HIST 356 - Culture and Identity in Latin America

Units: 3

Exploring indigenous, European, and African elements, this course encompasses Latin American nations which trace their origins to the Spanish and Portuguese empires. The theme of identity guides the discussion of cultural expressions in the aural, literary, plastic, and visual genres. The goal of national cultural unity contrasts with alternative notions of diversity, and the nation-state is the terrain where this cultural debate takes place. The time-period will be limited to the 19th and 20th centuries, allowing students to study contemporary cultural expressions as well as current historical analysis.