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Fall 2014
Stony Brook University
Department of Hispanic Languages and Literature
College of Arts and Sciences
HUS 271 United States Latino Literature and Culture
This course satisfies the DEC category G
This course satisfies the SBC category HFA+, USA
Course Instructor: Joseph M. Pierce
Section: 01
Meeting Time: Tue. / Thur. 11:30-12:50 Melville Library W4550
Office Hours: Tue. / Thur. 1:30-2:30 or by appointment
Instructor contact information: Library N3013
joseph.pierce@stonybrook.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION
In this course we will examine literary and cultural production that express some of the
fundamental social, political, and ideological issues affecting Latino populations in the US. In
particular, we will analyze poetry, essays, the novel, short stories, film, and contemporary social
media including blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. We will discuss what it means to be Latino/a,
what historical and geographically specific differences there are between different types of
Latinos/as, and ultimately, what might the problems and possibilities be for such a concept. We
will briefly historicize the relationship between early Spanish/Hispanic immigrants to the US,
and then focus on the second half of the 20th century to today. We will explore the principal
genealogies of Latino/a literatures, cultural context and diasporas, as well as the role of gender,
sexuality, race, and class in the formation of individual and collective identities in the US.
Required Textbooks:
Sandra Cisneros, The House on Mango Street
Junot Díaz, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Piri Thomas, Down These Mean Streets
COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES
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Introduce Latino/a Literature as a period and special category of U.S. literature (1945present) in various genres including poetry, essay, short story, and the novel, as well as
contemporary mass and social media.
Contextualize the history of Latinos/as in the U.S., emphasizing the diverse identity
categories (such as class, gender, sexuality and race) within which they have been
included, and from which they have been excluded.
Introduce methodological approaches to literary and cultural texts, in particular minority
literature in the U.S.
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Develop critical writing skills regarding literature and culture; improve analytical
vocabulary and critical awareness of cultural production; apply these approaches via
close readings and critical analyses.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Students will be required to complete two take-home exams, take 4 in-class quizzes, write 4 blog
posts, and participate actively in class.
A. Readings In addition to the required novels listed above, critical readings and selections will
be posted to our course Blackboard (BB) site. Students are required to complete the assigned
reading or watch the film before each class. When preparing reading assignments, you should be
ready to analyze and discuss the texts in both form and content; for some readings you will be
asked to prepare exercises or questions to stimulate class discussion. Students will read at least
50 pages/week.
B. Class participation A significant portion of your grade will depend on class participation.
Attendance is mandatory. More than three unexcused absences will be penalized by lowering the
student’s final grade. Three late arrivals (5 minutes or more) count as an absence. Participation
means coming to class prepared: textbook in hand, ready for discussion. It also means
participating in our class blog by commenting on posts throughout the semester.
C. Take home exams There will be 2 take-home exams administered for this course. In these
exams you will answer short essay questions that focus on: a) our analysis and discussion of
course materials; b) your ability to link main themes, social issues, and aesthetic concepts; c) the
originality and incisiveness with which you analyze these topics. The aim of these exams is for
you to demonstrate that you have read the texts carefully, that you have followed attentively our
discussions in class about those texts, and that on that basis you are capable of making original
contributions when interpreting one or various texts. Since these are take home exams, you will
be required to cite sources if you use them. You may not consult with other class members.
These must be completed within 72 hours of being made available on Blackboard and turned in
electronically. No late work will be accepted.
D. Quizzes At the end of each of the four sections of this course you will take a brief (10 minute)
quiz in which you demonstrate your comprehension of the main themes and concepts. These
quizzes will include identification and short answer questions.
E. Blog Posts Since this course focuses on honing your ability to interpret literary and cultural
texts, you will be required to write one blog post that analyzes, from your unique perspective,
one text from each section of the course (four in total). This assignment must be at least one page
long but no more than two, double-spaced, and interpret the text in an original or innovative way,
paying special attention to its literary form, sociocultural context, or political importance. These
blog posts must actively engage with our class discussions and be posted by 5PM the day before
we discuss the work in class. We will make a course calendar specifically for this requirement
that includes instructions on how to upload the post to our course blog. These posts will serve to
introduce the main themes and questions on each class day.
