Stanford ChLatStu / CSRE 180E
Fall 2014-15
T/Th 11-12:15 / Thornt 211
Dr. Susana L. Gallardo
slg@stanford.edu
Office hours: by appt
Introduction to Chicana/o & Latina/o Studies
Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies are fields grounded in the social movements of the 1960s and 70s.
Protests, walkouts, hunger strikes, marches compelled a number of universities and colleges to
establish programs and departments in Mexican American, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Central
American and Caribbean Studies, among others. This interdisciplinary course will explore the
scholarship that has emerged from these movements, on the identity and history of Chicana/o and
Latina/o peoples in the United States. We will draw on history, cultural studies, and literature to
understand Latina/o Studies as idea, social movement, and academic field of study. We will examine
recent and classic works of scholarship in Latina/o Studies that illuminate various images and
narratives of identity, values, and contested histories. Course themes include the interrelationship of
race/ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, and nation; the dynamic nature of identity; immigration and
displacement; globalization and transnationalism; and the influence of religion.
Like many courses in the humanities and social sciences, this class is not about providing hard and
fast answers. It is about raising productive questions about human cultures in a modern world, and
equipping you to articulate your own views in a compelling and thoughtful manner. No prerequisites
are necessary other than an interest in the subject, a willingness to consider new ideas, and a respect for
views other than your own. Knowledge of Spanish, and/or a background in cultural, ethnic, or feminist
studies is helpful, but not required.
Required books:
Course Requirements:
Linda Heidenreich, This Land Was
10% Class participation includes leading discussion
Mexican Once (U Texas Press,
20% Reading notes (7 of 10 weeks)
2007)
30% Midterm Exam (two take-home essays)
Course Reader: [On Coursework]
20% Short research paper (includes oral presentation)
10% Final Exam (Wed 12/10 7pm)
Participation & attendance. As a small seminar, this class experience depends upon student
discussion and contributions. We are counting on your consistent engagement and contributions as
individuals from different backgrounds and perspectives. If you know you will have to miss more
than two classes, I strongly suggest that you take this course another semester. If and when you do
miss class, it is your responsibility to get makeup class notes from another student, and turn in any
due work before the missed class.
Reading notes. Students will write seven short (1 pg single-spaced) reading notes on the current
week’s reading and discussion. Reading notes are always due to the Coursework forum by 5pm the
Sunday before class. You will write about the current week’s reading so that you are well-prepared
for class discussion. Reading notes are informal reflection papers; they are not meant to be
polished final essays, but more like an initial paper draft—raw ideas in unpolished form. The
CLS 180E / 1
assignment is meant to help you actively engage the week’s reading. There are ten possible notes,
as indicated in the course schedule, so you may choose whichever weeks you like, as long as you
complete seven by the end of the semester.
Leading Discussion. Each student will also be responsible for leading class discussion about the
reading at least once during the semester, along with a partner. On the day you lead discussion,
you and your partner are responsible for a handout –an outline, discussion questions, or section of
reading notes. The handout should let your classmates know what you think are the most
important aspects of the reading that we should be thinking about and discussing--it should not be a
summary of the reading. Remember that leading discussion does not mean you have all the
answers about the reading, and you do not have to do all the talking – but you do have to get us
going, and keep us on track through the major points of the article.
I strongly suggest you email your handout to me for feedback and suggestions at least two or three
days before class. In any case, you must email your handout to me by noon the day before class.
Please bring copies to class for your peers.
Academic Integrity: All assignments must be your own original work. Plagiarism defeats the
purpose of the educational process and shortchanges you, your peers, and your instructor as well.
Students suspected of plagiarism will be reported to the Office of Judicial Affairs for disciplinary
action. Students are held accountable for adhering to established community standards including
Stanford's Fundamental Standard (http://judicialaffairs.stanford.edu/guiding/fundamental.htm) and
the Honor Code (http://honorcode.stanford.edu).
Students with documented disabilities: Students who have a disability that may necessitate an
academic accommodation or the use of auxiliary aids and services in a class must initiate the
request with the Office of Accessible Education (OAE). The OAE will evaluate the request along
with the required documentation, recommend appropriate accommodations, and prepare a
verification letter dated in the current academic term in which the request is being made. Please
contact the OAE as soon as possible; timely notice is needed to arrange for appropriate
accommodations. The OAE is located at 563 Salvatierra Walk (phone 723-1066 Voice; 725-1067
TTY. http://www.stanford.edu/dept/diversityaccess/
Videos: Film and video viewing is expected in addition to regular reading assignments, so please plan
your study time accordingly. Please take notes on this material and bring to class for discussion.
All will be on reserve at the Media Center in the library.
CLS 180E / 2
ChLatSt 180 Course schedule (subject to change):
All readings on Coursework unless otherwise indicated
rev.9/15/14
WEEK 1 / Sept 23. Introduction
Sept 25. Latina/os in the U.S. – Who Are We?
