Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures

University of Delaware

Student Friendly Course Descriptions

Level 200 and Above – Fall 2011 Courses

Arabic

Chinese

Classics

FLLT/CMLT

German

Hebrew

Italian

Japanese

Portuguese

 French

Russian

Spanish

Arabic

ARAB  200:  Advanced Intermediate Arabic    (3 credits)

Ikram Masmoudi

Emphasis is on reading and discussing authentic materials from the textbook and from Arab media to improve reading, writing, and listening skills, and to increase knowledge of Arab culture.

Chinese

CHIN  200:  Chinese Grammar    (3 credits)

Renee Dong

This course is a continuation of 100-level Chinese language courses. With a strong emphasis on reading and writing, this course provides training in all four aspects of language learning. Students will not only learn authentic Chinese in terms of idiomatic usages, familiar sayings, and sophisticated grammar structure, but are expected to understand Chinese society and culture in more depth. Both simplified and traditional Chinese character versions will be used in this class.

CHIN  350:  Business Chinese    (3 credits)

Renee Dong

This course focuses on introducing socially appropriate language use in Chinese business settings. Through a variety of language activities such as role play, interview and skit performance, students will learn about Chinese business culture and etiquette and also learn how to function effectively in a business setting. Additionally, the course will provide students with important knowledge of the formality of the Chinese language appropriate for casual and formal business settings. As such, it will help students further enhance their language skills in speaking, reading, and writing. Exercises and materials will come primarily from real-world common business situations, company case analyses, business news reports and other business-related multimedia materials.

CHIN  455:  Classical Chinese    (3 credits)

Maria Tu

This course is designed to provide students with basic training in classical Chinese, which is the gem of the Chinese language. As a language of the literati over the past thousand years, rich in literary, aesthetic, philosophical and religious implications, classical Chinese was unfortunately disrupted at the turn of the 20th century for ideological reasons. The course introduces students to basic grammar structures of classical Chinese, its syntactic patterns and historical development, as well as comparison with modern vernacular Chinese. It will give students a sense of how the Chinese language evolved from its classical form to the modern Mandarin/standard form through studying a wide range of readings in classical Chinese prose, literary and documentary writings.

CHIN  467:  Advanced Readings in Chinese (Mandarin)    (3 credits)

Jianguo Chen

This course focuses on developing students’ advanced reading skills. By studying a set of carefully selected texts, particularly literary texts, in modern Chinese, the course introduces students to the literary aspect of the Chinese language. Students will not only improve their advanced reading skills but will learn how to appreciate, in the broadest sense, modern and contemporary Chinese literature at its finest. Selected films will be shown to complement course readings. The course is taught entirely in Mandarin Chinese.

Classics

GREK  201:  Ancient Prose: Intermediate Greek    (3 credits)

Staff

The third course of a four-semester sequence (Greek 101-102-201-202) fulfilling the Arts and Sciences language requirement. Focuses on works of one or more prose authors with particular attention to review of grammar and syntax. Readings from the philosophical, historical, and oratorical works of authors such as Plato, Herodotus, and Lysias.

LATN  201:  Intermediate Latin Prose    (3 credits)

Staff

The third course of a four-semester sequence (Latin 101-102-201-202) to fulfill the Arts and Sciences language requirement. After a comprehensive review of elementary grammar covered in Latin 101-102, students undertake close readings of Latin prose texts such as The Gallic War by Caesar or The War with Hannibal by Eutropius.

GREK  301:  Ancient Prose: Advanced Intermediate Greek    (3 credits)

Staff

Focuses on works of one or more prose authors with particular attention to historical and literary contexts. Readings drawn from the philosophical, historical, and oratorical works of authors such as Plato, Herodotus, and Lysias. Meets jointly with Greek 201.

LATN  301/401:  Advanced Intermediate Latin Prose    (3 credits)

Annette Giesecke

Our focus will be the first book of the historian Livy's Ab Urbe Condita (From the Founding of the City), which is rich in the mythological history of Rome including, for example, the birth and adventures of Romulus and Remus, the terrible deeds of the haughty Tarquins, and the bloody founding of the Roman Republic. The class will read Livy's text and discuss it in the context of Rome's material culture (contemporary art and architecture) as well as her contemporary history, including social history.

FLLT

FLLT  316:  Gods, Heroes and Monsters    (3 credits)

Annette Giesecke

The subject of Classical Greek and Roman mythology is a broad one, and this course will focus on myth as presented primarily in the medium of epic poetry. The course commences with Hesiod's account of the birth of the Greek gods and goddesses and moves next to the most famous myth of all, the tale of the rape of Helen and the fall of Troy. Particular emphasis will be placed on the possible historical reality of the Trojan myth and on Homer's depictions of the gods and heroes who participated in this saga. From Homer's warrior hero Achilles and the wanderings of Odysseus, we will proceed to the strange Hellenistic Greek tale of Jason, the witch Medea, and the quest for the golden fleece. The remainder of the course will be dedicated to Roman myths and adaptations of Greek material. On the syllabus is Virgil's Aeneid, the story of the Trojan Aeneas and his wanderings to Italy, where he will become the founder of the Roman race. Here emphasis will be placed on the new politicizing of myth and the manipulation of myth for propagandistic purposes. Next the bold and sacrilegious Metamorphoses of Ovid will be studied; here the familiar Homeric gods become something quite undeserving of respect and worship. The course will close with what is perhaps the strangest of all tales, the story of the "hero" Lucius who becomes, quite literally, an ass and a devotee of the seductive Egyptian goddess Isis.

