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LTNST 100: Introduction to Latinx Studies

Instructor: Joshua R. Deckman


jrd5334@psu.edu
(717) 712-2167
Office: 048 Burrowes Building, Cube 4
Office Hours: Mondays / Wednesdays / Fridays 3:30-4:30 p.m. (and by appointment)

I.

Course Description:
Content Objectives: This course will enable students to develop a multifaceted
understanding of the historical, social, and political contexts in which Latin@s have
experienced life in North America and the Caribbean, focusing primarily on the territory
that we know as the United States. Also, it will partially address the multiple temporal
and spatial experiences of transit, migration, exile, and forced dispossessions of
Latin@s/Latin Americans in North America. It is crucial to examine history and
migration from a different perspective to fight the notion of the Latin@ as a recent
addition to the melting pot of the U.S., as this geography was already speaking Spanish
since the 16th century. Here, the introductory class will critically examine the academic
field of Latin@ Studies through a wide ranging and brief exploration of multiple topics
pertaining to those who have been identified as or whom self-identify as Latin@. To do
this we will examine a multitude of primary and secondary sources including, but not
limited to: scholarly articles, book chapters, narrative fiction, poetry, film, and
manifestos. These materials will be used to acquire a broad, panoramic perspective on the
Latin@ collective and individual experience. Concepts such as discourse, identity, postcolonialism, borderlands, immigration, and gender/sexuality will be unpacked to better
understand the ways Latin@s have been positioned, subjugated, survived, and/or have
succeeded in the U.S.
Skill Objectives: Alongside this content, the course is intended to help students
begin to analyze and structure arguments concerning Latin@s in the United States and
provide an introduction to the field of Latin@ Studies. It is of utmost importance to
constantly examine, question, and challenge, each of the diverse materials that will be
assigned in class. This goal will be supported by exploring different positions that are
presented in the readings, lectures, and multimedia, and by having students debate and
develop a reasoned and well informed argument for their own positions. The course is
also intended to enable students to express their understanding in a clear and articulate
language through a variety of oral and writing exercises.

LTNST 100-001
Fall 2016

II.

Materials:
A. Short Stories, Poems, and Articles ANGEL
B. The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Junot Diaz Amazon
C. Borderlands/La frontera, Gloria Anzalda Amazon
D. Harvest of Empire, Juan Gonzalez ANGEL
E. The Cha Cha Files: A Chapina Poetica, Maya Chinchilla Amazon

III.

Multimedia:
Multimedia sources are used extensively in this course. These media sources are not
only to be taken and treated seriously, but are also specifically chosen by the
instructor because they are sites, in one way or another, of critical inquiry and engage
in significant ways with issues pertaining to Latin@s. Read, view, and/or listen to
media as though you were engaging with a rigorous academic text. Not engaging with
media is not an option. It is a requirement. The objective here is to look beyond
traditional sources such as academic articles and books and into everyday sites that
impact lived experience. In this way students will uncover that moments of
discussion, critique, and analysis regarding Latin@s happen in a multitude of ways
and spaces and it vital to attend to these spaces.

IV.

Assignments
A. Participation/Attendance
B. Written Responses
C. Discussion Leader
D. Exams
E. Final Paper

15%
20%
15%
20%
30%

A. Participation/Attendance (15%)
Attendance is mandatory. You are also expected to be in class on time. Consistent
failure to make it to class on time will result in being counted as an absence. At the
beginning of each class session you will be given a small sheet of paper, and at some
point during class you will be expected to write a reaction, reflection, or question on
it about some topic covered that day. You will hand it in at the end of class and this
will act as a daily record of your attendance, as well as a means for you to share some
thoughts on the topics covered or ask me a question. I will read these every day and
do my best to address any questions you pose. You are allowed two absences
without it impacting your grade, after that each unexcused absence will result in a
2-point reduction in your overall grade.

