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DEPARTMENT OF SPANISH & PORTUGUESE STUDIES
Spring 2016
SPN 3520: Culture &
Civilization of Spanish
America
Instructor: Dr. Víctor M Jordán-Orozco
Oficina: Dauer 154 Phone: 352-273-3773
Horas de oficina: M & W: 8:30 –9:20 a.m.
10:40 – 11:30 a.m.
Dirección electrónica: vjordan@ufl.edu
Sección: 08FB
Período: 3 (9:35 – 10:25)
Sala de clases: RNK 0225
All information is available in Canvas
CLASS DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES
This survey course is organized so that many Latin-American countries are “featured” in one
way or another, through its cities, politics, art and literature during various historical periods.
The course is divided into three major thematic parts which in general emphasize particular
chronological periods:
I. Encounters. This part centers on pre-Columbian civilizations and the establishment of
the Spanish city of the colonial period.
II. Revolutions. This section deals with the main political issues and movements since
the period of independence.
III. Creations. This last part of the course concentrates on selected works by LatinAmerican artists and writers of the XX century into the XXI century.
It is necessary to note that although each section focuses on particular themes or topics there
will be significant overlap among them. It is also important to remember that because it is a
survey course it is by necessity a selective and therefore limited and superficial view of the
region (i.e. Latin America).
As an SPN 3000 level course one important goal continues to be the development of effective
and advanced listening, reading and writing skills in Spanish.
READINGS
There is no required textbook. The course, with all its relevant materials, information, links and
updates is available through Canvas. It is the student’s responsibility to revise the Canvas site
frequently.
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ALL activities will be carried out in SPANISH.
GRADING SCALE
The grade scale for classes in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese Studies is as follows:
A- = 92-90
B+ = 89-87
C+ = 79-77
D+ = 69-67
E = 59-0
B = 86-83
B- = 82-80
C = 76 - 73 C-(U) = 72-70
D = 66-63 D- = 62-60
NOTE: A grade of C- will not be a qualifying grade for major, minor, Gen Ed, Gordon Rule or
Basic Distribution Credit courses. For further information regarding passing grades and grade
point equivalents, please refer to the Undergraduate Catalog at
https://catalog.ufl.edu/ugrad/current/regulations/info/grades.aspx.
CLASS GRADE
5% Attendance
15% Presentations / Discussions
20% Quizzes
30% Essays (3)
30% Exams (3)
CALENDAR
The calendar will be posted and updated on Canvas. As a guide, an outline of the calendar is
attached at the end of this syllabus. The calendar is subject to change. Information about any
change will be announced in class with at least one week in advance.
GENERAL ORGANIZATION
Readings and other materials will be posted on Canvas and MUST be read or viewed BEFORE
class. Class discussion will be based on those readings and materials. Every day selected
students will be responsible for initiating class discussion by introducing readings and/or
presenting topics for discussion. Short classroom lectures will bring cohesion to the readings
and the topics being presented and discussed.
ATTENDANCE & MAKE UPS
Attendance to class is important. Not coming to class will not only impact your attendance
grade but could affect the grades of your presentation/ discussion and quizzes. Given the
structure of the course it is essential that students come to class prepared to participate in
Spanish on the assigned /planned topics /activities.
Your grade in Canvas for attendance will be a 100% at the start of the class. It will come down
proportionately after any unexcused absence. The misuse of authorized electronic devices or
the use of unauthorized electronic devices will affect your attendance grade.
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Requirements for class attendance and make-up exams, assignments, and other work in this
course are consistent with university policies that can be found in the online catalog at:
https://catalog.ufl.edu/ugrad/current/regulations/info/attendance.aspx.
PRESENTATION / DISCUSSION
Selected students will be assigned materials to be prepared for class discussion. A list of
presenters or discussion leaders will be provided by the instructor but all students should be
prepared to participate in all discussions during every class.
EXAMS
There will be three exams during the semester. Questions will test information from assigned
materials in Canvas and material presented and discussed in class. Questions will require recall,
comprehension, and synthesis and an effective use of the written language including
vocabulary.
ESSAYS
Students will write three essays during the semester. Questions will required a critical approach
and the analysis of topics brought up during class discussions. Essays must be handed in at the
required time. Delays will impact the grade in the following way: late the same day (5%), late
the following day (15%). After that there will be a penalty of 15% per day. If grammar and
syntax become an issue the instructor will ask the student to re-write the essay. The grade for
that essay will be the average of the original and the re-write.
QUIZZES
The student should assume that there is going to be a quiz every day, five to ten minutes long,
on a topic previously discussed in class or posted on Canvas.
COMPUTERS AND OTHER DEVICES
It is the student’s choice to use a laptop or tablet for note taking or for accessing assignments.
Cell phones must be silenced. The use of electronic devices for purposes outside from those
required in class will directly affect the attendance and discussion grades.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
All students are required to abide by the Academic Honesty Guidelines of the University. The UF
Honor Code reads: “We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to hold
ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honesty and integrity.” On all work
submitted for credit by students at the University of Florida, the following pledge is either
required or implied: “On my honor, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid in doing
this assignment.” For more information please refer to http://www.dso.ufl.edu/studentguide.
COUNSELING AND WELLNESS
A variety of counseling, mental health and psychiatric services are available through the UF
Counseling and Wellness Center, whose goal is to help students be maximally effective in their
academic pursuits by reducing or eliminating emotional, psychological, and interpersonal
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problems that interfere with academic functioning. The Center can be found online at
http://www.counseling.ufl.edu/cwc or reached by phone at 392-1575.
CLASSROOM ACCOMMODATIONS
Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students
Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then
provide this documentation to the Instructor when requesting accommodation. For more
information see http://www.dso.ufl.edu/drc.
COURSE EVALUATIONS
Students are expected to provide feedback on the quality of instruction in this course based on
10 criteria. These evaluations are conducted online at https://evaluations.ufl.edu. Evaluations
are typically open during the last two or three weeks of the semester, but students will be given
specific times when they are open. Summary results of these assessments are available to
students at https://evaluations.ufl.edu/results.
CALENDAR
The calendar below is a general guide. Its content is subject to change. Specific dates will be
provided in Canvas as the semester progresses.
Semana I
Introducción al curso – Sílabo
Antes de 1492
Exploración y Conquista
Semana II
Exploración y Conquista
Cortés / Tenochtitlan
Semana III
Cuzco / Machu Picchu
La ciudad española en el Nuevo Mundo
Semana IV
La ciudad española en el Nuevo Mundo
Colonización / Fortificaciones / Misiones / Conventos
Semana V
Colonización / Universidades
Exam 1
Semana VI
Definiendo Latinoamérica
El movimiento independista.
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Semana VII
El movimiento independista.
La revolución mexicana
La revolución cubana
Semana VIII
Otras revoluciones
Revoluciones y dictaduras
Semana IX
Temas y líderes contemporáneos
Semana X
Exam 2
El muralismo mexicano
Semana XI
Arte
Semana XII
Poesía - introducción
Análisis de poemas selectos
Semana XIII
Análisis de poemas selectos
Semana XIV
El cuento corto
Semana XV
30 El cuento corto
Semana XVI
Exam 3