FLLT  321:  Anti-heroes in Modern Chinese Literature    (3 credits)

Jianguo Chen

This course examines various types of anti-heroes in modern Chinese literature (fiction and drama), such as the social outcast, the estranged, the aesthete, the superfluous, and the marginal woman. The course investigates how sociopolitical conditions have shaped this “anti-hero literature” with its alternative values. Films will be shown to complement the readings. In class, we will focus on representative modern Chinese writers such as Gao Xinjian (the first Chinese Nobel Laureate 2000), Lu Xun, Yu Dafu, Sheng Congwen, Ding Ling, Eileen Zhang, Yu Hua, Can Xue, Chen Cun, Ha Jin, etc. The course is informed by a comparative approach that engages well-known anti-heroes in American literature such as Holden Caulfield (Catcher in the Rye) and John Yossarian (Catch-22), and the Underground Man in Russian literature (Notes from Underground) in an interesting dialogue with the Chinese anti-heroes under discussion. Students will be strongly encouraged to participate in class discussions.

FLLT  329:  Italian Women Writers    (3 credits)

Meredith Ray

This course addresses the development of the female voice in the poetry, narrative, and polemical writing of Italian women in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. We will focus on works that best represent the range of women's voices during these periods, including selections from the mystics of the fourteenth century, the humanists of the fifteenth century, the renowned courtesans of the sixteenth century, and the protofeminist voices of the seventeenth century. We will also look at the artistic production of some Renaissance women. The course will center on discussion of the texts and the issues which arise from them, including the role of women in Medieval and Renaissance society, the representation of women in literature and art, and the emergence of a feminist discourse.

FLLT  345:  Modern Israel: Culture and Identity    (3 credits)

Eynat Gutman

Interested in the study of modern Israeli culture? This course will enlighten you in many ways: what are the origins of Zionism? Who is an Israeli Sabra? How did factors and events like the Holocaust and the Arab-Israeli conflict shape the Israeli society of today? Taught in English, the course will address such questions: Through historical background and the study of film, literature and music, we try to arrive to an understanding of this complex culture.

FLLT  422-10:  Language Syllabus and Materials Development    (3 credits)

Ali Alalou
Cynthia Lees

Wondering how to select a textbook, or how to put together the syllabus for your next language course? Interested in creating your own teaching materials? This course will give you the opportunity to learn about the latest approaches to syllabus and materials design, while giving you extensive hands-on experience in the creation of your own classroom tasks and homework assignments.

The Practicum's content includes the preparation and teaching of lesson plans; the formulation of a classroom management strategy and classroom rules; the discussion of assigned readings in the text; the presentation of effective approaches to teaching vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and reading and writing in the content area; and an introduction to the uses of authentic cultural materials in the foreign language classroom. The completion of a 25-hour placement at the student teaching site includes observations and the teaching of mini-lessons in those venues. The goal of the Practicum is to provide strategies and techniques for effective teaching in the target language and to promote a variety of hands-on experiences that will ensure a successful student teaching experience in spring 2012.

FLLT  424/624:  Second Language Testing    (3 credits)

Jorge Cubillos

This course is designed to provide future language teachers with the knowledge and skills required to develop a variety of classroom assessment methods. Participants will learn how to implement multiple formal and informal techniques to evaluate their students' progress, and how to use test results to improve instruction. Special emphasis will be given to the design of comprehensive assessment plans for specific thematic units.

FLLT  467:  Survey of Chinese Culture: Communities and Identities    (3 credits)

Dr. Haihong Yang

This course introduces the development and significance of social and cultural practices and imaginations that produce and shape Chinese communities and identities. Our approach is broadly interdisciplinary, roughly chronological, and ultimately self-reflective. It is interdisciplinary in that we engage with philosophy, politics, poetry, autobiography, language, posters, film, and more. It is chronological in its transition from pre-modern to modern China, from the works of Confucius up through Mao-era propaganda posters and contemporary oral histories. It is self-reflective in that from beginning to end you are asked to think about your own cultural assumptions, as well as your connection to China—a task of crucial importance given China’s unprecedented and growing influence on global economics, environment, and politics.