Read: Leo Chavez, “Intro” and “The Latino Threat Narrative,” 1-43 (on coursework)
WEEK 2 / Sept 30. Race, “Race,” & Ethnicity
Omi & Winant, “Toward a Racial Formation Perspective” and “Racial Formation” (ch. 4) in
Racial Formation in the United States (Routledge, 1994), 48-77.
Oboler, “So Far From God, so Close to the United States: The Roots of Hispanic
Homogenization,” in Challenging Fronteras, 31-54
Watch: Race, Power of an Illusion (episode 1, on reserve)
Oct. 2 Racialization as Process
Minna Stern, “Quarantine and Eugenic Gatekeeping on the U.S. Mexican Border,” (Ch. 2) in
Eugenic Nation, 57-81
Molina, “Constructing Mexicans as Deportable Immigrants: Race, Disease, and the Meaning of
“Public Charge,” Identities 17 (2010), 641-66.
WEEK 3 / Oct 7. Americanization
Pedro A. Caban,“Colonizing Mission of the U.S. in PR 1898-1930,” Transnational Latina/o
Communities, eds. Velez-Ibanez and Sampaio (Rowman & Littlefield, 2002)
Sanchez, “Americanization and the Mexican Immigrant” (ch. 4) in Becoming Mexican American,
87-107.
Dutton Stepick, “Power and Identity: Miami Cubans,” in Latinos: Remaking America, eds. SuarezOrozco and Paez (UC Press, 2002), 75-92.
Oct. 9 Intersecting Identities & Afro-Latinidades
Flores, “Que Assimilated, Brother, Yo Soy Asimilao,” in Challenging Fronteras, 175-186,
“Living Afro-Latinidades,” from the Afro-Latino Reader, eds. Roman & Flores,
Silvio Torres-Saillant, “Afro-Latinas/os and the Racial Wall” in A Companion to Latina/o Studies,
eds. Flores and Rosaldo (Wiley-Blackwell, 2011), 363-375.
WEEK 4 / Oct 14. The Project of History
Heidenreich, This Land Was Mexican Once (Intro, chs. 1-3)
Perez, “Introduction” and Ch. 1, The Decolonial Imaginary (Indiana U, 1999)
CLS 180E / 3
Oct 16.
Heidenreich, This Land Was Mexican Once (Intro, chs. 4-7)
WEEK 5 / Oct 21. Globalization, Migration & Labor
Carrillo, "The Best of Care: Latinas as Transnational Mothers and Caregivers," in Technofuturos:
Critical Interventions in Latina/o Studies, ed. Mirabal & Lao-Montes (Rowman & Littlefield,
2007), 191-212.
Zavella, “Migrant Family Formations” in I’m Neither Here nor There: Mexicans’Quotidian
Struggles with Migration and Poverty (Duke, 2011).
Watch Film: Maquilapolis
Oct 23. Domestic Lives
Romero, The Maid’s Daughter, ch. 3-4
WEEK 6 / Oct 28. Of Wild Tongues: Language and Identity
Anzaldua, "How to Tame a Wild Tongue" in Borderlands (ch. 5).
Magaly Lavadenz, "Como Hablar en Silencio: Issues of Language, Culture, and Identity of Central
Americans in Los Angeles," in Latinos and Education: A Critical Reader, 2nd ed.,
(Routledge, 2014), 166-87.
Zentella, “Jose Can You See?: Latina/o Responses to Racist Discourse,” Bilingual Aesthetics, ed.
Doris Sommer (NY: Palgrave, 2003).
Zentella, “’Dime con quien hablas, y te dire quien eres’: Linguistic Insecurity and Latina/o Unity,”
Recommended: Castaneda, “Language and Other Lethal Weapons” in Mapping Multiculturalisms,
eds. Gordon and Newfield (U Minnesota Press, 1996).
Oct 30. Sexuality and Desire in Chicana/o & Latina/o Studies
Zavella, “Talkin’ Sex: Chicanas and Mexicanas Theorize about Silences and Sexual Pleasures,” in
Chicana Feminisms, eds. Arredondo et al (Duke, 2003), 228-253.
Muñoz, “Good as Yesterday,” in Zigzagger (Northwestern, 2003), 120-142.
Calvo & Rueda Esquibel, “Latina Lesbianas, BiMujeres, and Trans Identities,” 217-29.
Film: Mosquita y Mari
WEEK 7 / November 4. Health & Medical Violence
Hirsch, “Companionate Marriage and STD/HIV Risk in a Mexican Migrant Community”
Holmes, “How the Poor Suffer: Embodying the Violence Continuum” (ch.4), 88-110
Roque Ramirez, “Gay Latino Histories/ Dying to be Remembered: AIDS Obituaries, Public
Memory, and the Queer Latino Archive,” Beyond El Barrio (NYU, 2010), 103-128.
