Schedule
MWF, 9-10am, online
With the single exception of the very first class (January 11), Mondays will be asynchronous. I will upload a video, but we will not be meeting in “real time.” Wednesdays and Fridays, however, we will be meeting synchronously, online, via Zoom.
Description
The culture of everyday life, both rural and urban: issues of identity, popular memory, resistance, negotiation, as expressed through ritual, crafts, the body, social movements, films, music, and literature.
This course is an exploration of the many facets of Latin American popular culture, from folk tales to the Internet, coca to lucha libre, Mexico to Argentina. We will investigate concepts and topics such as nationalism, class, gender, globalization, autonomy, and resistance. It is also an opportunity therefore to think more about culture in general, and popular culture in particular, viewed through a Latin American lens.
Readings
Readings are available online (from this website).
Blog
You will write a c. 400 word response to each week’s reading on a blog (either one you already maintain, or one you set up specifically for the class; more details here); you should add categories to indicate the text to which you are responding, and tags to underline the main themes you are addressing. Each blog post should also include one question that you want us to discuss collectively. Blog entries must be ready by Tuesday at 11:59pm. You will also comment on at least two other students’ blogs by Thursday at 11:59pm.
Assessment
- weekly posts on a blog, discussion questions, and comments on classmates’ blogs (20%)
- a midterm (15%) and a final exam (20%), both of which will be take-home
- an annotated bibliography (10%)
- a final project, which may be collaborative (25%)
- participation (10%)
Assignments are to be handed in on time; late assignments will not be accepted.
Participation and Attendance
You are expected to come to class having done the reading and prepared to contribute.
Though there is a significant asynchronous (any-time) component to this course, our synchronous (real-time) sessions face to face are vital. These will not be lectures, but opportunities for you to talk, ask questions, listen to your peers, and work collaboratively to understand the material. You need to attend, having done the reading and written your blog post, and be prepared to engage in discussion.
If you miss more than two weeks (four synchronous classes) over the semester without written justification (such as a doctor’s note), your grade will be affected: (A to A-; B+ to B, etc.); if you miss more than three, your grade will go down by a full letter (A to B; B+ to C+, etc.). And if you come to class unprepared, i.e. without having done the reading or written your blog, you may be marked down as absent. Failure to complete your blog entries or to comment on other students’ blogs can seriously affect your grade.
On the other hand, if you keep up with these requirements, there is every chance you will receive a good grade overall.
Course Convenor
Jon Beasley-Murray, jon.beasley-murray@ubc.ca. I will usually be on Zoom for an hour after our real-time sessions, if you want to chat or have questions, or we can make an appointment for other times.
You should feel free to get in touch with me if you have any queries or problems. It is always better to deal with any issues as they arise rather than to keep quiet and hope they go away!