Alongside its China-related content, this course also helps you develop college-level standards of critical reading, written composition, oral presentation, and research methodology. Assignments for the semester—from one-sentence summaries to a final research paper—aim for concrete, step-wise enhancement of critical thinking and expressive skills

FLLT  495:  Humanity Under Siege    (3 credits)

Cynthia Lees

In this Capstone Seminar you will read and discuss translated contemporary prose fiction from Argentina, Croatia, Israel, Ivory Coast, Germany, Serbia, and Sudan. These texts depict humanity’s darkest days: a suicide bombing in Jerusalem; the detention and torture of enemy combatants at Guantanamo Bay; the rape of women in Bosnian death camps; the exploitation of child soldiers in Liberia; the gassing of victims at a Belgrade concentration camp; the war crimes committed during Argentina’s “dirty little war;” and the violent impact of colonialism in a borderland where Arabia melds with black Africa. These may be horror stories in the truest sense. Discussion of ethical, social, and political issues that transcend linguistic, ethnic, and geographical lines of demarcation will encourage you to identify problematic and significant questions raised by the works themselves, crossing the boundaries of culture, language, and time.

FLLT  623-10:  Theoretical and Practical Issues in Foreign Language Pedagogy    (3 credits)

Ali Alalou

Graduate assistants enrolled in this course will study current perspectives on foreign language instruction and have extensive hands-on experience with the implementation of effective language teaching strategies. Emphasis will be given to the enhancement of students’ proficiency in class planning, syllabus design and materials preparation.

FLLT  626:  Seminar on Second Language Acquisition Research    (3 credits)

Jorge H. Cubillos

This course is an in-depth exploration of topics pertaining to the acquisition of a second or additional language. Class readings and assignments will provide students with an introduction to quantitative and qualitative research methods in applied linguistics. Emphasis is given to the development of independent study, problem-solving, research, reading, writing and oral presentation skills.

French

FREN  200:  French Grammar and Composition    (3 credits)

Cynthia Lees

This course provides a comprehensive grammar review contextualized in contemporary readings including non-fiction texts and French and Francophone literary selections. The completion of grammar exercises from the textbook and workbook foster correct usage of the French language. Students respond to comprehension questions on texts studied and write micro-themes in response to prompts to develop a polished writing style. The thematic focus of this course is post-colonialism, and many of the readings will explore the impact of the former French empire in Africa, Indo-China, and North America.

FREN  205:  French Conversation    (3 credits)

Edgard Sankara

This course is designed to help students improve their oral proficiency in French through discussions, debates, role-plays and short oral reports. Emphasis will be on vocabulary-building, as well as providing tools for managing conversations. Articles from French newspapers and magazines as well as video clips from current French broadcasts will be used to further develop students’ knowledge of contemporary France and the Francophone world, and improve their reading comprehension skills. Some grammar review may be included when needed.

FREN  209:  French Conversation through Film    (3 credits)

Flora Poindexter

A conversation course contextualized in recent mainstream films, animated shorts, and popular short documentaries, this class invites you to build and to practice your oral and aural skills in French while watching a variety of cinematic products from the French-speaking world. Many films are as close as your nearest laptop, and students will actively blog reactions at our class website.

FREN  211:  French Reading and Composition    (3 credits)

Donna Coulet Du Gard
Bonnie Robb

This course includes reading and discussion of French literature, frequent compositions and grammar review where appropriate.

The emphasis of this course is on improving reading fluency, critical reading skills, and composition. FREN 211 presents thorough readings of short stories with discussion of these readings beyond the level of plot and in conjunction with literary movements. Students will write compositions based on readings and other topics. Grammar will be reviewed when appropriate.

FREN  301:  Introduction to French Literature: Prose    (3 credits)

Edgard Sankara

What did Montaigne have in mind when he wrote his famous Essais? Why did Rousseau pen his Confessions? Did Voltaire write anything besides Candide? What makes Chateaubriand's René a Romantic hero? Are Proust's sentences as long as you've always heard they were? This course explores French prose from the Renaissance through the twentieth century. Along the way, you'll discover the science fiction of Voltaire, experience le mal du siècle with René, take a peek at novels by Stendhal and Balzac, meet a colorful parrot in a short story by Flaubert, and examine two astonishing representations of jealousy in its extreme forms, first in an eighteenth-century gothic tale, then in a twentieth-century nouveau roman. You will learn the methods and language of literary analysis as you perform close readings and explication de texte.

FREN  302:  Introduction to French Literature: Poetry and Theatre    (3 credits)

Bruno Thibault

A gladiator, returning victorious from battle, slays his sister for her lack of patriotism. A poet strolls along a sandy beach and meditates on life and death. A fox and a crow, a lion and a mosquito, a wolf and a lamb participate in lively, often cynical dialogues. A runaway teenager dreams about drunken ships and evokes delirious voyages to far-off and far-out countries. Welcome to the world of French poetry and classical theater! This course explores poets and dramatists from the Renaissance through the 20th century with particular attention to the methods and language of literary analysis through close readings and explications de texte. In this course you will learn the terminology of literary criticism, employ this terminology in critical analyses of poems and plays, and discuss the recurring themes – power, love, deception, loss, patriarchy, war, exoticism – in the works studied.

