Interdisciplinary introduction to the basis for a Latina/Latino ethnicity in the United States. Topics include immigration and acculturation experiences and their commonalities and differences, comparison of Latina/Latino experiences to those of other racial, ethnic and immigrant groups, and the potential for a pan-ethnic identity.
Interdisciplinary exploration of the racial politics of reproduction in the United States with an emphasis on how ideologies of race, class, and citizenship shape meanings and experiences of reproduction, pregnancy, and motherhood. Topics include contraception, sterilization abuse, and abortion. Students will also learn how women of color have both been affected by the racial politics of reproduction and how they have advanced the movement for reproductive rights and justice in the United States. Same as GWS 235.
Focuses on the history and theory of Latina/o social movements. Topics include immigrant mobilizations, transnational organizing, agrarian and farm worker movements, political representation, feminisms and reproductive rights, environmental justice, labor and educational struggles, and urban social movements. Same as HIST 292.
Provides an introduction to Latina/o popular culture in the United States. Specific modes of popular culture might include mass media, music, film, video, performance, and other expressive forms. Lecture and readings are in English. Same as ENGL 224 and SPAN 240.
Critical, historical, and theoretical exploration of Latina/o representations in U.S. film from the 1900s to the present. Examination of cinematic representations as well as the social, political, and cultural context in which those representations are produced. The focus is on Mexican American and Puerto Rican images, but Hollywood's treatment of other Latina/o communities and ethnic groups will be discussed. Students will be required to attend weekly movie screenings. Same as MACS 250.
Explores contemporary structural forces that contribute to the concentration of Latinas/os in segregated neighborhoods, and the detrimental effects of housing inequality on Latina/o communities. Focuses on the influence of geographic context in creation and maintenance of racial inequalities as they affect urban, suburban, and small town locals. Further examines the role of space and place in the development and persistence of community identities. Same as SOC 278.
Examination of the history of Mexican Americans living within the United States from the Spanish Conquest to the twentieth century. Explores the process of migration, settlement, assimilation, and discrimination with emphasis on continuity and change in Mexican cultural development. Same as HIST 279.
Same as AAS 281, AFRO 281, and HIST 281. See HIST 281.
Course examines specific topics in Latina/Latino Studies not addressed in regularly offered courses. Examples include theories of ethnic identity, historical foundations, cultural expression, and relevant topics in public policy studies of Latina/Latino communities. May be repeated in same or separate terms to a maximum of 6 hours.
Same as AAS 310, AFRO 310, and EPOL 310. See EPOL 310.
Examines the effectiveness of current U.S. public policies in addressing the social, economic, and political problems affecting Latina/o individuals and communities. Specifically, it evaluates current policy in the areas of public assistance, fair housing, criminal justice, immigration enforcement, and reproductive health. Although this interdisciplinary course primarily focuses on national policies and programs, it also addresses, as necessary, the particulars of public policy in the state of Illinois.
As the "Second City" located in the heartland of America, Chicago is central to many debates on urban space, race, and nation. Specifically, it is an influential site in which Latina/os, African-Americans, Asian-Americans, and ethnic whites have come to understand meanings of race in a highly segregated setting. This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to the study of racial and ethnic groups in this city, examining issues of migration, gender, segregation, labor, and education from the late nineteenth century to the present. Same as HIST 382. Prerequisite: One course in either LLS or HIST.
Introduction to the interdisciplinary theories and methods of Latina/Latino Studies. Traditional approaches to the study of ethnicity and race will be interrogated through critical scholarship produced by Latina/Latino Studies scholars across a variety of approaches (anthropology, communications, literature, history, sociology, among others). By learning about a variety of methodological approaches, students will become proficient in conducting ethnic studies research projects about U.S. Latina/o populations. Prerequisite: LLS 100.
Special topics not treated in regularly scheduled courses; designed especially for advanced Undergraduates. Approved for letter and S/U grading. May be repeated in the same or subsequent terms as topics vary to a maximum of 6 hours. Prerequisite: One course in Latina/Latino Studies and consent of instructor.
Explores the experiences of Chicanas and Latinas through the lens of contemporary sociological research. Topics to be discussed include: community formation and activism, Chicana/Latina feminisms, sexuality, religion, health, family, immigration, education, work, media, and artistic expression. Readings emphasize the link between the structural inequalities of society, and the day-to-day lived experiences of Chicana/Latinas. Same as GWS 392 and SOC 392. Prerequisite: Any 100, 200, or 300-level LLS, GWS, or SOC course.
Examines specific topics in Latina/Latino Studies not addressed in regularly offered courses. Examples include theories of ethnic identity, historical foundations, cultural expression, and relevant topics in public policy studies of Latina/Latino communities. May be repeated in the same or separate terms to a maximum of 6 hours.
The idea of race has historically been central to how Western cultures conceptualize and think about human difference. This course examines the historical significance of race through one domain of knowledge: medicine. Specifically, it will be concerned with "race" as a central category in the medical construction and management of individuals and populations. Case studies might focus on colonial medicine, race and public health, sexuality and reproduction, global health disparities, and genetics and genomics. Same as AAS 479 and ANTH 479. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: LLS 100 or consent of instructor.
Research project leading to a thesis. 2 or 4 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. May be repeated in separate terms to a maximum of 4 undergraduate hours. May be taken by honors students in partial fulfillment of department honors requirement. Prerequisite: Senior standing; enrollment as a major in Latina/Latino Studies; a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.25; a minimum 3.5 grade point average in the major; and consent of supervising professor.
Provides an overview of scholarly work and research in the field of Latina/o Studies. Prerequisite: One undergraduate or graduate course in Latina/Latino Studies or consent of instructor.
Independent study on special topics not treated in regularly scheduled courses. Approved for letter and S/U grading. May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours.