New World(s): Contacts, Conquests and Conflict in Early Modern Hispanic History and Culture
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| MLAC2094 | Modern Languages and Cultures | 2 | 20 | Full Year UK |
- Code
- MLAC2094
- School
- Modern Languages and Cultures
- Level
- 2
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Full Year UK
Summary
On one semester of this module, we follow the course of social and cultural history in Portugal, Spain and their Empires and spheres of influence from the fifteenth to the eighteenth centuries by looking at painting. We will examine religious art, portraiture and documentary painting (history, social class) from Portugal, Spain, Nagasaki (under Portuguese influence) and Mexico. You will be encouraged to visit art galleries and one element of your coursework will take the form of curator’s notes. You do not need any previous training in art history to take this module.
On the other semester we will investigate the narratives of early "discovery" and conquest of Central and South America, starting with Mexico and Brazil. We will address and interrogate the worldview, ideologies and socio-political and economic structures behind the narratives of conquest and early colonization of the "New World" while recognizing and emphasizing the roles of groups and social agents that were often left out or figure as an "other" to the Iberian conquistadores. Furthermore, we will look at representations of the encounter with and colonization of Central and South America (including Peru, Argentina and Chile) in 20th and 21st texts and films that question and reinterpret the foundational events and the formation of nations to be.
Target Students
Available for Year 2 students taking Spanish 2, Spanish 2 Beginners or Portuguese 2 Beginners. Also available for Exchange students with some knowledge of Spanish.
Co-requisites
Modules you must take in the same academic year, or have taken in a previous year, to enrol in this module:
Classes
- One 1-hour seminar each week for 20 weeks
- One 1-hour lecture each week for 20 weeks
The School of Cultures, Languages and Area Studies operates an attendance policy. The details of this policy can be found in the student handbook on Workspace and in module handbooks.
Assessment
- 50% Coursework 1: Writing Assessment (commentary plus short essay). 1,800-2,200 words - Spring semester.
- 50% Assignment 1: 72-hour take home test (1,200 words) Autumn semester
Assessed by end of spring semester
Educational Aims
By the end of this module students should have acquired: A sound knowledge of the cultural and political history of Iberia and the Spanish and Portuguese overseas empires in the fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; A solid grasp of painting and visual culture in Iberia, Latin America and Portuguese trading posts in the East; An understanding of the dynamics of conquest and colonisation in early modern Latin America; An awareness of how this ear is represented in contemporary film and literature; An ability to work independently and manage time intelligently to fulfil work commitments; A greater confidence in presenting analytical written work effectively; The means to employ these new insights and skills in future modules.Learning Outcomes
1. Knowledge and understanding
Students will:
(A1) read and comprehend complex texts in Spanish and, if relevant, in Portuguese;
(A3) develop an appreciation of the relationship between their own cultural, historical and social backgrounds and those of those aspects of the Hispanic/Lusophone worlds to which they are exposed;
(A2) acquire an in-depth awareness of the cultural, historical and political contexts appropriate to the Hispanic/Lusophone culture(s) addressed,
(A4) handle with assurance a range of critical and analytical stratagems and tools in their approach to these areas.
2. Intellectual Skills
Students are given the tools with which to:
(B1) engage in informed discussion of visual and written texts;
(B2) demonstrate a critical awareness of the historical and socio-political contexts of Hispanic/Lusophone cultures;
(B4) deploy effectively a range of critical stratagems and approaches in their analytical work.
3. Professional/practical skills
The training offered on this module allows students to:
(C3) undertake relevant research and construct a reasoned argument on a topic/issue in English either orally or in writing.
4. Transferable/key skills
Students are provided with the training to be able to demonstrate:
(D3) the ability to construct and defend a coherent and well-researched argument in English;
(D3) the ability to construct and defend a coherent and well-researched argument in English;
(D4) appropriate preparation skills in relation to written documents, oral presentation, illustrations and handouts and the delivery of oral presentations;
(D5) sufficient cross-cultural understanding to be able to negotiate effectively between cultures, particularly Hispanic/Lusophone cultures and their own culture of origin;
(D6) general research skills;
(D7) time-management, prioritising and general organisational skills.