FREN  305:  French Conversation and Composition    (3 credits)

Deborah Steinberger

French 305 is an advanced conversation and composition course, conducted entirely in French, which focuses primarily on current issues in France and the Francophone world. Topics covered include politics, social issues, science and technology, and the arts. You will practice French through oral reports, role play, and discussions, as well as through regular written assignments—including movie reviews and your own blog. Grammar review will be tailored to the needs of the class.

FREN  325:  French Civilization I    (3 credits)

Gary Ferguson

Offering an exploration of the cultural history of France from Ancient Gaul to the Revolution, this course examines the evolution of French culture from its earliest expressions in the cave paintings of Lascaux through to the end of the Old Regime in 1789. In particular, we will study the 1000-year period known as the Middle Ages, followed by the Renaissance, the Classical Age, and the Enlightenment. Important political events will be discussed along with major artistic, cultural, and intellectual movements, both in terms of their historical context and in terms of how they have been viewed and used by later generations, including their significance in modern-day France. Films, visual images, and online resources will supplement our reading of historical texts and authentic documents from the periods to help deepen our understanding of France's rich and diverse cultural heritage.

FREN  437/637:  Seventeenth-Century French Theater Illusion and Delusion in Baroque and Classical Theater    (3 credits)

Deborah Steinberger

Though the 17th century in France saw the birth of Cartesian rationalism, superstition was rampant and belief in magic and witchcraft widespread. In this course we will encounter magicians, charlatans, ghosts and madmen as we explore the themes of illusion and delusion in plays by Pierre and Thomas Corneille, Racine and Molière. Through their depictions of the visions brought about by madness, magic, miracle or machination, we will examine attitudes towards the irrational during the Grand Siècle. To enrich our analyses of the plays, we will view filmed performances of some of the works, and the students themselves will stage selected scenes.

FREN  451/651:  20th Century French Literature – Age of Anxiety and Absurd    (3 credits)

Bruno Thibault

Do you think one can envision a world without a divine plan? Without divine transcendence are men and women condemned to immorality and violence? Can violence and war lead to freedom and justice? When is rebellion justified? Is authentic art the expression of subconscious drives? In this class, we will discuss these themes and other related issues through close readings of masterpieces of French literature published during the interwar era, 1914-1944 (novels, essays and plays by Gide, Yourcenar, Sartre, Beauvoir and Camus). Special attention will be devoted to Surrealism (Breton, Éluard, Aragon, Char, Michaux) and Existentialism.

FREN  875:  Renaissance Literature    (3 credits)

Gary Ferguson

Known as the Age of Discovery, the Renaissance is a particularly complex period in history, standing both optimistically and anxiously at the threshold of the modern world. The sixteenth century in France sees an extraordinary flourishing of the arts and sciences, the rise of Humanism, and the religious Reformation. As the field of knowledge expands and orthodoxies are questioned, Renaissance thinkers struggle with questions of faith, knowledge, society, sex, and the self. We will read literature of the period in relation to a number of fundamental developments that continue to have their consequences today: the evolving relationships between men and women as reflected in the short stories of Marguerite de Navarre and the love poetry of Labé and Ronsard; the confrontation of old and new forms of knowledge and religious ideals in the novels of Rabelais; the encounter of the ‘Old World’ with the ‘New’ and the emergence of new forms of identity in the essays of Montaigne.

German

GRMN  205:  German Conversation    (3 credits)

Lisa Thibault

This course is designed for students who have learned basic language skills and who now wish to improve their spoken German. This course will allow you to expand your use of language beyond the classroom setting and to participate in broader, richer German-speaking communities. A variety of materials, including an engaging textbook, newspaper and magazine articles, film and television excerpts, and resources on the internet will be used as a basis for discussion. Vocabulary and conversation stand at the center of this course, but grammar review will be included as necessary. Grades will be based on class participation, quizzes, and oral midterm and final exams.

GRMN  255:  Germany in the News    (3 credits)

Nancy Nobile

What are the hopes and realities that concern people in today's Germany? What role does Germany play in the expanding focus of the European Union? What are the most talked about cultural issues of the day? To find answers to these and other questions, we’ll read and discuss online newspaper and magazine articles, and view excerpts from German TV news. Discussion of emergent issues in Germany—from pop culture to world politics—will improve your speaking, reading, and listening skills. In increments over the course of the semester, students will create their own newspapers. They will be asked to participate frequently in class discussions, to give one group presentation, and to take midterm and final exams.

GRMN  350:  Advanced Grammar & Composition    (3 credits)

Iris Busch

Are you still playing the guessing game when it comes to German grammar? Here is help! This course is designed for comprehensive grammatical review and refinement of accuracy of advanced grammar. Efforts will be reinforced through exercises that provide active practice. There will be ample opportunity for real-life speaking contexts with open-ended communicative applications. Students can expect to express opinions and ideas about reading selections.