Watch: Unnatural Causes --episodes 1 “In Sickness” (56 min) and 3 “Becoming American”
(29min)
CLS 180E / 4
Nov. 6
Alyshia Galvez, Patient Citizens, Immigrant Mothers (selections)
WEEK 8 / Nov 11. Puerto Rican Activism and Negotiating Gender Politics
Nelson, “’An Instrument of Genocide’” (ch. 3) and “Abortions Under Community Control” (ch. 4)
in WOC & the Reproductive Rights Movement, 85-111, 113-132)
Film: La Operacion
Nov. 13 Latina/o Religions
Reading TBa
WEEK 9 / Nov 18. Media Spectacles
Davila, “Knowledges: Facts and Fictions” of a People as a Market” in Latinos Inc: The Marketing
and Making of a People (UC Press, 2001)
Nov. 20. Student Presentations
WEEK 9.5 / Nov 25. Turkey Break
WEEK 10 / December 2. Student presentations
Dec. 4 Final wrap-ups
CLS 180E / 5
Juana Goodgrade
ChSt 180 - 9/1/14
Heidenreich notes
Reading notes are informal reflection papers, less organized than an essay, more like a paper in process.
They are not meant to be polished final essays, but more like an initial paper draft—raw ideas in
unpolished form (not just bullet points). This is an informal exercise to help you think through the
week’s reading, and to engage the ideas in the text. Punctuation and grammar are secondary to content
for this assignment (as long as it’s readable). You don’t have to have a well-organized introduction, or
conclusion. Just start writing:
 In your own words, what are the primary ideas the author is trying to convey?
 How does the author support and develop this argument? What kinds of arguments does s/he
use? What evidence does s/he draw on?
 Is the argument convincing to you? Why or why not?
 What problems do you see that might emerge as a consequence of this argument?
 How might you change/adapt/shift the argument differently?
Aim for one full page of TYPED single-spaced text in a 12 pt Times or Palatino font. You may choose
one or two specific quotes from the reading as a starting point. Sometimes it’s helpful to think of
yourself explaining the reading to a friend—what were the main points, and was it a convincing piece of
scholarship? Sometimes it’s helpful to start with something that really bothers you—write about why it
bothers you, and see where that leads.
This is not a journal or a personal opinion paper—it is a scholarly engagement with the course reading,
and a basic reading/critical thinking skill that will serve you well throughout your college career. You
are welcome to use first person “I” statements, but be sure to back up your statements by drawing on the
text. You may also draw on personal experience, as long as you make it relevant, and bring it back to
the text. Often, “I don’t like this” is a fruitful starting point for analyzing why a text fails to persuade.
If there are three different articles on a given day, do not feel compelled to say something about each
one. Write about whichever one really grabs your attention, or contrast two of them. Or write about a
single theme or idea that emerges across the different articles.
Some pitfalls to watch out for: “This hasn’t been my experience, so therefore it doesn’t matter,” “This
experience is more mystical, more authentic than my own,” “I’m not a member of this group so I can’t
judge”
Details: Please note the format of this page, and use it for all your reading notes. Note the name, date,
course, and brief title at the top right, and one-inch margin all around. I welcome recycled paper,
and please leave no “widows”.
CLS 180E / 6
Leading Discussion
S. Gallardo
Every student is required to serve as discussion leader at least once during the semester. The discussion
leader is responsible for briefly introducing the reading, and getting us started with some questions or
discussion points as a line of entry into the texts.
The discussion leader should prepare a handout –an outline, discussion questions, or section of reading
notes. The handout should let your classmates know what you think are the most important aspects of
the reading that we should be thinking about and discussing. Remember that leading discussion does
not mean you have all the answers about the reading, and you do not have to do all the talking – but you
do have to get us going, and keep us on track through the major points of the article. Please email your
handout to me by midnight the night before class. Please also bring copies to class for everyone.
The best way to prepare is simply to do the assigned reading early, spend a couple of days
occasionally thinking about it, then go back and read it again. Be sure to give yourself enough time to
let the ideas percolate in your head, so you can figure out both what the articles are arguing, and what
you think about it. Look for a dilemma, a problem, a paradox, a contradiction between two thinkers on a
subject.
Before class, here are some preparation tips:
 Read carefully and read ahead—this will allow you to digest the readings and prepare an outline
and questions for the discussion.
 Read all of the articles for the WEEK before focusing on your selected article.
 Identify and outline the key concepts as you read the selected article.
 Think about how the readings relate to the week’s topic. How do they relate or address other
topics we have discussed in the course so far? What new questions or issues do these articles
address?
 Remember, you are not responsible for addressing everything in the readings! Just identify
the main arguments, themes, and present some highlights you believe are worth discussing in
greater detail. Or you might present the areas that you think are unclear, that you don’t
understand—discussion can start anywhere.
 Look again at the guidelines for reading notes—what is the author’s main argument? What kind
of evidence do they draw on to support their argument? Are they arguing against a particular
position or approach? If so, what is it?
 What was the most valuable aspect of the reading? Did it give you some new insight or
perspective?
CLS 180E / 7