Simón Bolívar: The Politics of Monument Building
SPAN 286
Spring 2012 not offered
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| Crosslisting:
LAST 258 |
No figure has been seized upon more as a symbol of cultural and political unity in Latin America than the liberator Simón Bolívar. In this course, we will examine not only the case of contemporary Venezuela with its cult-like tradition but also several of the countless appropriations of Bolívar that have occurred across the Americas and in Europe in the 180 years since his death. From the Cuban José Martí to the Colombian García Márquez, from the Spaniard Miguel de Unamuno to the U.S. socialist Waldo Frank, from, to be sure, the powerful tradition of the Latin America essay with its identity politics to the U.S.-led Pan Americanism of the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, Bolívar has been made to serve complex and important functions in discourse about national and continental identity. To consider all this, we will study a number of rewritings of Bolívar's life and works, focusing on the dynamic process in which literary, cultural, and political traditions have been formed around him, while giving special attention to issues bearing on race, gender, and modernization. A wide range of texts will be examined, including letters, essays, poems, novels, screenplays, and films. |
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Essential Capabilities:
Intercultural Literacy, Writing
Through close reading of a variety of works from different national traditions, students will have the opportunity to focus on the manner in which they interpret texts and build arguments. The
required papers, spread out over the semester, will permit students to
hone their writing skills in Spanish. Since it is expected that students
will participate in classroom discussion, they will also have the
opportunity to practice their spoken Spanish.
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA RLAN |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: [SPAN226 or LAST226] OR [SPAN221 or IBST221] OR [SPAN223 or IBST223 or COL219] |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (HISP)(LAST)(RMST) |
Major Readings:
Authors will include:
Simón Bolívar
Arturo Uslar Pietri (Venezuela)
Germán Carrera Damas (Venezuela)
Gabriel García Márquez (Colombia)
Germán Arciniegas (Colombia)
Pablo Neruda (Chile)
José Enrique Rodó (Uruguay)
José Marti (Cuba)
José Vasconcelos (Mexico)
Ricardo Palma (Peru)
Miguel de Unamuno (Spain)
Waldo Frank (U.S.)
Film directors:
Diego Rísquez
Jorge Alí Triana
Alessandro Blasetti.
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Examinations and Assignments:
Three short papers (3 - 4 pp.) and one longer paper (7 - 8 pp.) |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
This class is intended for students who have completed SPAN 221 or the equivalent. SPAN 226 is recommended but not required. Readings, written assignments, and class discussion will be in Spanish. |
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