GRMN  355:  Love, Money and Power    (3 credits)

Ester Riehl

What motivates the action in German literature? How has that changed over the centuries? In this course we will consider why the era of “modern” German literature is said to have begun 250 years ago, and how many of the topics and concerns of the authors and their characters in German drama, prose and poetry between the late 18th and early 20th centuries have remained relevant since then. The goals of the course are to provide students with an overview of German literature and culture from the18th to the 20th century, improve their German skills and learn how to do close reading. Students will write several short papers, two essays, and a midterm and final exam.

GRMN  422/622:  The Age of Goethe    (3 credits)

Nancy Nobile

The Goethezeit is a hybrid, because it spans many important and fascinating literary periods: the Enlightenment, “Sturm und Drang,” Classicism, and Romanticism. In this course we’ll read Goethe’s Faust I - one of the most well known works of German literature. In addition to this drama about Faust’s wager with Mephisto, we’ll discuss work by writers including Kant, Lessing, Schiller, and Novalis. We’ll also listen to parts of Mozart’s Enlightenment masterpiece, The Magic Flute, and view a modern-day film adaptation of Faust. Students will be asked to write several short papers (some analytical, some creative), and to complete a take-home final.

GRMN  433/633:  Nineteenth-Century German Literature    (3 credits)

Ester Riehl

In 1800 there was no unified German state. The vast majority of people lived in the country and worked in agriculture. There were no trains, no industry. By 1900 all of this had changed: Germany was one national state under the Prussian crown, Berlin had become a metropolis of nearly two million, cities grew under towering smokestacks, and railroads criss-crossed the nation. How did these changes affect literature? How was literature involved in these changes? How did German-speaking authors of the nineteenth century deal with these issues? We will ask these questions as we read texts by Georg Büchner, E.T.A. Hoffmann, Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, Theodor Storm, Theodor Fontane and others. There will be several short writing assignments, two essays, and final exam.

GRMN  875:  Narratives of the Nation: 1989 to the Present    (3 credits)

Monika Shafi

The fall of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent reunification entailed enormous political and socio-economic challenges for Germany which in tandem with globalization have reshaped the German nation. In this course, we will explore Germany’s cultural and literary landscape of the past twenty years and examine how reunification has affected both former East Germany and the Federal Republic of Germany. We will examine how East German and West German writers have approached and represented these momentous changes and study how reunification as well as globalization has influenced the role of memory, history, and culture. Topics discussed will include the role of national identity; the status of minorities, especially the large Turkish population, the so-called “Pop” literature; and if Germany is now a “normal” nation like others. Authors studied will include, among others, Gűnter Grass, Uwe Timm, Ingo Schulze, Emine Sevgi Őzdamar, and Judith Hermann. Students will be asked to give short oral presentations and to write a research paper.

Italian

ITAL  200:  Italian Grammar Review    (3 credits)

Laura Salsini

You want to learn a second language, but you’re afraid of being bored. Then take this opportunity to change your opinion! You will be engaged in learning Italian and its grammar through stories, movies, music, debates, and many other activities. Don’t hesitate! Choose Italian. Choose Italian 200.

ITAL  205:  Italian Conversation    (3 credits)

Riccarda Saggese

You’re so close to proficiency in Italian! Consolidate your hard-earned language skills in a series of conversations and oral presentations, with grammar review and written work when appropriate. Students will discuss current events along with material from film, the Internet and other sources.

ITAL  211:  Italian Reading & Composition (Short Fiction)    (3 credits)

Laura Salsini

Let the masters of the Italian short story teach you to write! This course emphasizes vocabulary acquisition and written expression. Students will read and discuss short works of literature and film. You will improve your writing skills, add to your rich stock of conversation topics in Italian, and begin your love affair with contemporary Italian authors.

ITAL  310:  Survey of Italian Literature    (3 credits)

Meredith Ray

You enjoy the Italian language, you are interested in Italian culture, and Italy fascinates you. You are now ready to explore Italy’s literary past and acquaint yourself with some of the country’s great masters and masterpieces. Through the study of selected works and authors, you will also gain a better understanding of Italy’s history and culture. This course will be taught through a combination of informal lectures and discussion.

ITAL  355:  Love in Italian Literature    (3 credits)

Riccarda Saggese

This course focuses on the representation of love through the centuries. A selection of major poets, including Dante, Petrarca, Coccaccio, Ariosto, Leopardi, Manzoni, Fogazzaro, Moravia, and Mazzucco, will offer the opportunity to examine the meaning of spititual and profane love. In addition to reading and the analysis of these authors, some clips and movies will be also shown.

ITAL  455:  Italian Romanticism    (3 credits)

Giorgio Melloni

This course provides an in-depth study of the most important Italian authors from the eighteenth to the twentieth century. The course will trace the Italian Romantic contribution to the idea of Modernity through the interpretation of the best-known examples of the artistic representation of beauty in Italian (and European) Literature from the Romantic Age to the present day. The theoretical structure of the course is centered on the following themes and key-terms: the perception of beauty and ugliness, the concepts of natural deformity and the human monster (both moral and physical), and the images of the female body and psyche. The different artistic portrayals analyzed during the course will lead students to a better understanding and appreciation of the literary, artistic, philosophical and ethical influence of the Italian (and the European) romantic mind on the present.

