary discourses. Hispanic feminist theory provides a socio-historic, linguistic, and cultural foundation specific to the Latin American context from which to interpret these texts. This course satisfies the Latin American literature requirement for the major in Spanish literatures and cultures. Course taught in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor.
417 Visions of Paradise: Latin American Perceptions of What it Means to be Human
What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to ask this question? What if, instead of inspiring self-examination, the question leads to the scrutiny and classification of other humans? “Definitions” of the human are shaped and determined within concrete power relations rooted in race, class, gender, citizenship and other divisive categories. This course examines perceptions of the human in Latin America, in the context of a specific historical background of premodern colonization; the slave trade; and today’s unglamorous entrance of Latin America in the globalized stage. This course satisfies the Latin American literature requirement for the major in Spanish literatures and cultures. Course taught in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor.
418 Soulscapes of Prison: Prison Narratives of Latin America
The experience of being imprisoned disrupts our perception of the world. However, intellectuals writing from within prison walls give the impression that the experience can conjure up better insights on the world than so-called freedom. Writers who were never imprisoned have also wanted to write about confinement. The course examines fictional and nonfictional prison narratives. It explores the mysterious allure of such narratives and their strange potential for intellectual insight. Is there something about imprisonment that gives insight on free life? Themes discussed include the depictions of race and ethnicity within these narratives. This course satisfies the Peninsular literature requirement or the Latin American literature requirement for the major in Spanish literatures and cultures. Course taught in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor.
419 Cannibalizing Cannibalism: Re-appropriations of Savagery in Latin American Literature and Cinema
Cannibalism is repellent and fearsome, but also attractive. Colonial power used the term to demonize the natives, which helped justify their enslavement. The colonizer’s gaze, however, was also rife with fascination — even desire. The course examines a range of Latin American literary texts and films that explore this dual legacy of cannibalism, and find in it the possibility for cultural empowerment and political agency. Themes discussed include the representation of race and ethnicity in these texts and films. This course satisfies the Latin American literature requirement or the film/theater requirement for the major in Spanish literatures and cultures. Course taught in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor.
421 Axis of Evil: Law and Literature in Latino America and the Caribbean
This seminar focuses on the ways in which different aspects of the law are presented in Latino American and Caribbean literature. Topics to be discussed from the selected literary texts include: crimes and punishments, outlaws, penal systems, the death penalty, police and detective fictions, legality and illegality, and the uses of evidence. Students will be evaluated through papers, presentations, and participation. This course satisfies the Latin American literature requirement or the U.S. Latino and Latina literature and culture requirement for the major in Spanish literatures and cultures. Course taught in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor.
425 The Rise of Latinos in the U.S.
This seminar focuses on the literature, history, and culture of Latinos in the United States until the 21st century. The seminar addresses the possibilities and consequences of establishing Latino identities and marketing targets. Discussions will focus on politics, socio-economic and cultural issues that form part of the current debates about Latino demographics. Topics to be discussed include: immigration, citizenship, gender and sexuality. Stress will be given to class participation. Readings will include fiction and nonfiction literature along with film and visual arts. This course satisfies the film/theater requirement or the U.S. Latino and Latina literature and culture requirement for the major in Spanish literatures and cultures. Course taught in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor.
428 España en el corazón: The Spanish Civil War in Film, Literature, and Art
Through a critical examination of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) in film, literature, and art, this course will explore the cultural battle surrounding the Spanish Civil War and its commemoration. Themes discussed include the Medieval and Reconquista roots of conflict in the Iberian Peninsula, and the portrayal of gender, sexuality, race and ethnicity in literature and film about the Spanish Civil War. This course satisfies the Peninsular literature requirement or the film/theater requirement for the major in Spanish literatures and cultures. Class is conducted in Spanish with stress on oral discussion. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor.
437 Green: Eco-Literature in the Americas
This seminar addresses different aspects of nature and the environment as represented in fictional and nonfictional texts from the different regions of this Hemisphere. The seminar seeks to address environmental issues in literature in a comparative manner and therefore will examine texts from a variety of literary traditions. Topics to be discussed include: construction and decay, border issues, urban and rural spaces, utopia and dystopia, and natural history and narration. Writers to be studied may include: Borges, Mike Davis, DeLillo, Faulkner, García Márquez, Hemingway, Sonia Nazario, Mary Oliver, Rulfo, Saer, and Sam Witt. This course satisfies the U.S. Latino and Latina literature and culture requirement for the major in Spanish literatures and cultures. Course taught in English. May be elected as World Literature 339.
