Latin American and Latino Studies (LALS)

Steven Rosales
Program Director
203 Old Main
479-575-3660

Latin American and Latino Studies Website

Students interested in Latin America and wishing to maximize their potential for academic, business, professional, or government careers related to the area, may earn a second major or a minor in Latin American and Latino studies together with a primary major in another discipline in Fulbright College. Advice on appropriate combinations of Latin American and Latino studies with other primary majors as well as individual approval of such combinations may be obtained from the Latin American and Latino studies program director. New students in this program must officially declare both majors and notify the Latin American and Latino studies program director. Degree checks must also be cleared with the program director. Freshmen and sophomores considering this program are advised to begin their study of Spanish or Portuguese as early as possible.

Requirements for a Dependent Major in Latin American and Latino Studies

In addition to the requirements of a primary departmental major, students pursuing a second major in Latin American and Latino Studies must complete the following:

LALS 40003	Latin American Studies Colloquium	3
SPAN 20203	Intermediate Spanish II (ACTS Equivalency = SPAN 2023) (Or Equivalent)	3
or PORT 20203	Intermediate Portuguese II
Provisions are available for recognition of language skills gained by other means than formal course work taken at the University of Arkansas: See information under the entry in the department of world languages. Further functional work in Spanish or Portuguese as well as study and residence in a Latin American nation can serve to strengthen language competence and are encouraged.
Eighteen hours of additional courses chosen from the list below. Courses must be selected from at least three different departments, and a maximum of nine hours may be submitted from courses taken in any one department.		18
African and African American Studies
AAST 36703	Distant Relatives: The Global Black Diaspora
Anthropology
ANTH 20143	Introduction to Latin American Studies
ANTH/LALS 35503	Religion in Latin America
ANTH/LALS 42603	Identity and Culture in the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands
Art History
ARHS 45603/456H3	Pre-Columbian Art
ARHS 45703/457H3	Artists of New Spain
Communication
COMM/HIST/LALS 32803	U.S. Latinos and Latinas through Film
Economics
ECON 38403	Economics of the Developing World
ECON 38503	Emerging Markets
English
ENGL/LALS 32503	The Latinx Image in Media
ENGL/LALS 35403	Topics in U.S. Latino/Latina Literature and Culture (English)
ENGL/LALS 45203	Studies in U.S. Latino/Latina Literature and Culture
History
HIST 31903	The Making of the Modern Caribbean
HIST/LALS 32003	Colonial Latin America
HIST 32103	Modern Latin America
HIST 32803	U.S. Latinos and Latinas through Film
HIST/LALS 33003	U.S. Immigration History
HIST/LALS 33103	Latinos and Latinas in the U.S.
HIST 33603	The Atlantic World, 1400-1850
HIST/LALS 33703	Rise of the American Empire: War, Migration and Expansion, 1789-1917
HIST/LALS 44403	Frontiers and Borderlands in Colonial Latin America
HIST/LALS 47103	Women, Gender, and Sexuality in Colonial Latin America
HIST/LALS 47403	The Cold War in Latin America: Revolutions, Violence, and Politics
HIST 47803	History of Modern Mexico
HIST/AAST/LALS 48103	Africans and Slavery in Colonial Latin America
LALS 48203	Black Freedom in the Age of Emancipation
Landscape Architecture
LARC/LALS 48503	Latin American Landscapes
Latin American and Latino Studies
LALS 20103	Introduction to Latin American and Latino Studies
LALS 30103	Special Topics in Latin American and Latino Studies
LALS 399HV	Honors Thesis
LALS 40003	Latin American Studies Colloquium (If taken a second time under a new topic)
Music
MUHS 42503	Capstone Project Seminar (Latin American Music)
Political Science
PLSC 32603	Latino Politics
PLSC/LALS 32703	Belonging, Citizenship, & Immigration in the United States
PLSC 35703	Governments and Politics of Latin America
PLSC 47903	Latino/Hispanic Political Thought
PLSC/LALS 41603	Nuevo South: The Emerging Latino Electorate in the South
Portuguese
PORT 30103	Brazilian Cinema
PORT 32003	Brazilian Cultural and Social Issues
Sociology
SOCI 31703	Latinos, Migration, and the U.S. South
Spanish
SPAN 31003	Cultural Readings
SPAN 31103	Introduction to Literature
SPAN 31203	Spanish for Heritage Speakers II
SPAN 41303	Survey of Spanish-American Literature I
SPAN 41903	Survey of Spanish-American Literature II
SPAN 42203	Latin American Civilization
SPAN 42403	Literature and Culture in the Hispanic United States
SPAN 42503	Latin American Cinema and Society
SPAN 45903	Trans-American Issues in Contemporary Mexican and U.S. Latin American Literature and Film
SPAN 4750V	Special Investigations
SPAN 52503	Colonial Literature and Culture
SPAN 53903	19th Century Spanish American Literature
SPAN 54603	20th Century Spanish American Literature
SPAN 57003	Special Topics
SPAN 59403	U.S. Latino/a Literatures and Cultures
Any additional course with a Course prefix of LALS that is not in this list may also count towards major/minor requirements
Total Hours		24