Japanese

JAPN  201:  Advanced Intermediate Japanese I    (3 credits)

Mutsuko Shoge

This course covers the first six chapters of Genki II text book. Students learn to use various grammatical forms to convey different nuances. Classes are conducted mostly in Japanese. Activities include oral, reading and writing exercises on various topics. About 90 additional Kanji will be introduced.

JAPN  202:  Advanced Intermediate Japanese II    (3 credits)

Chika Inoue

This course covers the last five chapters of Genki II text book. Students learn to use various grammatical forms to convey different nuances. Classes are conducted in Japanese. Activities include oral presentations and essays on various topics. About 75 additional Kanji will be introduced.

JAPN  301:  Advanced Japanese Grammar    (3 credits)

Chika Inoue

This is a course designed for students who want to achieve a higher level of fluency. The goal is a more natural and native-like use of the language, both in written and oral forms. New grammatical forms, idiomatic and set phrases, Kanji, and vocabulary are introduced. Topics include Japanese geography, technology, foods, pop culture, and education system. There is a final project designed by each student.

JAPN  405:  Japanese Translation    (3 credits)

Rachael Hutchinson

This course is aimed at advanced students of the Japanese language, and will focus primarily on translation skills. Texts to be translated may include excerpts from literary works, articles on contemporary social issues, or journalistic writing. Students will learn more complex grammatical forms and will be encouraged to find their own creative solutions to translation problems.

Portuguese

PORT  216:  Intensive Brazilian Portuguese for Spanish Students and Speakers    (3 credits)

Cynthia Schmidt-Cruz

Study the language of Brazil and unlock the door to this exciting giant of South America. Learning Brazilian Portuguese may not change your life, but then again, maybe it will. Why take a chance?

Due to their similarities in structure and vocabulary, your knowledge of Spanish will put you on the fast track to learning Portuguese. In this intensive course you can expect to gain a good functional knowledge of this language, which is spoken by 230 million people. You will also learn about Brazilian culture, and Brazilian popular music will be incorporated into our lessons to reinforce language learning. Come prepared to groove to Bossa Nova and other Brazilian rhythms, and to have fun learning a really cool language!

Russian

RUSS  305:  Russian Conversation and Composition through Cinema    (3 credits)

Staff

This course explores modern Russian culture and society through the prism of Russian cinema. Students will watch, discuss, analyze, and write about some of the best known Soviet and post-Soviet films, starting with Aleksandrov’s 1936 propaganda vehicle «Цирк» and ending with «Восток-запад», the 1999 exposé of Stalin’s rule and the cold war. Other films include the prize-winning and heart-rending film about World War II «Летят журавли», the much-loved comedies «Иван Васильевич меняет профессию» and «Ирония судьбы» and the anti-war classic «Кавказский пленник». In the process, students will advance their skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. A diverse array of lexical, grammatical, and creative exercises will speed students’ progress toward higher linguistic proficiency.

Spanish

SPAN  200:  Spanish Composition and Grammar    (3 credits)

Meghan McInnis-Dominguez
Stacey Hendrix

Lee Glen
Fatima Haq

An intensive study of selected grammatical topics (ser-estar, preterite and imperfect, present subjunctive and commands); vocabulary; grammatical exercises and short compositions. Offered with an Honors section (080).

In this course you will acquire new vocabulary, broaden and improve your knowledge of grammatical structures (agreement, verb tenses, pronouns, and much more). You will learn strategies for developing and refining your written communication skills.

SPAN  201:  Spanish Reading and Composition    (3 credits)

America Martinez
Meghan McInnis-Dominguez

Susan McKenna

This course places major emphasis on the development of reading, writing and analytical skills while studying literary selections from Spain and Latin America.

In this course the student has the opportunity to read a wide variety of Spanish and Latin American literature in three genres: poetry, narrative and drama. The student will develop reading skills as well as a solid knowledge of the literary terms and movements which will be encountered in more advanced literature classes. Compositions will be based on interpretation of the readings and will be directed towards reinforcing the use of literary terminology.

SPAN  205:  Spanish Conversation: A Cultural Approach    (3 credits)

Tomás McCone
Carmen Finnicum
Krystyna Musik

The goal of this course is to enable each learner to achieve increased mastery of practical spoken Spanish in its cultural context. The language will be used strategically – to accomplish objectives and resolve conflicts – in realistic situations. Linguistic and cultural topics include travel, health, geography, education, social interactions, cuisine, sports, housing, family life, entertainment, technology, and business. An array of methodologies is used to build oral competence in real-world situations. Course components include role-playing activities, vocabulary expansion, cultural readings, films and other nonprint media; oral reports, Internet research, listening activities, pronunciation practice, grammar repair and review, short compositions, and an individual final project. The Honors section features additional proficiency activities.