LTNST 100-001
Fall 2016

****You are required to provide verification from University Health Services or


outside clinicians for significant prolonged illnesses or injuries resulting in
absences from classes.
****Note: It is your responsibility to drop the course if you decide to no longer
attend. For the dates of the drop, late drop or withdrawing from a course or from the
university period, please see the university calendar for the semester at:
http://registrar.psu.edu/academic_calendar/calendar_index.cfm. For further
information on PSUs policies and procedures on adding and dropping courses, as
well as withdrawal from the university, click on Undergraduate Advising Handbook:
http://www.psu.edu/dus/handbook
Academic Policies and Procedures for Undergraduate Students
(http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health/welcome/illnessVerification/)
The faculty, staff and other resources of the University are furnished for the education
of students who attend the University. A class schedule is provided for students and
faculty so that a reasonably orderly arrangement for instruction is facilitated. The fact
that classes are scheduled is evidence that the faculty believes class instruction is
important. Therefore, class attendance is important for the benefit of students.
A student should attend every class for which the student is scheduled and should be
held responsible for all work covered in the courses taken. In each case, the instructor
should decide when the class absence constitutes a danger to the students scholastic
attainment and should make this fact known to the student at once. A student whose
irregular attendance causes him or her, in the judgment of the instructor, to become
deficient scholastically, may run the risk of receiving a failing grade or receiving a
lower grade that the student might have secured had the student been in regular
attendance.
Instructors shall provide, within reason, opportunity to make up work for students
who miss class for regularly scheduled, University-approved curricular and
extracurricular activities. However, if such trips are considered by the instructor to be
hurting the students scholastic performance, the instructor should present such
evidence for necessary action to the head of the department in which the course is
offered and to the dean of the college in which the student is enrolled or to the
Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division.
Legitimate, unavoidable reasons are those such as illness, injury, family
emergency. If an evaluative event will be missed due to an unavoidable absence,
the student should contact the instructor as soon as the unavoidable absence is
known to discuss ways to make up the work. An instructor might not consider
an unavoidable absence legitimate if the student does not contact the instructor
before the evaluative event. Students will be held responsible for using only
legitimate, unavoidable reasons for requesting a make-up in the event of a
missed class or evaluative event. Requests for missing class or an evaluative
event due to reasons that are based on false claims may be considered violations
of the policy on Academic Integrity (Policy 49-20).

LTNST 100-001
Fall 2016

Participation:
You are also expected to come to class prepared, having done the readings and
prepared to ask questions and discuss, and to take part in activities. I will also ask you
to do small specific tasks to help facilitate discussion (e.g. write a short reaction to a
film, come to class with an example of a concept to share, etc.). As a participant in
the class, I too will do all these small activities alongside you. Following through on
these small exercises is part of the expectation of your participation grade. Failure to
do these things, or routine failure to be actively engaged in class discussions, will
result in the lowering of your participation grade.
B. Written Responses (20% of total grade: 4% for each response)
Students will write five (5) reactions papers on different texts. Each reaction paper should
be handed in at the end of class (see the Course Calendar at the end of the syllabus for
due dates). The professor will receive only hard copies, typed, and double-spaced. Each
reaction paper should be between 300 and 400 words (roughly 1-1.5 pages) and address
the texts assigned for the day. Your paper can consist of a comment on the readings
and/or a series of questions. The professor will not assign a grade to each reaction paper,
but he will add comments or questions to further your argument or opinion. At the end of
the semester, you will receive the entire 20% for these exercises if you hand in all five
papers. If you miss one, you will receive 16%; if you miss two, 12%, and so on. The
instructor will not accept late assignments.
C. Oral Presentations (15% of total grade)
Throughout the semester, students will be responsible for introducing the texts assigned
for the day, summarizing the main arguments/plot, and guiding class discussion. These
presentations should be between 30 and 40 minutes. These student-guided discussions
will be conducted in pairs. First, the pair should consult the syllabus to determine the
texts that they will be presenting. Second, the pair will research information about the
author(s) and historical context of the text(s). Third, the pair will present a brief summary
of the text as well as a set of questions/ideas that will then lead into a lively and
interesting discussion with peers. Grades will be based upon individual contribution to
the presentation and subsequent discussion. I will also give each member a peer
evaluation sheet to gauge contribution to the class presentation. Pairs should provide the
class with some form of guided notes: outline, list of key words to define, etc.
D. Exams (20% of total grade: 10% each)
There will be a mid-term exam and a final exam in this course. The exams will consist
mainly of short answer and essay questions related to material covered in class. Extra
office hours may be announced before exams so that students may meet with the
instructor for additional guidance.
** IMPORTANT** Exam make-up policy: If a student must miss class for one of the
reasons approved by the University (as stated above), the exam must be made up within
one week of the original date of the exam. It is the students responsibility to notify the
instructor before class of conflicts that may make them have to miss an exam and to
make arrangements accordingly.