Requirements for a Minor in Latin American and Latino Studies: Students wishing to minor in Latin American and Latino Studies must fulfill 18 credit hours, to include:

LALS 40003/400H3	Latin American Studies Colloquium	3
SPAN 20203	Intermediate Spanish II (ACTS Equivalency = SPAN 2023) (Or equivilent)	3
or PORT 20203	Intermediate Portuguese II
12 credit hours from among the electives listed in the dependent major. Electives must include courses from at least two different academic departments. Included in the 12 hours may be 3 additional hours of LALS 40003, provided the topic is different.		12
Total Hours		18

Requirements for Honors in Latin American and Latino Studies: The Honors Program in Latin American and Latino Studies gives junior and senior students of high ability the opportunity to enroll in enriched courses and conduct independent research culminating in an honors thesis. In addition to satisfying the general Fulbright College requirements for graduation and the basic eligibility requirements for honors as established by the Honors Council, candidates for honors in Latin American and Latino Studies must complete 12 hours of honors credit in partial satisfaction of requirements for the co-major. One to six of these may be thesis hours (LALS 399HV). The preferred method for satisfying the remaining hours is to enroll in the colloquium at least once for honors credit (LALS 400H3) and to take relevant honors colloquia or graduate courses (with permission) in one of the departments contributing to this interdisciplinary area study. The thesis committee shall include a representative from the major discipline (in the case of multiple majors, from the discipline contributing most significantly to the topic). Successful completion of these requirements will be recognized by the award of the distinction “Latin American and Latino Studies Scholar Cum Laude” at graduation. Higher degree distinctions are recommended only in exceptional cases and are based upon the whole of the candidate’s program of honors studies.

Courses

LALS 20103. Introduction to Latin American and Latino Studies. 3 Hours.

Provides an interdisciplinary introduction to Latin America and the Latino United States. Drawing on Latin American and/or Latino literature, film, art, history, sociology, anthropology, and political science, this course examines the broad forces that have shaped the region and/or the U.S. Latino experience. (Typically offered: Fall and Spring)

LALS 30103. Special Topics in Latin American and Latino Studies. 3 Hours.

Courses with a varying disciplinary focus on topics related to Latin American and Latino Studies. (Typically offered: Irregular) May be repeated for up to 9 hours of degree credit.

LALS 30303. Carnival in Latin America. 3 Hours.

Addresses the history and implications of Carnival in Latin America, focusing on Brazil. Interrogates assumptions about the freedoms of Carnival. Examines debates surrounding how cultural appropriation, gender, and sexual orientation have permeated this event. Studies works by sociologists, historians, feminists, filmmakers, journalists, and musicians. (Typically offered: Spring)

LALS 31703. Latinos, Migration, and the U.S. South. 3 Hours.