SPAN  300:  Advanced Spanish Composition & Grammar I    (3 credits)

Lee Glen
Asima Saad-Maura

Phillip Penix-Tadsen

This course is primarily designed to consolidate the fundamentals of Spanish grammar through intense targeted practice. Writing skills will be developed and refined towards an elaborate syntactic production. Cultural topics are explored through readings that raise awareness of the Hispanic world while building up vocabulary to express abstract ideas.

SPAN  301:  Survey of Spanish Literature    (3 credits)

Cristina Guardiola
Megan McInnis-Dominguez

This course studies the development of Spanish literature from its origins through the 17th century; it is a study of representative works, discussions and collateral readings.

From the epic poem of the Cid to the riotous adventures of Don Quijote, from the sorceress Celestina to the seductions of Don Juan, from the picaresque novel Lazarillo de Tormes to the philosophical drama La vida es sueño, this course will explore the literature and culture of Spain from the Middle Ages through the Golden Age. Students will gain exposure to classic authors in various genres of Spanish literature, honing critical skills while exploring the evolution and development of Spain's literary genius.

SPAN  303:  Survey of Spanish-American Literature    (3 credits)

Asima Saad Maura
America Martinez

Angel Esteban

Selected readings include representative works in all genres of Latin American literature in the 20th Century, with discussion and analysis, of different texts of various forms of poetry and prose from the Renaissance period to Modernism. We move to another time and South of the Border to learn about the writings of the conquistadores and the authors who lived in the Age of Colonialism, through the revolutions and into the Modern age. You will see how peoples of Spanish-speaking countries viewed the world during several historical epochs. This course provides a comparison of literary works with the arts and unique insights into other cultures.

SPAN  305:  Oral Communication    (3 credits)

Ángel Esteban

For individuals with a comprehensive knowledge of Spanish grammar and vocabulary. Emphasis on refinement of expression of abstract ideas as well as mastery of practical communication.

You love Spanish. You would love to travel to Spanish-speaking countries. You can read Spanish and you can communicate but you want to be able to have meaningful Spanish conversation. This course is designed to help you speak Spanish more fluently and expand your vocabulary while learning current issues and customs in the Hispanic world. The goal is to enable you to sustain conversations and express your opinions on diverse topics. The course draws from a variety of resources, including short stories and essays, articles from the Spanish press, slides, videos, and satellite newscasts. Interactive formats such as class discussions, debates, oral presentations and scenarios will be used.

SPAN  314:  Spanish Phonetics and Phonology    (3 credits)

Hans-Jörg Busch

This course is highly recommended for prospective Spanish teachers and students who want to improve and practice their pronunciation and intonation in Spanish. The course will help you to understand how the Spanish phonetic system evolved from Latin, and is organized, compared to the system in English. This, together with a wealth of practical exercises will enable you to lose the typical “American accent”, and to speak like a Spaniard. You will learn how to divide Spanish words into syllables, where and when to put written accents, how to pronounce vowels and consonants, as well as learn about Spanish rhythm, intonation, linguistic variation, the evolution of the language, and phonetic transcription. You will also be able to explain to your future students why we today use the article "el" with words like "agua", why we use the feminine form of adjectives to create adverbs, where "ñ" and "ll" come from, why intervocalic "d" is often omitted, and much much more.

SPAN  325:  Spanish Civilization and Culture    (3 credits)

Angel Esteban

Survey of geography, history, art and society of Spain. Taught in Required for teaching majors. This course offers a survey of the geography, history, culture, politics and society of Spain. You will study key historical events, from prehistoric times to the most recent developments, as well as cultural movements that have shaped Spanish national identity. The course is conducted in Spanish and the readings are in Spanish

SPAN  326:  Latin American Civilization and Culture    (3 credits)

Persephone Braham

This is a student-centered class in which students will research and analyze fundamental aspects of the geography, history, politics and cultural production of Latin America from pre-Columbian times to the present. We place particular emphasis on questions of human rights, colonialism and nationalism, intervention, and globalization and migration. This is a process-oriented course, in which students are encouraged to:

• Discover the historical causes of modern-day problems in Latin America;
• Improve research and analytical skills;
• Develop independent learning skills;
• Master practical academic and presentation technologies.

SPAN  401:  Advanced Spanish Grammar II    (3 credits)

Hans-Jörg Busch
Asima Saad Maura

SPAN 401 is not a systematic study of Spanish grammar (that is the purpose of SPAN 200 and 300). In this course students will practice and apply what they have learned in previous courses, as well as broaden their vocabulary through different kinds of writings (i.e.: summaries, opinion papers, narrations, feature articles, descriptions, poems, short stories, etc.), projects and class participation. Furthermore, they will have the opportunity to study and practice more in-depth those structures that traditionally cause the most problems. For example: subjunctive vs. indicative, past tenses, prepositions and pronouns, reflexivity, active vs. passive, text progression, determination, word order, direct vs. indirect speech, sequence of tenses, use of complex tenses, etc. The SPAN 401 textbook contains an array of authentic readings about the culture, history, and politics of Spain and Latin America. The overall goal of SPAN 401 is to help students reach the ACTFL Language Testing Advanced-Low Level.