LTNST 100-001
Fall 2016

E. Final Paper (30% of total grade: 10% for proposal, peer review, and 20% for final paper)
There is a 5-6 page individual final research paper. A document, titled Final Paper
Prompts is posted to Angel and describes in detail the prompt and outline for your paper,
which is based on a topic of your choosing related to Latin@ Studies. The final paper
process consists of the following:
Final Paper Proposal , Peer Review (10% of total grade)
The proposal is a 1-page assignment which asks the student to describe the proposed
direction of their final paper and which sources the student plans to utilize in the
researching. The proposal also enables the instructor to give the student early
feedback and guidance on the plan for the paper. Your proposal is due on October
25th, printed, at the beginning of class.
Final Paper (20% of total grade)
The final paper is due November 29th. The paper will be graded on organization,
content, strength of argument(s), and writing (e.g. clarity and editing). For this paper,
you are expected to build your arguments using both material present in lectures and
readings as well as outside materials. You must cite every source that is used. All
citations should be done according to MLA style guidelines guides for this are
easily found online.
V. Academic Integrity
Penn State University defines academic integrity as the pursuit of scholarly activity in an
open, honest and responsible manner. All students should act with personal integrity,
respect other students dignity, rights and property, and help create and maintain an
environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their efforts" (Faculty Senate
Policy 49-20). "Accordingly, ... students are not permitted to take credit for or represent as
ones own work anything that in fact is the work of other persons, whether classmates,
published authors, or anonymous contributors on the internet. Academic dishonesty
encompasses a wide range of activities, whether intentional or unintentional, that include,
but are not limited to: all forms of ... plagiarism and any failure to cite explicitly all
materials and sources used in ones work." Violations of the University policy on academic
integrity will result in appropriate penalties.
VI. Access for those with disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational
programs. If you have a disability-related need for reasonable academic adjustments,
contact the Office for Disability Services (ODS) at 814-863-1807(V/TTY). For further
information regarding ODS, please visit the Office for Disability Services website
at http://equity.psu.edu/ods/.
***In order to receive consideration for course accommodations, you must contact ODS
and provide documentation (see the documentation guidelines
at http://equity.psu.edu/ods/guidelines/documentation-guidelines). If the documentation
supports the need for academic adjustments, ODS will provide a letter identifying
appropriate academic adjustments. Please share this letter and discuss the adjustments

LTNST 100-001
Fall 2016

with your instructor as early in the course as possible. You must contact ODS and request
academic adjustment letters at the beginning of each semester.***
***OJO!: The instructor reserves the right to change the syllabus at any point
during the semester. Any changes will reflect classroom dynamics and will be done
for the good of the class***

LTNST 100-001
Fall 2016

Course Schedule
Latin@100: Themes, Readings, Important Dates
Date

Topic/Theme

Readings and Media

August 23rd

Course
Introduction
Latin@ identity

[1] NONE

August 30th

Latin@
Language:
Bilingualism,
Spanglish y
Code-Switching

* DUE: Written
Response 1

September 1st

The Southwest,
Borderlands,
and Mestizaje

[1] How to Tame a Wild Tongue. Borderlands/La


frontera
[2] Tlilli, Tlapalli / The Path of the Red and Black
Ink. Borderlands/La frontera
[3] Is Spanglish a Language? Roberto Gonzalez
Echevarria
[4] Denise Frohman, Accents:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtOXiNx4jgQ
[1] The U.S. Southwest and Mexico; Latino
narratives of U.S. expansion. Harvest of Empire
[2] Mexicans: Pioneers of a Different Type.
Harvest of Empire

September 6th

The Southwest,
Borderlands,
and Mestizaje

[1] The Homeland, Aztln/El otro Mxico.


Borderlands/La frontera
[3] Denice Frohman, Borders:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNK7Hn5_hLQ

*DUE: Written
Response 2

September 8th

The Southwest,
Borderlands,
and Mestizaje
The Chicano
Movement

[1] Movimientos de rebelda y las culturas que


traicionan. Borderlands/La frontera

The Chicano
Movement

[1] Film Discussion: Cesar Chavez (2014) Trailer:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtDUTt8ggeA

August 25th

September 13th

September 15th

Assignment
Deadlines
**Acquire
Texts**

[1] Latino or Hispanic? Washington Post Article


(ANGEL)
[2] The Latino Imaginary: Meanings of Community
and Identity. From Bomba to Hip-hop: Puerto
Rican Culture and Latino Identity (ANGEL)
[3] Latinx is Me:
http://azdailysun.com/news/local/latinx-is-me-howone-letter-links-controversycommunity/article_1f4bca70-45ab-5f50-bc08516e10b7647f.html

[1] Chvez, Csar and Dolores Huerta. El Plan


Delano. El Malcriado
[2] Gonzales, Manuel. The Chicano Movement
1965-1975. Mexicanos: A History of Mexicans in
the United States. Indianapolis: Indiana University
Press, 2009. Pages 191-222.

