Hispanics Cultures in the United States
A LCS-201
Fall 2000

Course Description
General Objectives
Attendance
Grading
Readings
Course Structure
Links

Instructor: Dr. Margarita Rodríguez

Class Time: T-TH. 2:30-3:50

Course Description:

According to the Bureau of the Census, Latin Americans represented 1.5 percent of the foreign-born population of the United States in 1900 while Europeans made up 85 percent of the foreign-born population the same year. In 1990, Latin Americans constituted 43 percent of the foreign-born population and Europeans 22 percent. A single Hispanic group, Mexicans, represented 27 percent of the foreign-born population of the United States in 1996. It is estimated that in the near future Latino(a)s will represent the largest minority group. Thus, analysis and research related to the Hispanic-origin population involve more than historical curiosity. They refer to contemporary issues that will gain increasing importance in the next decades.

Hispanic Cultures in the United States will analyze the determinants of immigration from Latin America and the Caribbean, principally since the 1960s, and study general demographic, cultural, and socioeconomic characteristics of the Hispanic population in the United States. Then we will proceed to focus on specific groups to study modes of labor market incorporation, modes of political participation, cultural legacy, forms of transnationalism, and the formation of identity (ies). By concentrating on specific groups: Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Dominicans, Salvadorans, Nicaraguans, and Brazilians, students will understand the contribution of each to "the Latino experience" in the United States and existing similarities and differences in terms of their respective migration histories, contexts of reception, incorporation into the U.S. society, and relations with their societies of origin.

The course will begin with an overview of key concepts such as minority, ethnicity, and race. We will discuss the historical character of such concepts and their different connotations in the United States compared to Latin America. We will also analyze basic concepts that are frequently used in official statistics and academic works, such as foreign-born population, Hispanic-origin population, immigrants admitted, non-immigrants admitted, refugees, quota system, among others.

Active participation in class is crucial to the learning process. Thus, active and well-informed participation is encouraged.


General Objectives:

  1. To advance the understanding of the demographic, socioeconomic, political, and cultural characteristics of the Latino population in the United States and the causes of immigration from their respective countries of origin.

  2. To understand quantitative and qualitative similarities and differences among the "Latino" groups ("Hispanics") in the United States

  3. To improve the students' writing skills, and their cultural background, analytical rigor, and intellectual engagement through the study and well-informed discussions on the fastest growing ethnic minority in the United States and its actual and potential contributions to the receiving society.

Attendance:

Attendance is mandatory by definition as the final grade depends substantially on the written essays, which, simultaneously, depend on conceptual clarification and information provided by the professor during the lectures.


Grading:

Written assignments will count for up to 60 pts of the final grade, divided as follows:

Three written essays on three topics: 60 pts (20 points each topic). Students will be assigned three topics to be analyzed and discussed in written essays. The professor will indicate the bibliography that will be used in each case. The student shall bring a typewritten essay of 7-to-8 pages double spaced, clean, well organized/structured, with introduction, content, discussion, footnotes, and bibliography for each of the topics assigned. Bibliography does not count. Front size=11.

Each of these papers will have a deadline (see below). Twenty (20) points will be automatically deducted from the student's paper if he/she does not bring it on time. No exceptions will be made. Only written, official documentation indicating serious illness or an extremely critical situation will be considered for extension purposes.

Students must use the Chicago Manual of Style for citation purposes and presentation of the bibliography (the professor will provide copies of the sections that will be helpful for this purpose and will teach you how to use them). The professor will offer a special lecture on the essentials of academic writing at the beginning of the semester and will explain her expectations concerning the papers.

Grades will be based on scoring rubrics that will indicate the number of points assigned to such elements as familiarity with the readings discussed and ability to refer to major points of historical or theoretical relevance, logical structuration of the paper, coherence in the presentation of ideas, organization of the paper, and mechanics (grammar, footnotes, citations, bibliography).

The remaining 40 percent of the final grade will depend on a comprehensive exam (it covers the contents of the entire semester) (true-false/multiple choice style).

Outstanding participation in class will count for the final evaluation. Each participation will be graded as extra-credit (less than 0.75). The professor will keep a record of the quality of the participation in each case. Additional extra-credit exercises will be assigned throughout the course at the discretion of the professor. All the students are invited to participate. Each extra-credit will count for up to 0.75 points of your final grade and the total will never exceed 5 points of the final grade. The final grading scale is:

 
95-100 = A+   85-89.99 = B+   75-79.99 = C+   65-69.99 = D+   59.99-below = F
90-94.99 = A-   80-84.99 = B-   70-74.99 = C-   60-64.99 = D-        

Readings

Required: Available through one of the providers (ask the professor).

  • Kanellos, Nicolás. 1997. Hispanics Firsts, 500 Years of Extraordinary Achievement. New York: Gale.

  • Stavans, Ilan. 1996. The Hispanic Condition: Reflections on Culture and Identity in America. New York: Harper.

A packet of readings is available for purchase (the readings recommended for each topic are in the reading packet).

Course Structure:

September 6- 21

  • Topics: Basic Concepts. Special Lecture on Academic Writing. Demographics of the Hispanic population of the United States. The growth of immigration from Latin America and the Caribbean.

  • Readings:

    Demographics

    • Trends and recent estimates (the professor will indicate the sources in class).

    Immigration: Historical Context

    • Sánchez, Jorge. 1993. Becoming Mexican American: Ethnicity, Culture, and Identity in Chicano Los Angeles, 1900-1945. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press. (p.17-62) (RP).