Examines social, economic, and population changes in the U.S. South, including shift of Latinos' settlement patterns, actions taken by policy makers to adapt to new demographic context, and mechanisms immigrants use to facilitate their induction into the southern community. Prerequisite: SOCI 10103. (Typically offered: Fall)

LALS 31903. The Making of the Modern Caribbean. 3 Hours.

History of the Caribbean from pre-Columbian to present times focusing in particular on indigenous origins, colonialism, slavery, rebellion, independence, nationalism, and political integration in the making of the modern Caribbean region. (Typically offered: Fall)

LALS 32003. Colonial Latin America. 3 Hours.

An introduction to the social, cultural, political and economic formation of Latin America, during the period from 1492 to the movements for independence. (Typically offered: Fall Odd Years)

LALS 32103. Modern Latin America. 3 Hours.

An investigation of the varying courses of modernization in Latin America, covering popular revolution, urban populism and military dictatorship. (Typically offered: Spring Even Years)

LALS 32503. The Latinx Image in Media. 3 Hours.

Exploration of the image and experience(s) of Latinx populations in the United States as represented in visual and print media, including film, television, news journalism, and art. Topics related to US Latinx history, culture, politics, and socioeconomics will be examined in the analyses of these mediated depictions. (Typically offered: Irregular)

LALS 32703. Belonging, Citizenship, & Immigration in the United States. 3 Hours.

Explores belonging, immigration, and citizenship in the U.S., considering historical, political, social, and cultural perspectives. Special emphasis is placed on recent immigration trends, which have impacted demographics and politics. Delves into questions surrounding immigration, including policy, public attitudes, immigrant experiences, and social/political inclusion/exclusion of immigrant and ethnic minorities. (Typically offered: Irregular)

LALS 32803. U.S. Latinos and Latinas through Film. 3 Hours.

This course will examine the portrayal of U.S. Latinos and Latinas in Hollywood films and how those images have changed over time. While coverage will extend to the early years of the twentieth century, the chosen films will place particular emphasis on the century's second half, from the Cold War to the modern day. (Typically offered: Spring)

LALS 33003. U.S. Immigration History. 3 Hours.

Examines the migration of ethnic groups into the United States from geographical areas that include Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Special emphasis will be given to cultural history, and will trace the impact of industrialization, urbanization, class formation, and popular culture on various ethnic groups. (Typically offered: Irregular)

LALS 33103. Latinos and Latinas in the U.S.. 3 Hours.

Examines the emergence and growth of the Latino population of the United States. A broad survey of the Latino experience will complement more specific case studies focusing on cultural identity and the generational process of acculturation into the American mainstream. (Typically offered: Fall)

LALS 33703. Rise of the American Empire: War, Migration and Expansion, 1789-1917. 3 Hours.

Explores the history of U.S. expansion and imperialism from the nation's founding to the start of World War I. It proceeds both chronologically and thematically, considering the evolution of U.S. imperialism and its various manifestations - territorial, political, economic, and cultural. (Typically offered: Irregular)

LALS 35403. Topics in U.S. Latino/Latina Literature and Culture. 3 Hours.

The study of works of U.S. Latino/Latina literature, with attention to particular themes, genres, authors, literary movements, historical moments, or other organizing principles. Content varies. (Typically offered: Irregular) May be repeated for up to 9 hours of degree credit.

LALS 35503. Religion in Latin America. 3 Hours.

Examines contemporary implications of Latin America's unique religious heritage. An exploration of multiple Latin American religious traditions, with sustained focus on key theoretical concerns: conversion, vernacular vs. orthodox expressions, the blending of indigenous and European cosmologies, devotion and ritual, and the articulation of ethnic, gendered, and religious identities. (Typically offered: Irregular)

LALS 399HV. Honors Thesis. 1-6 Hour.

