Latin American Studies
Latin American Studies
http://spanishandportuguese.rice.edu/
Rayzor Hall 307
713-348-5451
José F. Aranda, Jr.
Program Director
aranda@rice.edu
Latin American Studies is an interdisciplinary major designed to further understanding of the cultures, histories, and politics of Latin America as viewed from regional and global perspectives.
This major draws from courses and faculty from a wide range of departments and programs, including Anthropology, Architecture, Art History, English, French Studies, History, Spanish and Portuguese, and Political Science. This major provides a challenging context for students to develop core skills in interdisciplinarity, language, communication (written and oral), theory, research methodologies, and geography.
The BA degree with a major in Latin American Studies is a degree program in the department of Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies.
Director
José F. Aranda, Jr.
Professors
Bernard Aresu
Krista Comer
Farés el-Dahdah
Beatriz González-Stephan
Rosemary Hennessy
Carlos Jiménez
Mark P. Jones
Alida C. Metcalf
M. Rafael Salaberry
Leslie Schwindt-Bayer
Nicolas Shumway
Associate Professors
José F. Aranda, Jr.
Alexander X. Byrd
Luis Duno-Gottberg
Gisela Heffes
Cymene Howe
Moramay López-Alonso
Assistant Professors
Fabiola López-Durán
Manuel Gutiérrez
For Rice University degree-granting programs:
To view the list of official course offerings, please see Rice’s Course Catalog
To view the most recent semester’s course schedule, please see Rice's Course Schedule
Latin American Studies (LASR)
LASR 158 - INTRODUCTION TO LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES
Short Title: INTRO LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES
Department: Span Port & Latin Amer Studies
Grade Mode: Standard Letter
Course Type: Lecture
Distribution Group: Distribution Group I
Credit Hours: 3
Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.
Course Level: Undergraduate Lower-Level
Description: This course immerses students into Caribbean and Latin American studies by introducing them to the history, society, politics, and culture of the region, through a cross-disciplinary and a multi-national approach. Taught in English. Open to all students. Cross-list: SPPO 158.
LASR 251 - CONTINUITIES AND CHANGES IN BRAZILIAN HISTORY
Short Title: BRAZIL: CONTINUITY & CHANGE
Department: Span Port & Latin Amer Studies
Grade Mode: Standard Letter
Course Type: Lecture
Distribution Group: Distribution Group I
Credit Hours: 3
Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.
Course Level: Undergraduate Lower-Level
Description: An exploration of themes essential to understanding modern Brazil, such as the origins of a multi-racial society, the transition from monoculture to industry, authoritarian and democratic trends, the emergence of a uniquely Brazilian culture, and the conflicts - environmental, political, and economic - over the development of the Amazon. Cross-list: HIST 251.
LASR 373 - WOMEN'S SOCIAL MOVEMENTS IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
Short Title: WOMEN'S SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
Department: Span Port & Latin Amer Studies
Grade Mode: Standard Letter
Course Type: Lecture
Credit Hours: 3
Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.
Course Level: Undergraduate Upper-Level
Description: The course will examine the historical development of women's social movements in Latin America and the Caribbean. We will explore how they are transforming the region through their diverse forms of political engagement. This is a lecture/seminar course that emphasizes writing and discussion. Cross-list: SWGS 373.
LASR 374 - FEMINIST AND QUEER THEORY IN THE AFRICAN DIASPORA
Short Title: FEM THEORY IN AFRICAN DIASPORA
Department: Span Port & Latin Amer Studies
Grade Mode: Standard Letter
Course Type: Seminar
Credit Hours: 3
Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.
Course Level: Undergraduate Upper-Level
Description: This course provides an interdisciplinary overview of the body of Black feminist and queer theory that has emerged within the last forty years. We will examine these frameworks in order to understand how racial difference shapes gender and sexual identities. This is a seminar that emphasizes research and discussion. Cross-list: SWGS 374.
LASR 375 - LATINA AND AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN'S ACTIVISM IN THE URBAN METROPOLIS
Short Title: WOMEN'S ACTIVISM URBAN METRO
Department: Span Port & Latin Amer Studies
Grade Mode: Standard Letter
Course Type: Seminar
Credit Hours: 3
Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.
Course Level: Undergraduate Upper-Level
Description: This course will investigate the contemporary writings of Latina and African American women in urban spaces across the U.S. Understanding these women's experiences in relationship to each other will reveal the shared, yet distinct, trajectories that orient their struggle to resist poverty, racism, homophobia, and sexual and reproductive violence. Cross-list: SWGS 375.
LASR 376 - CHICANA AND LATINA EXPERIENCE THRU FILM
Short Title: CHICANA/LATINA EXP THRU FILM
Department: Span Port & Latin Amer Studies
Grade Mode: Standard Letter
Course Type: Seminar
Credit Hours: 3
Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.
Course Level: Undergraduate Upper-Level
Description: This seminar explores the Chicana and Latina experience in the U.S. We examine these women's response to each other and forces of conquest, capitalism, and patriarchy. Novels, oral life histories, film, and art will be used to interrogate these women's conceptualization and assertion of feminism, activism, and history. Cross-list: SWGS 376.
LASR 491 - LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES CAPSTONE
Short Title: LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES CAPSTN
Department: Span Port & Latin Amer Studies
Grade Mode: Standard Letter
Course Type: Lecture
Credit Hours: 3
Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.
Course Level: Undergraduate Upper-Level
Description: Students will write original seminar paper on Latin America incorporating reading and research in English and in the Spanish or Portuguese language sources; to be drawn from their research conducted during a study abroad semester in Latin America.
Description and Code Legend
Note: Internally, the university uses the following descriptions, codes, and abbreviations for this academic program. The following is a quick reference:
Course Catalog/Schedule
- Course offerings/subject code for Latin American Studies: LASR
Department Description and Code
- Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies: SPLA
Undergraduate Degree Description and Code
- Bachelor of Arts degree: BA
Undergraduate Major Description and Code
- Major in Latin American Studies: LASR