SPANISH | Topics in Hispanic Culture (3rd year) | Latin American telenovelas
Analysis of diverse forms of cultural expression in the Spanish-speaking world
Course Description
Visual and textual analysis of one of the most successful products of Latin American television and contemporary popular culture: telenovelas. We examine first the historical and social contexts for the origins of telenovelas in Latin America and the reasons behind their increasing popularity and marketing success. We also focus on social expectations and the construction and/or reinforcement of stereotypes about ideal men and women.
Prerequisite: Cultural Readings and Composition in Spanish
Learning Goals
At the end of this class the students should be able to:
1. Think critically about contemporary popular culture and the role of television
2. Reflect about the representation of idealized men and women and their impact on viewership
3. Examine stereotypes about Latin America and its people in the global media market
Required Materials
• Course pack with critical readings about television studies and Latin American telenovelas.
• Each student will select one telenovela to watch throughout the semester. On the first day of class, the instructor would provide a list of available telenovelas
• A good Spanish-English/English-Spanish dictionary, for example Merriam Webster or Collins
Rocío Quispe-Agnoli 