Topics in Latin American, Latina and Latino, and/or Iberian Cultures (395-0-2)
Topic
Bodies in Crisis: Illness, Transformation, and Pow
Instructors
Nathalie Bouzaglou
847/467-1543
3-139 Crowe
Meeting Info
Kresge Centennial Hall 2-440: Tues, Thurs 12:30PM - 1:50PM
Overview of class
Bodies in Crisis: Illness, Transformation, and Power in Latin American Culture
This course examines the relationship between illness, the body, and power relationships in Latin American cultural production from the early 20th century to the present. Through a multidisciplinary lens—including literature, film, theory, and visual art—we will explore how bodies in states of illness, disorder, and transformation reveal cultural anxieties and histories of oppression. Rather than viewing illness solely as a medical condition, we will investigate how it disrupts normative conceptions of race, gender, class, and sexuality. The course will interrogate how vulnerable, excessive, and often stigmatized bodies challenge control and order mechanisms, offering different ways of understanding identity, resistance, and human agency. By engaging with canonical and marginalized voices, we will explore ways in which the body opens spaces for new forms of resistance and meaning-making. Prerequisite: SPAN 250-0, 251-0, 260-0 or 261-0.
Registration Requirements
Prerequisite: SPAN 250-0, 251-0, 260-0 or 261-0.
Learning Objectives
1. Through close readings and analysis, observe the forms, genres, and styles of literary expression in Latin America during the 20th and 21st centuries.
2. Gain awareness of the social, political, cultural, and historical factors influencing artistic expression, the relations between the artist and the public, and the potential of creative art to challenge or affirm social and cultural norms. This will include discussions of the period's leading Latin American literary movements.
3. Appreciate how literature reveals the differences and diversity and will introduce students to the social and historical context in which the works were written.
4. Through class participation and writing assignments, produce persuasive interpretation, analysis, and commentary on literature and art, both spoken and written.
5. Familiarize students with the works of Latin American authors, filmmakers, and artists who explore the intersection of illness, marginalization, and transformation of identity and power.
Class Materials (Required)
Materials will be provided on Canvas.
Class Attributes
Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: Registration for Majors and Minors in either Spanish or Portuguese until the end of preregistration, after which time enrollment will be open to everyone who has taken the prerequisite.
Prerequisite: 1 course from SPANISH 250-0, SPANISH 251-0, SPANISH 260-0, or SPANISH 261-0