Latin American Studies


On this page: Introduction | Programs |

See also: Faculty Members | Course Descriptions | Course Winter Timetable |


Introduction

Latin American Studies at the University of Toronto (LAS@UofT) is a programme for students in the social sciences, humanities and sciences who seek a deeper understanding of the Latin American regions, their histories, cultures and societies. LAS@UofT seeks to inspire knowledge and experience across the University’s three-campus community and beyond. The programme’s courses encourage students to complement special interests in fields such as Anthropology, Political Science, Geography, History or Sociology with a broader interdisciplinary framework, while at the same time committing themselves to an emphasis upon the languages and the historical and cultural experiences of Spanish and Portuguese America.

LAS@UofT exists to bring together the energy and insights of a multi-disciplinary collection of individuals and units, to develop innovative courses and to stimulate exchange. The programme’s research and pedagogical mission encompasses everything from the ancient American civilizations and the ideas, peoples and commodities that came together and emerged within a wide Iberian world, through the archaeology, geography, history, languages, literatures, politics, societies and cultures of the Latin American regions and countries, to the natural sciences and transnational investigation of Latin Americans and their descendants in Canada and elsewhere.

Contact:

Camille HarrisonAdministratorLatin American Studies at the University of TorontoMunk Centre for International Studies, 327N1 Devonshire Placecamille.harrison@utoronto.ca, 416 946-8972

Kenneth MillsProfessor of History & DirectorLatin American Studies at the University of Torontoken.mills@utoronto.ca

LAS@UofT website: www.utoronto.ca/las

Latin American Studies Program

Latin American Studies (Arts program)

Major program

(7 full courses or equivalent including at least two courses at the 300+ level)

1. Course work: Students must successfully complete seven full courses or their equivalents sponsored or approved by LAS@UofT, as well as satisfy the requirements of their departmental specialization. The requirement is six full courses for students who begin their language study in PRT220Y1 or SPA220Y1/SPA319Y1, or who demonstrate language proficiency by exam.

Of the required courses:

  • One course must be LAS200Y1
  • At least one course must be LAS300H1 or LAS301H1. Note that if the subject matter and/or instructor has changed, it will be possible to take, and be credited for, LAS300H1 or LAS301H1 more than once.

Courses eligible for programme credit

Courses eligible for programme credit include those appearing below. Please note that some of the courses have pre-requisites; in all cases, and for updates on courses being offered, check individual department websites.

Latin American Studies

  • LAS200Y1 Latin American History, Civilization and Culture
  • LAS300H1 Topics in the Social Sciences (Latina/o Identity in Canada)
  • LAS301H1 Topics in the Humanities (Postcolonial Imaginary in Latin America)
  • LAS400H1 Topics in Latin American Studies (Gender, Migration and Globalization)

Anthropology

ANT340H1 Anthropology of Latin America

Geography

  • GGR240Y1 Historical Geography of the Americas

History

  • HIS291Y1 Latin America: The Colonial Period
  • HIS292Y1 Latin America: The National Period
  • HIS301Y1 Imperial Spain
  • HIS333Y1 Revolution in 20th Century Latin America
  • HIS390Y1 Latin America in the Age of Revolution
  • HIS402H1 Indigenous Colonial Cultures in the Spanish and Portuguese Americas
  • HIS441H1 Conversion & Christianities in the Early Modern Spanish World
  • HIS456Y1 Black Slavery in Latin America

Political Science

  • POL305Y1 Politics and Society in Latin America
  • POL442H1 Topics in Latin American Politics

Portuguese

  • PRT100Y1 Beginners Portuguese
  • PRT110Y1 Elementary Portuguese
  • PRT220Y1 Intermediate Portuguese
  • PRT255H1 The Brazilian Puzzle: Culture and Identity
  • PRT258H1 Introduction to Luso-Brazilian Studies
  • PRT355H1 Topics in Brazilian Studies
  • PRT357H1 Modern and Contemporary Brazilian Literature
  • PRT365H1 1 The Rise of Modern Identity
  • PRT454Y1 The Luso-Brazilian Identity
  • PRT455Y1 Machado de Assis and Eça de Queiroz
  • PRT458H1 The Luso-Brazilian Short Story

Spanish

  • SPA100Y1 Spanish for Beginners
  • SPA220Y1 Intermediate Spanish
  • SPA259H1 Introduction to Hispanic Cultural Studies
  • SPA375H1 Latin American Cinema
  • SPA380H1 Colonial Literature and Cultures
  • SPA381H1 Nation, Identity and Literary Modernism in Spanish-America
  • SPA382H1 Spanish American Women in Art, Film and Literature
  • SPA384H1 Avant-Garde Movements in Spanish America
  • SPA385H1 Literature and Social Change in Spanish America
  • SPA467H1 Topics in Spanish-American Culture
  • SPA468H1 Topics in Modern Spanish-American Literature
  • SPA471H1 The Historical Novel in Spanish America
  • SPA480H1 Theories of Culture in Latin America
  • SPA482H1 20th Century Spanish American Narrative
  • SPA486H1 Contemporary Caribbean Literatures and Identities
  • SPA487H1 The Culture of Revolution

UTM Courses

  • HIS290H5 Intro to Latin American History
  • HIS345H5 Popular Culture in Latin America
  • HIS390H5 Revolutions and Nations in Latin America
  • HIS391H5 Modern Mexico
  • HIS454H5 Race, Gender and Nation in Modern Latin America
  • HIS490H5 Religion and Society in Latin America
  • POL201Y5 Politics of the Third World
  • POL361H5 After Regime Change: The Quality of Democracy in Latin America

UTSC Courses

  • POLB90H3 Comparative Development in International Perspective
  • POLB91H3 Comparative Development in Political Perspective
  • POLC91H3 Development Studies: Political and Historical Perspectives
  • POLC99H3 Latin America: The Politics of the Dispossessed
  • SOCC25H3 Comparative Ethnic and Race Relations

2. Language: Students must successfully complete (with a grade of at least 65%) the first two levels of instruction in the Spanish or Portuguese language by the end of the third year of study ( SPA100Y1 then SPA220Y1; or SPA319 [for heritage-speakers, and viewed by the programme as an equivalent of SPA220Y1]; PRT100Y1/PRT110Y1 then PRT220Y1 ), or demonstrate equivalent proficiency in the given language through examination by LAS@UofT before the end of the second year.