WLC-384 U.S. Latino Literature

Course Overview

This course is an introduction to the writings of U.S. Latino authors writing in English and/or in Spanglish. Through a close analysis of various genres (poetry, fiction, comic strips, interviews, art exhibits, and films), students will explore the contemporary experiences of U.S. Latinos of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Cuban descent, and how they are represented in American literature. Topics to be discussed include the construction of identities in terms of race, gender, class and sexuality, bilingualism and code-switching, the experiences of migration and exile, and the longing for a place to call home. As part of their learning experience, students will work in teams to develop a lesson plan to educate the community about U.S. Latino author.