    • Sasskia Sassen, Smith Robert. 1997. "Post-industrial Employment and Third World Immigration: Casualization and the New Mexican Migration in New York." Papers on Latin America No. 26. Columbia University.

    • Tucker, Keely, and Wrigley (editors). 1990. Immigration and U.S. Foreign Policy. (Chapters 8 and 9).

    • Portes, Alejandro. 1990. "From South of the Border: Hispanic Minorities in the United States." 1990. In. Virginia Yans-McLaughlin (editor) Immigration Reconsidered: History, Sociology and Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (RP).

  • Essay # 1: Discuss the historic-structural causes of the rapid growth of immigration rates from Latin America and the Caribbean since the 1960s. Due September 28 (20 pts).

September 28-October 25

  • Topics: The Latino Experience in the United States: Mexicans and Central Americans in Los Angeles, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, and Brazilians in New York, Cubans and Nicaraguans in Miami. Special Lecture on the political situation in Colombia and its impact on emigration.

  • Readings:

     

    • Acosta-Belen, Edna, 1995. "Extended Borders: latinos and the Bridging of the Americas." Latino Review of Books, No. 1, Vol. 1. CELAC, SUNY, Albany.

    • Chinchilla Norma et al. 1993. "Central Americans in Los Angeles: An Immigrant Community in Transition. In, Joan Moore and Raquel Pinderhughes (editors) In the Barrios: Latinos and the Underclass Debate. New York: Russell Sage Foundation (51-78).

    • Margolis, Maxine. 1998. An Invisible Minority: Brazilians in New York City Boston: Allyn and Bacon. (Chapters 1, 2, 3)

    • Moore, Joan and James Diego Vigil. 1993. "Barrios in Transition." In, Joan Moore and Raquel Pinderhughes (editors) In the Barrios: Latinos and the Underclass Debate. New York: Russell Sage Foundation (27-49).

    • Portes Alejandro and Alex Stepick. 1993. City on the Edge: The Transformation of Miami. Berkeley: University of California Press (Chapters 5 and 6).

    • Rivera-Batiz Francisco and Carlos Santiago. 1994. Puerto Ricans in the United States: A Changing Reality. Washington D.C.: The National Puerto Rican Coalition. (Summary to p. 39).

    • Rodríguez, Margarita. 1999. Beyond "The Capital of Exiles:" Nicaraguans and Cubans in Miami. (Manuscript).

    • Torres-Saillant and Ramona Hernandez. 1998. The Dominican Americans. Connecticut: Greenwood Press (Chapters 1, 2).

  • Essay # 2: Compare the contexts of exit and reception of ______ and ________ in the United States. Due November 2 (20 pts.)

October 31- December 14

  • Topics: Identity, political participation, and the Latino cultural legacy.

  • Readings:

    Identity

    • Flores, William and Rina Benmayor (editors). 1997. Latino Cultural Citizenship, Claming Identity, Space, and Rights. Boston: Beacon Press (p. 27-96).

    • Stavans, Ilan. 1996. The Hispanic Condition: Reflections on Culture and Identity in America. New York: Harperperennial. (Selected pages).

    • Torres-Saillant, Silvio. "Visions of Dominicaness in the United States." 1998. In, Bonilla et al. (editors) Borderless Borders: U.S. Latinos, Latin Americans and the Paradox of Interdependence. Philadelphia, Temple University Press (p.139-152).

    • Torres, María de los Angeles. 1998. "Transnational Political and Cultural Identities: Crossing Theoretical Borders." In Bonilla et al. (editors) Borderless Borders: U.S. Latinos, Latin Americans and the Paradox of Interdependence. Philadelphia, Temple University Press (p.169-182).

    Latinos in the Literature, Theatre, Arts, and the Design Industry

    • Cortina, Rodolfo (editor). 1991. Cuban American Theater. Houston: Arte Público Press. (Introduction).

    • Kanellos, Nicolás. 1997. Hispanics Firsts, 500 Years of Extraordinary Achievement. New York: Gale. (Selected pages).

    Latinos in the U.S. Government, Elections, Civil Rights Movement, and the Labor Movement

    • Blea, Irene. 1997. U.S. Chicanas and Latinas within a Global Context: Women of Color at the Fourth World Women's Conference. Connecticut: Praeger. (p. 127-147).

    • Falcón, Angel. 1996. "Puerto Ricans in Postliberal New York: The 1992 Presidential Election. In De la Garza et al. (editors). Ethnic Ironies Latino Politics in the 1992 Elections. Colorado; Westview Press.

    • Grenier, Guillermo. "The Cuban-American Labor Movement in Dade County: An Emerging Immigrant Working Class." 1992. In Guillermo Grenier and Alex Stepick (editors). Miami Now. Immigration, Ethnicity, and Social Change. Miami: University Press of Florida.

    • Kanellos, Nicolás. 1997. Hispanics Firsts, 500 Years of Extraordinary Achievement. New York: Gale. (Selected pages).

    • Moreno Darío and Warren Christopher. 1996. "The Conservative Enclave Revisited: Cuban Americans in Florida." In. De la Garza et al. (editors). Ethnic Ironies Latino Politics in the 1992 Elections. Colorado; Westview Press (185-219).

  • Essay # 3: Topic will be announced in class. Due December 14 (20 pts.).

    Final Exam: December 19.


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