Honors thesis research hours. Prerequisite: Junior standing. (Typically offered: Fall and Spring)

LALS 40003. Latin American Studies Colloquium. 3 Hours.

An interdepartmental colloquium with an annual change in subject of investigation, required of all Latin American studies majors. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing for Latin American and Latino Studies majors. (Typically offered: Spring) May be repeated for up to 6 hours of degree credit.

LALS 400H3. Honors Latin American Studies Colloquium. 3 Hours.

An interdepartmental colloquium with an annual change in subject of investigation. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing and honors standing for Latin American and Latino Studies majors. (Typically offered: Spring) May be repeated for up to 6 hours of degree credit.

LALS 41603. Nuevo South: The Emerging Latino Electorate in the South. 3 Hours.

Explores the new wave of Latino migration to the US South and how this has transformed the demographic composition of these states and reshaped politics and policy. Explores, both regionally and locally, concepts of membership, Southern and national identity, and the racialization of Latinos. (Typically offered: Irregular)

LALS 42603. Identity and Culture in the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands. 3 Hours.

An exploration of the interplay between Latino/a, Mexican, Anglo, and Native American identities and cultures along the U.S.-Mexico border. Course examines identity formation, hybridity, social tension, marginalization, race and gender, from an anthropological perspective, paying special attention to the border as theoretical construct as well as material reality. (Typically offered: Irregular)

LALS 44403. Frontiers and Borderlands in Colonial Latin America. 3 Hours.

This course examines frontiers and borderlands in colonial Latin America and focuses on the regions of California, New Mexico, Texas, Brazil, and the Río de la Plata. It demonstrates that frontiers and borderlands are defined by the absence of a hegemonic European power and associated with the prevalence of Indigenous norms. (Typically offered: Irregular)

LALS 45203. Studies in U.S. Latino/Latina Literature and Culture. 3 Hours.

The study of works of U.S. Latino/a literature, with attention to particular themes, genres, authors, literary movements, historical moments, or other organizing principles. Content varies. At least one major research paper will be required. (Typically offered: Irregular) May be repeated for up to 9 hours of degree credit.

LALS 47103. Women, Gender, and Sexuality in Colonial Latin America. 3 Hours.

This course examines women, gender, and sexuality in colonial Latin America. It explores the lives of indigenous, Spanish, African, and mixed-race women from all social ranks. A central question is: does the current status of women in Latin America stem from a colonial legacy of gender oppression and sexual repression? (Typically offered: Irregular)

LALS 47403. The Cold War in Latin America: Revolutions, Violence, and Politics. 3 Hours.

This course will trace the rise of the ideological and political struggles over social and economic development and the security regimes designed to thwart socialist revolution and political mobilization. The influence of the United States in Latin American security regimes and "containment" activities will receive special attention. (Typically offered: Irregular)

LALS 48103. Africans and Slavery in Colonial Latin America. 3 Hours.

Explores the diverse experiences of slaves and free Blacks in colonial Spanish and Portuguese America from 1500 to around 1888, demonstrating that bondage and the practice of African slavery was a pillar of political authority in colonial Latin America. (Typically offered: Irregular)

LALS 48203. Black Freedom in the Age of Emancipation. 3 Hours.

This course centers on the comparative study of Atlantic World freedom movements from the perspective of the African Diaspora. It focuses on the histories, meanings, legacies of the various types of black emancipation in the Atlantic World and the cultural technologies that enabled them. (Typically offered: Spring)

LALS 48503. Latin American Landscapes. 3 Hours.

This course studies the shaping of urban Latin American Landscapes by investigating, problematizing, and analyzing their diverse social, cultural, economic, and environmental conditions as reflected in the built realm. The main scope of study is the conception, origins, meaning, function, and performance of public spaces and landscapes in the continent. (Typically offered: Spring)