SPAN  415/615:  Human Rights and LA Literature    (3 credits)

Gladys Ilarregui

This course will examine the historical development, aesthetics, cultural productions and literary texts produce and inspire by the defense and promotion of Human Rights in Latin America. Classes will expose students to some of the debates around the world on what constitutes a Human right and how in Latin America the perspective of repressed groups from Bolivia, Cuba, Chile, Mexico or Argentina, give textual testimonies a particular place within the cultural production and identity of those countries. Film, music and literature will be compared with legal archives, and theoretical approaches by Bartolomé de las Casas, Walter Mignolo, Rigoberta Menchú Tum, Bauman and the Dispossessed, Hannah Arent and the discourse of authoritarianism.

This course touches many great writers, composers and visual artists in the complex intersection of anguish and persecution, exile, or post-exile, always illuminating new ways of reading the rich cultural background of Latin America.

SPAN  436/636:  Renaissance Self-Fashionings    (3 credits)

Cristina Guardiola

Who are you? Scoundrel or sweetheart, vixen or viper? This course deals with texts of all types that elaborate the “invention” of the self. We will focus on poetry, prose, and painting to see how consciousness of self appears (as a result of historical, political, and social realities), and how the possibilities of artistically construed social constructs of self develops and are maintained.

SPAN  455/655:  Love & Power: The myth of Don Juan    (3 credits)

Alexander Selimov

This course explores dramatic and filmic manifestations of the Don Juan theme, one of the most intriguing creations of Western culture. Don Juan is a literary figure with a legendary dimension, that transcended the borders of Spain and asserted his presence in other cultures, from Russia to England. Much has been written about the Don Juan phenomenon, and the different versions of the main story reflect the evolution of attitudes toward personal freedom, crime and punishment, male and female sexuality, religion, and society. The course format includes both lectures and discussions, small group work, film viewing, formal presentations and written assignments. There will be a special focus, throughout the course, on reading comprehension, vocabulary and oral communication skills.

SPAN  455/655:  Ecology, Disaster, and LA Poetry    (3 credits)

Gladys Ilarregui

This course will examine poetry from several periods, starting by Nahuatl and Mayan poetry to the poetry of Amazons today in an attempt to encounter new voices to describe nature, cosmological changes, and the survival skills of people whose social and geographical landscape changed dramatically at some point in history. Poetry will be read in concert with other cultural productions and analyzed within new digital environments. Film and digital poetry will be also incorporated in our discussions. Students will be encouraged to have their own “ecological” environment and create a record for a final project at the end of the semester.

SPAN  462/662:  Masters of the Spanish American Short Story    ( credits)

Cynthia Schmidt-Cruz

This course will consist of an in-depth focus on four major short story writers of Spanish America: Juan Rulfo, Jorge Luis Borges, Julio Cortázar, and Gabriel García Márquez; and we will also read stories by Luisa Valenzuela and Cristina Peri Rossi. We will study the obsessive themes and writing techniques of these authors, as well as the theory and structure of the short story in general. From the cosmopolitan ambiance of Buenos Aires to rural Mexico and the steamy tropical coast of Colombia, these masterpieces of short fiction offer a fascinating insight into Spanish America.

SPAN  475:  Graphic Transgressions: Breakthroughs in Modern Latin American Art and Culture    (3 credits)

Philip Penix-Tadsen

Breakthrough movements transgress traditional boundaries and carry their fields of enunciation to new heights. This course traces innovations in Latin American art and culture in the 20th and 21st centuries. We will examine literary and poetic breakthroughs and their relationships to the visual arts, focusing on varying approaches to abstraction, conceptualism, and political activism in contemporary Latin American cultural production.

SPAN  475:  Sugar, Salsa & Santería - Hispanic Cultures of the Caribbean    (3 credits)

Persephone Braham

Through Caribbean music, dance, art, film, and texts, we will trace the region's history, focusing on the existential roles of diaspora, slavery, and colonialism in the formation of present-day postcolonial cultures. We will explore the articulation of Caribbean identities through such concepts as calibanismo, zombiismo, aplatanamiento, insularismo, plantation, migration, chaos and meta-archipelago. Taught in Spanish with some Francophone and Anglophone texts in English.

SPAN  875:  Gustavo A. Bécquer: De la ilusión al desengaño (19th- Century Spanish Lit.)    (3 credits)

Alexander Selimov

This course offers a systematic study of Gustavo A. Becquer’s Rimas and Leyendas by combining formalist and psychological analytical approaches. By the end of the course, students will have a thorough understanding of Bécquer’s poetics and narrative techniques in the context of romantic/ postromantic movement; the students will be able to define, explain and apply formalist and psychoanalytic theory to literary analysis. The course format includes both lectures and discussion of primary & secondary literature, small group work, formal presentations and written assignments.