*DUE: Written
Response 3

LTNST 100-001
Fall 2016
[1] Colonialism, Citizenship, and the Making of the
Puerto Rican Diaspora: An Introduction. The Puerto
Rican Diaspora: Historical Perspectives
[2] Introduction. Undoing Empire: Race and
Nation in the Mulatto Caribbean
[1] Selection from Down These Mean Streets by Piri
Thomas

September 20th

Puerto Rican
Diasporas and
Mulataje

September 22nd

Puerto Rian
Diasporas and
Mulataje

September 27th

Imagining
Nuyorico

September 29th

The Young
Lords
Movement and
Puerto Rican
Nationalism

October 4th

The Young
Lords
Movement and
Puerto Rican
Nationalism
Library
Research Day
with Manuel
Ostos

[1] Film Discussion: Palante, Siempre Palante!

October 11th

Cuban Dreams
and Living on
the Hyphen

October 13th

Cuban Dreams
and Living on
the Hyphen
**MID-TERM
EXAM**
Dominican
Diaspora and
Migration

[1] Introduction: The Desi Chain. Life on the


Hyphen: The Cuban-American Way
[2] Power and Identity- Miami Cubans- Alex
Stepick and Carol Dutton Stepick
[1] Dreaming in Cuban (Selected chapters TBD)

October 6th

October 18th
October 20th

October 25th
October 27h

Dominican
Diaspora and
Migration
Afro Origins
and Presence

*DUE: Written
Response 4

[1] Introduction. Nuyorican Poets Cafe


[2] Selection from Nuyorican Poets Cafe
[3] Puerto Rican Obituary by Pedro Pietri
[1] Introduction: History of the Young Lords Party.
Palante: Young Lords Party
[2] Before they called me a Spic, they called me a
Nigger. Palante: Young Lords Party
[2] Origins and Optics: Remembering Colonialism,
Nationalism, and Radicalism with the Young Lords.
The New York Young Lords and the Struggle for
Liberation

The Young Lords

---

--[1] Introduction: Populism as Vernacular Practice.


The Dictators Seduction: Politics and the Popular
Imagination In the Era of Trujillo (ANGEL)
[1] The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by
Junot Diaz, pages 1-84
[1] Oscar Wao, pages 85-159

**DUE: Final
Paper Proposal

LTNST 100-001
Fall 2016
November 1st

Masculinity/Ma
chismo

November 3rd

Latin@s, race,
and hierarchy
Central
American
Migrations

November 8th

November 10th
November 15th
November 17th

Central
American
Migrations
Latin@
Feminism
Latin@
Feminism and
Queer Voices

[1] Oscar Wao, pages 160-253


***OPTIONAL: Lewis, Linden. Man Talk,
Masculinity, and a Changing Social Environment.
Caribbean Review of Gender Studies (ANGEL)
[1] Oscar Wao, 253-336
[1] Central Americans Intervention Comes Home
to Roost. Harvest of Empire
[2] The Cha Cha Files: A Chapina Potica
[1] Film: El Norte

[1] Moraga, Cherrie. Loving in the War Years: Lo


que nunca pas por sus labios (Selection TBD,
ANGEL)
[1] Umpierre, Luzma. In Cycles. (Introductory
essay) The Margarita Poems
[2] (Selection of Poems from TMP TBD, ANGEL)
[3] Soldaderas (murals) Yazmin Hernandez

Thanksgiving Break, Nov. 20-26: Work on papers


November 29th

Queer Latin@
Voices and
Performance

December 1st

#Blacklivesmatt
er: Afro-Latinos
and the Struggle
for Recognition

December 6th

#Blacklivesmatt
er: Afro-Latinos
and the Struggle
for Recognition

December 8th

**FINAL
EXAM**

Finals Week
Dec.12th-16th

[1] Introduction. Ambiente: New Queer Latino


Writing
[2] Selections from Ambiente: New Queer Latino
Writing
[1] Afro-Latino NPR Special:
http://www.npr.org/programs/latinousa/379398125/afro-latino (Listen to full show)
[2] Elizabeth Acevedo, Afro-Latina:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPx8cSGW4k8
[3] Elizabeth Acevedo, Hair:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rtRmFpc8D8
[4] Watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86euddCdLnM
and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsLbPGTCExM
(Pay particular attention to Rosa Clemente as she
reads her essay, Who is Black?)
[1] Introduction. Blacktino Queer Performance.
[2] Seens from the Unexpectedness of Love in
Blacktino Queer Performance.

**DUE: Final
Paper

---

**FINAL
EXAM**

**5 minute
description of
final project for
classmates

*DUE: Written
Response 5

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