439 The horror, the horror: Gore, Sex, and Politics in Peninsular Film and Literature
Through a critical examination of early, modern, and contemporary Peninsular horror literature and 20th and 21st century Peninsular horror film, this course will explore the political, social, and cultural themes and issues in these texts and their continued symbolic importance in contemporary Spanish imagery. Other themes discussed include the portrayal of gender, sexuality, race and ethnicity in these texts. This course satisfies the Peninsular literature requirement or the film/theater requirement for the major in Spanish literatures and cultures. Class is conducted in Spanish with stress on oral discussion. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor.
447 Familias y Fronteras: Contemporary Chicana Literature
A critical examination of literary and cultural production by self-identified Chicana authors, including fiction, autobiography, poetry, art, film, and performance. Themes discussed will include identity construction, gender and sexuality, performativity, literary criticism and theory. Authors studied may include Sandra Cisneros, Helena María Viramontes, Cherríe Moraga, Josie Méndez-Negrete, Lourdes Portillo, and Ana Castillo. Evaluation will be based on class participation, presentations, a group performative project, and a final research paper tailored to students’ majors and interests. This course satisfies the U.S. Latino and Latina literature and culture requirement for the major in Spanish literatures and cultures. Course is taught in English with stress on oral discussion. May be elected as World Literature 329.
449 The Persistance of Memory: Cultural Representations of Argentina’s “Guerra sucia”
This course analyzes aesthetic representations and denunciations of state terrorism, especially forced disappearance and torture, committed during Argentina’s latest dictatorial regime (1976-1983). We will explore the artistic and social character of memory culture in Buenos Aires from a variety of perspectives: historical, political, philosophical, psychological and aesthetic. We will consider ethical and epistemological issues arising from remembrance and commemoration, the construction of collective memory, the possibility of adequately knowing the past and the responsibilities of remembering and forgetting. This course satisfies the Latin American literature requirement or the film/theater requirement for the major in Spanish literatures and cultures. Course taught in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor.
450 Night Chicas: Sex Workers in Film and Literature from Spain, Mexico, and Brazil
A critical examination of film and literature from Spain, Mexico, and Brazil depicting sex workers. Themes discussed will include male and female prostitution, client and sex worker relations, gender roles, immigration, politics, transgender issues, feminism, violence, sex tourism, and the law. Evaluation will be based on class participation, presentations, a group video project, and a final research paper tailored to students’ majors and interests. This course satisfies the Peninsular literature requirement or the film/theater requirement for the major in Spanish literatures and cultures. Course is taught in Spanish with stress on oral discussion. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor.
451 The Theatre and Poetry of Federico García Lorca
This seminar will examine Federico García Lorca’s portrayal of pre-Civil War Spain through close readings of representative theater and poetry works. Other readings will include theoretical and critical texts about García Lorca and Spain. Themes discussed will include gender roles, gay desire, politics, modernism, modernization, modernity, and poetics. Evaluation will be based on class participation, presentations, a group performative project, and a final research paper tailored to students’ majors and interests. This course satisfies the Peninsular literature requirement or the film/theater requirement for the major in Spanish literatures and cultures. Class is conducted in Spanish with stress on oral discussion. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor. Distribution area: humanities and alternative voices.
452 Puro Metateatro: Pedro Almodóvar’s Spain
This seminar will examine representative films by Pedro Almodóvar spanning his cinematic career from the 1970s to the present along with key Iberian and global literary texts referenced in these films. The focus of the course will be to decode Almodóvar’s multifaceted and often contradictory portrayal of post-Franco Spain through a critical examination of these films and their sources, such as those by Federico García Lorca, Luis Buñuel, Tennessee Williams, Jean Cocteau, and Victor Erice. Themes discussed will include gay desire, transgender issues, violence, sex, politics, and modernity. Readings will also include theoretical and critical texts by Paul Julian Smith, Marsha Kinder, Teresa Vilaros, and Susan Martín-Márquez, among others. Evaluation will be based on class participation, presentations, a group video project, and a final research paper tailored to students’ majors and interests. This course satisfies the Peninsular literature and the film/theater requirement for the major in Spanish literatures and cultures. Class is conducted in Spanish with stress on oral discussion. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor.
