Course Objectives

The objective of the course is to provide students with a cultural concept of the Spanish-speaking world. Students will learn to analyse, criticise and understand the various literary, cultural, social and political phenomena of the countries that comprise Latin American and Spanish communities.

Course Description

The course offers a general introduction to Latin American and Spanish cultural topics, with particular emphasis on recent history and the political debate in the Ibero-American literary and cultural fields. The course addresses themes such as culture, cultural identity, social movements, national minorities, feminism, regional conflicts, music and films.

Learning Methods

The course includes lectures and seminars; the seminars require mandatory participation. 10 weeks (60 teaching-hours), a self-study week and a week with two examinations (oral and written). The instruction is carried out in Spanish. Lectures in cultural studies, which will include commentary on the central curriculum texts. Lectures in language, with relevance to the exercises in grammar and translation. Students are expected to devote considerable individual effort and participate actively in the course.

Assessment Methods

The examination is divided into two parts:
A written examination of 4 hours, which represents 50% of the final grade.
An oral examination of up to 30 minutes duration, which represents 50% of the final grade.
Firstly, the examination includes a discussion in Spanish about a topic that has been covered in the course, and, secondly, the student will read and discuss Spanish texts.
Students must receive passing grades in both written and oral examinations to achieve a passing grade for the course. Grades from A to F, where E is the lowest passing grade.

Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean