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Latin American Studies

Faculty E-mails

Committee in Charge
Eugene N. Anderson, Ph.D. (Anthropology)
Alicia Arrizón, Ph.D. (Women's Studies)
Wendy Ashmore, Ph.D. (Anthropology)
James P. Brennan, Ph.D. (History)
Amelia Cabezas, Ph.D. (Women's Studies)
Marcelle Chauvet, Ph.D. (Economics)
Ronald H. Chilcote, Ph.D. Emeritus (Economics)
Carlos E. Cortés, Ph.D. Emeritus (History)
Maria Luz Cruz Torres. Ph.D. (Anthropology)
Eduardo de Jesus Douglas, Ph.D.(Art History)
David Fairris, Ph.D. (Economics)
Scott L. Fedick, Ph.D. (Anthropology)
Alfredo Figueroa, B.A. (Chicano Student Programs)
Paul Gelles, Ph.D. (Anthropology)
E. Mark Hanson, Ph.D. (Education/Management)
Steven M. Helfand, Ph.D. (Economics)
Jonathan Hiskey, Ph.D. (Political Science)
Michael Kearney, Ph.D. (Anthropology)
Josh Kun, Ph.D. (English)
Tiffany Lopez, Ph.D. (English)
William Megenney, Ph.D. (Hispanic Studies)
Armando Navarro, Ph.D. (Ethnic Studies)
Rhonda Neugebauer (Library)
John Ochoa, Ph.D. (Hispanic Studies)
Luis Paredes, Ph.D. (Hispanic Studies)
Robert W. Patch, Ph.D. (History)
Marina Pianca, Ph.D. (Hispanic Studies)
David S. Pion-Berlin, Ph.D. (Political Science)
Anna B. Scott, Ph.D. (Dance)
Karl Taube, Ph.D. (Anthropology)
Carlos Vélez-Ibañez, Ph.D. (Anthropology)
Catharine Wall, Ph.D. (Hispanic Studies)
Devra Weber, Ph.D. (History)
Raymond Williams, Ph.D. (Hispanic Studies)
Patricia O'Brien, Ph.D. Dean, College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, ex officio

MAJOR

Latin American Studies is an interdisciplinary, area studies major, developed to allow a combination of many different yet related disciplines. This interdisciplinary focus permits the student to study the anthropology, economics, geography, history, sociology, languages and cultures of a particular region in order to gain a broader understanding of a complex world area.

The Latin American Studies major provides great flexibility to explore a wide range of subjects of particular interest — from religious cults in the Caribbean to the dynamics of agrarian reform in rural Mexico.

This flexibility allows the possibility of completing a double major with other departments, for example, Latin American Studies and History, Latin American Studies and Spanish, Latin American Studies and Political Science.

UCR is a member of the Southern California Conference on International Studies (SOCCIS) and participates actively in the Latin American Studies section of it. As part of this program, UCR students have the opportunity to participate in an Interdisciplinary Seminar on Latin American Studies, which is offered once a year on the campus of a member institution. The seminar content varies from year to year.

Career Opportunities

The Latin American Studies major presents numerous opportunities after graduation. The interdisciplinary nature of the program prepares the student for further study in any number of academic fields at the graduate level.

The B.A. degree itself is valuable preparation for many careers, including the U.S. diplomatic service, international organizations abroad, large overseas corporations, banking, foreign missions, agriculture, and teaching.

Degree Requirements

University Requirements

See the Undergraduate Studies section for requirements that all students must satisfy.

College Requirements

See Degree Requirements, College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, in the Undergraduate Studies Section, for requirements that students must satisfy.

Major Requirements

The major requirements for the B.A. degree in Latin American Studies are as follows:

1. Lower-division requirements

a) Proficiency in Spanish to the SPN 005 level or in Portuguese to the level of PORT 004

b) Additional course work in Spanish and/or Portuguese recommended for students interested in careers in Latin American fields

2. Upper-division requirements (36 units)

a) At least two courses in three of the following groups, or two courses in two groups and one in each of the other two groups (24 units total):
(1) ANTH 115S, ANTH 140S

(2) HISA 160, HISA 161

(3) LNST 118A, LNST 118B

(4) POSC 162, POSC 163

b) Twelve (12) units selected from a list of committee-approved upper-division Latin American Studies related courses available in the program office

Minor

Latin American Studies offers a minor consisting of 20 upper-division units.

To complete the requirements for the minor, students must select five courses from three of the following groups:

1. ANTH 115S, ANTH 140S
2. ECON 113
3. HISA 160, HISA 161
4. LNST 118A, LNST 118B
5. POSC 162, POSC 163
6. SPN 120A, SPN 120B, SPN 120C

See Minors under the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences in the Undergraduate Studies section of this catalog for additional information on minors.

UPPER-DIVISION COURSES

LNST 118A. Survey of Latin American Culture and Civilization: Pre-Columbian Period to Independence (4) Lecture, 3 hours; read and consult, 1 hour. Covers the pre-Columbian period to independence. No knowledge of Spanish is necessary. Credit is awarded for only one of the LNST 118A and LNST 118B sequence or SPN 102B.

LNST 118B. Survey of Latin American Culture and Civilization: Modern Period (4) Lecture, 3 hours; read and consult, 1 hour. Covers the modern period. No knowledge of Spanish is necessary. Credit is awarded for only one of the LNST 118A and LNST 118B sequence or SPN 102B.

LNST 153. Contemporary Latin American and Chicano Novels (4) Lecture, 3 hours; term paper, 3 hours. Prerequisite(s): upper-division standing or consent of instructor. Reading, in-depth analysis, and discussion of contemporary Latin American novels in translation and Chicano novels, based on a consideration of their salient, formal, and thematic concerns. Cross-listed with ETST 153.

LNST 164. Gender and Development in Latin America (4) Seminar, 3 hours; outside research, 3 hours. Prerequisite(s): upper-division standing or consent of instructor. Discusses the role and contribution of Latin American and Caribbean women within their societies. The effects of national economic development policies upon their status and their participation in and integration into the policy-making process are emphasized. Cross-listed with ANTH 164 and WMST 164.

LNST 168. Caribbean Culture and Society (4) Seminar, 3 hours; outside research, 3 hours. Prerequisite(s): upper-division standing or consent of instructor. An overview of the Caribbean region from a historical, cultural, and political perspective. Emphasis on contemporary issues affecting the Caribbean, and the struggle of its people to maintain their identities. Cross-listed with ANTH 168 and ETST 148.

LNST 186. People and the Environment in Latin America (4) Lecture, 3 hours; outside research, 3 hours. Prerequisite(s): upper-division standing or consent of instructor. An interdisciplinary course focusing on the study of the relationship between human communities and the environment in Latin America. Environmental problems and policies are examined. Cross-listed with ANTH 186.

LNST 190. Special Studies (1-5) Consent of the instructor and the Latin American Studies Committee required.