453 Seeing and not Seeing: Photography and Film in Latin American Literature
Is the difference between photography and film self-evident? If it’s true that “moving” photographs “tell stories,” and that only films narrated through accomplished imagery interest us, then the distinction is not so obvious. This seminar explores the representation of photography and film in Latin American literature. It studies photographs and films we don’t see but only read about, in texts that use “invisible visual materials” until they alter our notions about their visible counterparts, but which are, themselves, altered in the process. This course satisfies the Latin American literature requirement or the film/theater requirement for the major in Spanish literatures and cultures. Course taught in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor.
457 Magical Realism
Magical realism, with its unique blend of the marvelous and real, was once hailed for uniquely conveying the complex realities of the Latin American continent. Despite recent controversies surrounding the term, magical realism is now viewed as a significant trend in international literature. This course studies the thematic and stylistic development of magical realism in art and literature, considering key texts in their critical and cultural contexts. This course satisfies the Latin American literature requirement for the major in Spanish literatures and cultures. Course taught in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor.
460-468 Special Topics Taught in Spanish
These courses cover topics in Spanish, Latin American, and U.S. Latino/a literature, film, theater, and culture generally not considered in other courses offered by the department. The specific material will vary from semester to semester. These courses can be counted toward the major and minor in Spanish literatures and cultures. Each course description includes information about the major distribution areas covered by each course.
469 Anti/Fictions: Metafiction in the Contemporary Peninsular Novel
Self-referential novels from Spain unmask the conventions of literary invention, openly scrutinizing their narrative and linguistic identity. The authors of these (anti)fictions overtly thematize language and referentiality, techniques of novelization, and the complex relationship between fiction and reality. Our study of the theory and practice of metafiction emphasizes fictional creation (the world of the writer) and reader reception (the world of the reader) while considering recurring stylistic trends including parody and interior duplication. Does this self-conscious awareness signify a radical attack upon realism or a revolutionary continuation of Spain’s social-realist tradition? This course satisfies the Peninsular literature requirement for the major in Spanish literatures and cultures. Course taught in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; or consent of instructor.
470, 471 Special Topics Taught in English
These courses cover topics in Spanish, Latin American, and U.S. Latino/a literature, film, theater, and culture generally not considered in other courses offered by the department. These courses taught in English include Spanish-language material in translation and/or present English-language literary and cultural production by Hispanic and Latino/a populations in the United States. The specific material will vary from semester to semester. These courses can be counted toward the major in Spanish literatures and cultures as electives, but do not count toward the minor in Spanish literatures and cultures as they are taught in English.
490 Senior Seminar
A critical study of selected primary sources in Peninsular, Latin American, or U.S. Latino/a literature, culture, theater, or cinema. Topics vary. Required of and open only to senior Spanish majors. Offered every fall.
490 Senior Seminar: English v. Spanish
This seminar questions the political and cultural relationships between the United States and Latin America as exposed through the use of English and Spanish in literary, visual or filmic texts. The seminar will focus on the process of academic writing, devoting special attention to the development and completion of the senior project and assessment in Spanish. Topics in academic writing will include: project proposal, analysis of primary and secondary sources, methodology, and theoretical frameworks. Writers may include: Arenas, Borges, Washington Irving, Octavio Paz, Juan Rulfo, and Ana Lydia Vega. Required of and open only to senior Spanish majors.
491, 492 Spanish: Independent Study
Designed to allow the advanced student to pursue an individually designed project, expressing a specific interest or topic in Peninsular literature, Latin American literature, film and/or theater, and/or U.S. Latino and Latina literature and culture. Independent study courses do not count toward the major or minor in Spanish literatures and cultures; and under no circumstances will an independent study be designed as a language skills course. The student must propose a project, arrange a scheduled time to discuss (in Spanish) the project and its progress with the faculty member, complete the project and submit written evidence (in Spanish) of the work. Evidence of the work also may be presented in an oral or multimedia format in Spanish, but the presentation must include or be accompanied by some written component commensurate to the credit awarded for the course. Prerequisites: a) Spanish 306 or any other Spanish course taught in Spanish above 306; b) consent of a tenure-track member of the faculty in Spanish to direct the project; c) a one-page proposal (written in Spanish) which sets forth a summary of the project and includes at least a preliminary bibliography. That proposal must be approved by a majority of the tenure-track members of the faculty in Spanish.
498 Honors Thesis
Designed to further independent research projects leading to the preparation of an undergraduate thesis or a project report. Required of and limited to senior honors candidates in Spanish. Prerequisite: admission to honors candidacy.
