On-screen text: Hisp 111: Introduction to Latin American Literature and Culture, Brandeis University
On-screen text: Spanish Language Courses, Brandeis University.
A mosaic animation dissolves the tiles to video of a woman talking to the camera. The woman’s name, Prof. Lucía Reyes de Deu appears on the screen.
The audio of this video is Spanish. Closed captions available in both Spanish and English (translation).
Lucía Reyes de Deu: “¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás?
Mi nombre es Lucía Reyes de Deu y en este video te voy a explicar en qué consiste el curso HISP 111. HISP 111 es la introducción a la literatura y culturas latinoamericanas y es el primer curso avanzado del programa en estudios hispánicos y también es un requisito para majors y minors en Hispanic Studies.”
By selecting "English" under closed captioning, the translation of the audio track into English appears.
Translation: Hello! My name is Prof. Reyes de Deu. In this video I’ll explain what Hisp 111 is all about. Hisp 111 is an introduction to Latin American literature and culture, and it’s the first upper level course in Hispanic Studies. It is also a requisite for majors and minors in Hispanic Studies.
Lucía: “En este curso vas a establecer conexiones entre periodos, espacios y textos escritos de los países americanos de habla hispana, Latino América, desde antes de la llegada europea hasta el presente.
Por ejemplo, vas a entender cuál es la conexión entre la vida y la obra de una monja mexicana del siglo diecisiete y los movimientos de mujeres en Latinoamérica como "ni una menos" o cuál es la conexión entre los antiguos mitos mexicanos y un cuento fantástico de un escritor argentino del siglo veinte o cómo puedes leer las crónicas de la conquista del siglo dieciséis como textos fundacionales de una identidad latinoamericana diversa, conflictiva, y plural.”
Translation: In this course you will make connections between periods, spaces and written texts from Spanish speaking American countries, Latin America, since pre-Columbian times until today.
You will, for example, understand the connection between the life and work of a Mexican nun in the 17th century and women’s movements in Latin America such as the “Ni una menos” movement. We’ll learn the connections between ancient Mexican myths and a fantasy story by an Argentinian writer in the 20th century. How can we read the chronicles about the conquest from the 16th century as foundational texts of a Latin American identity which is diverse, conflicted and plural.
Lucía: “Además HISP 111 es un curso introductorio que te prepara para que sigas tu camino académico en el programa ya que te prepara para tomar cursos más avanzados de literatura y de cultura.
Te esperamos el semestre que viene. ¡Adiós!”
Translation: Hisp 111 is also an introductory course that prepares you to continue on your academic since it prepares you to take more advanced courses in literature and culture. We hope to see you next semester.
The video transitions to an image: Poster for HISP 111: América del Sur is outlined in black and has south at the top of image rather than the usual way it is portrayed. The lettering is still right side up.
Image caption follows: Inverted map of America (1936) by Uruguayan painter, Joaquin Torres Garcia.
Then the rest of the course description is displayed:
Prerequisite: HISP 106b, or HISP 108a, or permission of instructor. [DJW, NW, Cross-listed with: COML Lit Course in a Language Other than English; IGS Elective in Media, Culture, and The Arts; Elective Course in Latin American and Latino St; Cross-Listed in Music/Cultural Studies Track.] Examines key Latin American texts of different genres (poems, short stories and excerpts from novels, chronicles, comics, screenplays, cyberfiction) and from different time periods from the conquest to modernity. This class places emphasis on problems of cultural definition and identity construction as they are elaborated in literary discourse. Identifying major themes (coloniality and emancipation, modernismo and modernity, indigenismo, hybridity and mestizaje, nationalisms, Pan-Americanism, etc.) we will trace continuities and ruptures throughout Latin American intellectual history.