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Topics in Film in Latin America and/or Spain (380-0-1)

Topic

Dystopian Latin America: Literature and Film after

Instructors

Gabriel Restrepo Parrado

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 2-420: Tues, Thurs 2:00PM - 3:20PM

Overview of class

Dystopian Latin America: Literature and Film after 1990

Dystopia is everywhere. From Marvel blockbusters to daily headlines warning of ecological collapse driven by extractive industries, we are constantly exposed to dire visions of the future. In Latin America, dystopia has long been more than a spectacle of catastrophe; it is a sharp critique of the present that still holds onto utopian hope, that is, the belief that collective resistance can avert disaster and imagine better worlds. Latin American dystopias channel anxieties born of histories of authoritarianism, racial violence, and environmental devastation, while protesting against futures of dispossession. This course offers an overview of dystopian imaginaries across Latin America through short stories, films and TV series. We will explore ecological, political, and racial dystopias to understand how these narratives articulate our deepest fears and anxieties, but also how they gesture toward alternatives rooted in communal memory, solidarity, and imagination. Prerequisite: 1 course from SPANISH 250-0, SPANISH 251-0, SPANISH 260-0, or SPANISH 261-0.

Learning Objectives

• Familiarize yourself with different definitions and expressions of dystopia.
• Compare how dystopias articulate present anxieties in different parts of Latin America.
• Identify the tools dystopias offer to creatively think about how to prevent future crises.
• Develop the ability to close read literary and cinematic texts

Class Materials (Required)

S. Schweblin, Distancia de Rescate (2014). ISBN: 978-6073851015 (Kindle or paperback)

All other materials will be available on Canvas.

Class Attributes

SoC Humanities and Fine Arts Distro

Enrollment Requirements

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