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F. Cell phones and laptops Students will discuss with the professor and agree to a policy on the
first day of class. Our policy is:
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OTHER INFORMATION
Grading Criteria
Class participation: 10%
Take home midterm exam: 20%
Comprehensive take home final exam: 30%
Quizzes (4 total): 20% (5% each)
Blog Posts (4 total): 20% (5% each)
Grade System
A = 94-100
B+ = 87-89
B- = 80-83
C = 74-76
D+ = 60-69
A- = 90-93
B = 84-86
C+ = 77-79
C- = 70-73
D = 60-65
F = 0-59
DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES (DSS)
If you have a physical, psychological, medical, or learning disability that may impact your
course work, please contact Disability Support Services (631) 632-6748 or
http://studentaffairs.stonybrook.edu/dss/. They will determine with you what accommodations
are necessary and appropriate. All information and documentation is confidential. Students who
require assistance during emergency evacuation are encouraged to discuss their needs with their
professors and Disability Support Services. For procedures and information go to the following
website: http://www.stonybrook.edu/ehs/fire/disabilities/asp.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Each student must pursue his or her academic goals honestly and be personally accountable for
all submitted work. Representing another person's work as your own is always wrong. Faculty
are required to report any suspected instance of academic dishonesty to the Academic Judiciary.
For more comprehensive information on academic integrity, including categories of academic
dishonesty, please refer to the academic judiciary website at
http://www.stonybrook.edu/uaa/academicjudiciary/
CRITICAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT
Stony Brook University expects students to respect the rights, privileges, and property of other
people. Faculty are required to report to the Office of Judicial Affairs any disruptive behavior
that interrupts their ability to teach, compromises the safety of the learning environment, and/or
inhibits students' ability to learn.
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Class Schedule
Part I: Identities, Media
Week 1. 8/26 Course introduction. What is a Latino/a? #BeLatino, Facebook, Twitter
8/28 América Rodríguez, Making Latino News
Week 2. 9/2
9/4
No Class—Labor Day Holiday
Texas Observer/Guardian Parts 1-4
Maria Hinojosa (Latino USA)
Week 3. 9/9 Sleep Dealer (Before Class)
9/11 Conclusions / Quiz
Part II: Familia, Sexuality, Queerness
Week 4. 9/16 Gloria Anzaldúa, Borderlands/La Frontera (1/2)
9/18 (2/2)
Week 5. 9/23 Sandra Cisneros, The House on Mango Street (1/2)
9/25 Cisneros (2/2)
Week 6. 9/30 Tragic Bitches (selection of poems)
10/2 Juana Maria Rodríguez, Queer Latinidad
Week 7. 10/7 Ricky Rodríguez, Next of Kin
10/9 Alisa Solomon, Trans/Migrant
Midterm Exam distributed (due within 72 hours)
Week 8. 10/14 Julio Salgado and Undocuqueer
*4PM Hum 1008 Immigration on Long Island, Screening of Farmingville
10/16 Conclusions / Quiz
*10/17 Latino Pedagogies Conference
Part III: History, Race, Prison
Week 9. 10/21 Piri Thomas, Down These Mean Streets (1/3)
*4PM Hum 1008, Children at the Border: U.S. Policies and the Making of an
Immigration Crisis
10/23 Thomas 2/3
Week 10. 10/28 Thomas 3/3
10/30 Blood in Blood Out (Before Class)
Week 11. 11/4 Junot Díaz, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (1/3)
11/6 Díaz 2/3
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Week 12. 11/11 Díaz 3/3
11/13 Conclusions / Quiz
Part IV: Music
Week 13. 11/18 Juan Flores, From Bomba to Hip-Hop
11/20 Selena (Before Class)
Week 14. 11/25 Deborah Paredes, Selenidad
11/27 NO CLASS-THANKSGIVING
Week 15. 12/2 Ricky Martin and Daddy Yankee
12/4 Conclusions / Quiz
12/8 Final Exam distributed (due within 72 hours)