Latin America: Studies in Culture and Society (361-0-1)

Topic

Women Who Kill: Criminality and Gender in Latin Am

Instructors

Mauricio Oportus

Meeting Info

Locy Hall 301: Mon, Wed 3:30PM - 4:50PM

Overview of class

Women Who Kill: Criminality and Gender in Latin American Culture

In this course we will confront the unsettling figure of the woman who kills—whether she murders, is murdered, or turns violence upon herself—as a mirror through which Latin American culture reveals its deepest anxieties about law, justice, and gender. What does it mean for a woman to kill in a world where the law, medicine, and literature have long defined her as victim, patient, or saint? How do acts of female violence—real or symbolic—unsettle social order and expose the patriarchal structures that sustain it?

Spanning from the late 19th century to the present, this course examines how literature and film transform women's transgression into a space for reimagining justice, power, and representation. By tracing stories of real and fictional women who kill, we will interrogate the fragile boundaries between justice and vengeance, sanity and hysteria, the private and the public—rethinking how gender and law shape one another within cultural discourse. Readings will include works by Juana Manuela Gorriti, Emilia Pardo Bazán, Jorge Luis Borges, Roberto Bolaño, Mariana Enriquez, Ariel Dorfman, and Alia Trabucco Zerán. Prerequisite: 1 course from SPANISH 250-0, 251-0, 260-0, or 261-0.

Registration Requirements

Prerequisite: 1 course from SPANISH 250-0, 251-0, 260-0, or 261-0.

Learning Objectives

This course aims to develop a critical understanding of how women who kill are represented in Latin American literature and culture, tracing these portrayals from the 19th century to today. Students will explore the intersections of gender, law, and justice, analyzing how female criminality challenges and reshapes social norms, legal frameworks, and cultural narratives. Through close engagement with diverse texts—including literature and film—students will deepen their ability to interpret themes related to gendered violence, power, and resistance within historical and political contexts. Additionally, the course fosters skills in critical discussion and collaborative analysis, encouraging students to articulate their insights both orally and in creative group projects that integrate digital media tools.

Class Materials (Required)

Course materials will be available on Canvas.

Class Attributes

Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Prerequisite: 1 course from SPANISH 220-0, SPANISH 250-0, SPANISH 251-0, SPANISH 260-0, or SPANISH 261-0.