Topics in Latina and Latino Text and Representation (393-0-4)
Instructors
Nathaniel Andrew Rossi
Meeting Info
University Library 4722: Tues 10:00AM - 11:50AM
Louis Hall 119: Thurs 10:00AM - 11:50AM
Overview of class
This course will consider images of Latina/o/x people and communities in U.S. popular culture. We will explore how Latinxs are represented in today's film, television, music, and digital media industries. We'll survey the work of Latinx media producers, paying special attention to the ways in which the images and media texts that they construct offer counter narratives in response to the legacy of Latina/o/x representation. At the same time, we will also examine the industrial constraints that Latinx creatives face in the culture industries and how this shapes current Latinx representations. Finally, through examining the emergence of the paradigm of Latinidad in Latinx Media Studies, students will interrogate the boundaries of Latinx identity in contemporary media. In addition to race and ethnicity, particular attention will also be paid to constructions of gender, sexuality, class, nation, and citizenship. Throughout the course we will explore the transnational elements present in the popular construction of Latinxs in the U.S. media imaginary.
Learning Objectives
• Exploring contemporary images of Latinxs in U.S. media • Gaining an understanding of the emergence of "Latinx" as a cultural identity, as well as the strengths and limitations of pan-ethnic categorization in U.S. popular culture, media production, and media activism • Gaining familiarity with textual analysis and close readings of visual media texts • Developing research and writing skills in order to produce a final paper or video essay project
Class Materials (Required)
There is no textbook for this course. All class readings will be available through Canvas.
Class Attributes
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area